The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-23
THE JUMPING BEANS.
The Old Man from Georgia Tells n
story About Them.
Washington Post.

washington IUSl-
Now. I want to tell you a story about
this jumpin' bean business which I could
easily back up with a stack of affidavits.
Down in my town in Gsorg,a there used
curious kind Of a man; always bettin'. bet
tin ON everything in sight. like Jim Smi-
ley: One day he proposed TO. start, a run
MIN race between any number of these
here jumpin' beans. and offered to bet s.
he could pick the winner. Well, all the boys
backed the field, and thar was sS5 in the
pool when the race commenced.
The boys picked their beans and put
'em down on the table, where a large white
sheet of paper had been spread, with two
circles drawn with a lead pencil, a big cir
Gle for the outside stretch and a little cir
Gle in the middle for the startin' base. That
fellow Flynn didn't put down his bean. No.
sir. He just kinder careless-like held it in
his hand while they was DRAWN the dis
lance lines and fixin' the preliminaries.
his bean in the small circle. and Flynn he
put down his. Then the word was given,
and the boys began to watch what Flynn's
by and by continued the loquacious
old party, there was signs o life; the
beans begun to turn over and jump around.
Then the boys see they'd made a mistake
In not putin F1ynn's pick under a handi-
cap. for. would you believe it, that partic-
ular bean hoped clear out of the outside
circle in three hops! Flynn he cabbaged
the money, and walked away, smilin'
knowingly to himself, while the other fell
ioWs hung their heads and showed they
1tlt RAAAtt1 "a III tl8 was WIN
derin' how Flynn could have picked the
winner.
II tried TO catch 'em after that again
on his little game. You takes your choice
said he, and i takes whot's left, and will
bet you s. my little bean can beat the field
But a burned child shuns the fire, and no.
his money, though he used to work ID on
strangers, with just exactly the same re-
suit, /. e.. rake in the shekels on his sure
game.
For a long time everybody wondered
how Flynn worked ii. but he was too cute
ever TO tell. But finally Flynn he fell sick.
He was CROWN worse, when one day /
called at his house to pay my respects.
His wife told him I had called. and he
looked pretty thin and cadaverous. did
Flynn, and he held out a bony hand and
spoke in a faint voice.
goin' for to die. There's sor1ethin' on my
mind that's been a-worryin' me. It's that
bean-racin' trick He looked up into my
face with his big, burnin' eyes, and coughed
in a hollow sort of way two or three times
to clear his throat.
We'll. Flynn says 1. it's true, that's
a mighty queer sort of a game. and you've
got me for 81: but by-gones is by-gones.
Don't worry about that
That's very kind s, Of you BIll.' he whis-
meet my Maker if I let out how / worked
that trick
on and relieve your mind. Mr.. Flynn for
1 was myself a little curious how he had
managed TO do US on the race.
Inside of every one o them beans said
Flynn, in his hollow voice, is a insect-a
sort o. jack-snaper.'
Yes says I. that's we'll known
well, Bill. If you hold one O. them
beans in your hand a little while real tight
Ike the bug inside warns up. and the heat
of your hand acts like a slug o whisky
does on you and me. The bug he gifts hilari-
Gus and begins to jump around twice as
lively as ordinary, and here his voice sunk
into a deep, hollow whisper, you takes the
pot"
The crowd that was congregated in front
of the counter thought this a pretty good
story. and laughed heartily, which seemed
to do the old man from Georgia a world of
good. for he chuckled merrily TO himself.
He finished the story by adding that a
marked change set in as TO Flynn, and that
worthy was so much better in three days
that he sent for him and implored him for
Gods sake not to give the snap away.