Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-11-02
MISSING TIE nARk.


Bunko stserers Tackle . Hayseed who
ceaIa Play Their Game.
Two cute chaps from the city. ostensibly
selling lightning rods and incidentally
picking up all the rural snaps they could
find, pullsd up at farmers house not1ong
ago out In Washtenaw county and wanted
dinner and horse fed The farmer took
them in. and they sized him up and pro
ceeded to take him In also. He was very
green, and every chestnut they told him
tickled him immensely. After dinner they
gave him cigar and told him other old
stories. and at last one OF them noticed
the old clock on the mAntel with Its long
pendulum swinging TO and fro "Now,
there is a thing" said one, with a wink at
the other, that looks simple and easy. yet
not one man in a million can do il"
whats thAtY asked the farmer limo
Gently and curiously.
why, concentrating ones mind on one
thing for any given time, say for an hour.
Do you believe you could watch that pen
dulum for that long and count its strokes
each time aloudp
"I don't believe it-I know it." asserted
the farmer.
Maybe you'd like to bet something on
it." ventured one Of the men insinuatingly.
well, hain't got much" /" hesitated the
farmer, but I'll go you 500 on it."
The city man didn't think he had that
much, but he managed to find it and then
said he was ready
"Wait till go and get mine," remarked
the farmer, and he went out and came back
In two or three minutes with the money.
Let our friend hold the stakes" !" sug.
gested the willy city man.
"Course," assented the honest farmer
and then the count began.
The old fellow kept his eye on the pen.
dulum and his tongue on the count, and al
the end of the first quarter one of the men
suggested that the other might go out and
look up the horse, SO they would be ready
to start when the count was done. They
were wise enough to let the stakeholder
remain, so as not to excite suspicion
though the old man was such an easy one
that such thing seemed impossible. AT
the end Of the second quarter the man re
turned.
''Go on with the count" he said. 1.-THE
last half is where / win."
The old man was getting tired, and he
braced himself, but of course he could not
reply and keep up the count also.
"Hyou'll excuse my friend just minute, y
continued the man, ''I'd like to have him
go out to the buggy with me to fix some
thing that's broken. He'll be back right
away, and we'll trust you to count fair"
The man got up to go. The farmer kept
right on counting, but he dropped his hand
in his coat pocket and came out with a big
ugly looking pistol. Henever said a word
except that interminable counting, but he
covered them with the gun and shook hi:
head warningly. They made a move, and
they saw the self cooking hammer begin te
rise slowly, and they stopped. The old mar
kept right on counting, and the two wor
thies stood there trembling.
"Call it draw" said one.
"Take the stakes" pleaded the other
but the old man shook his head and kept
on counting, and at last the hour was up.
''There, by thunder" he exclaimed in 6
tone of exultation and relief Il knowed
I could do it. Now, hand me over that
money and pay for yer dinner and the horst
feed, and say" he continued as they hand
ed it out, 'supposin you give me $25 extrs
for wear and tear"
They kicked, but he threatened to drive
them before his gun to the nearest towr
and hand them over to the authorities, 81
they gave him the sos for wear and tear
Now, git out Of here" he said, kicking
them both out of the house and calling tn,
dog, land if you've got any friends thai
| thinks as you do, send 'em around. "-De
troit Free Press.