Thomas County cat., 1886-12-09
HONEST OLD JAeez.
he Meets . Man and Furnishes Material
for = New Version OF an Old story.

for New Version OF an Old story.
Jabez Slushington had seven thou
sand hand-shaved shingles to sell.
and he was going to town 70
dicker those shingles for merchan-
disc. Jabez wore his fannel-backed
vest. pair of doeskin pants,
kipskin boots plastered with stove
blacking, and a sized CHIP hat. He
mounted the seven thousand shingles,
and drove out of Frog Hollow with
smiling face. Jabez went on his way.
dreaming dreams that mortals never
dreamed before-unless the dreams
were achored to load of seven thou
sand shingles and two hundred and
seventy-nine different errands and COM
missions.
Jabez sold the shingles and then met
a man.
Many a domestic tragedy would
have had more of the rose. and honey,
and sweet, if the central figure hadn't
met man. Upon the blotted escut-
cheon of fallen men. without number,
a great nation might engrave: Met a
man.
$50 you're Jazeb Slushing.on. of
Frog Hollow, are you?' inquired the
man. '.My names Jones, plain John
Jones; and spent two weeks up in
the Hollow last summer atm so very
forgetfu!-my cousin s.
.'Jason?''
"Yes; Jason's place. I got along
nicely with-what scas that pos:mas-
ter's name?"
..Slimmens?"
"Yes; Slimmens. Nice sort of
man.
"Eh? Say, Jones. if our Miss Slim
mems, our pOstmistress l mean, heard
you call her man
"Ah. yes, hem-and. just so. / am
so negligent about such things. She
was stunner'-
'.Plainest female in the Holler."
"But so skilled in conversational
powers. By the way-I forget your
name"
'.Slushington, Jatez Slushington.
'.Slushington, if you are open for
snap, l think l can give you a
pointer"
Don't know what you mean,
JONES'" said Jabez.
care you in for making a spec?'
"Money?"
s'That's what mean."
"Well, don't mind if I do. How's
the thing done2" Jabez was spccuia-
tor from way back. and. if there
was chance to increase his pile he
could be lounted in every time.
"Folloe me; but. have you got few
dollars with yOu9'
"a few. Sold them shingles, and
got to do a leetle tradin' fore l 90
back to the Holler. However. don't
mind increasin' my pile for l do go
back. If you got any p'ints to show
me, lead on and I'll go wi YOU"
Like a greedy goose going to the
plucking machine, Jabez followed the
affable Jones to the lair of the tiger.
He met lot of nice, sleek-looking
chaps there who all wore bright dia-
monds in their shirt-bosoms. They
had very white hands and puffy eye
lids. 1t didn't take long for Jabez to
become acquainted with all hands
around. In short time a neat little
game of poker was organized, and
Jabez was told all about it. The boys
with puffy eyelids and white hands
smiled as they saw what mod
est goose they had TO pluck. Jabez
was very unskilled in the use of his
cards, and had to be told quite often
not to shoW his hand. He said he
didn't know much about the game.
and asked to be excused for making
mistakes.
In all, Jabez had about fifty dollars
when he entered the tigers lair. The
birds of prey never worked so hard in
their lives to get that fifty dollars.
''Rudgers, more wine"
sNot any wine fur me. / don't
drink nuthin' but cidcr-and then only
nv own make" broke in Jabez, as he
raked in the pot for the third time.
The game proceeded and the tigers be-
gan to get uneasy. They rung in all
the snaps they knew, but the rude,
plain farmer in his quiet way met
them all with smiling face-and won.
About two o'clock in the morning
Jabez was the only man at the table
who had any money. He also was the
only sober man. He stuffed his pock-
cts with bills. bulged his pockets with
coin, put, his hat on. backed to the
door, and said:
"Gents, I'm glad you give me some
p'ints. I'm powerful glad l seen you
alp
"Who are you?"
"Jones, you am thankful to NOR n
the rest. When you come up to the
Holler next summer don't forgit to
drop in and see me-
but who are you?" yelled the half
drunken steerer, as he tried to rise from
his seat.
.'Jabez Slushington, of Frog Hollcr.
1 shave shingles for livin' -
..You lie; you're a sharper"
mo morn you are. However. I'll
tell you Just for fun who Icas. Twenty
years go worked the poker racket on
the Red Rose, running from Cairo to
New Orleans on the Mississippi. l quit
and went to Shawn shingles. Good
bye.'' And Slushington vanished.
When Jabez arrived in Frog Hollow he
was right side up with care. He had
performed his little act, had done all
his errands properly and got five thou.