Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-07-12
DECIDING A BET.
DtnieuIties That an Editor l. Occasion
ally Called Upon to Answer.

Difficulties That an Editor l. Occasion
ally Called Upon to Answer.
We've got little bet," said two ex.
cited callers, addressing an editor in the
sanctum. and we have have ,@-.. bore 20
decide it. We want TO know wnetuer .....rs.
was ever regular United States ship Of
war that came up the Mississippi river"
Cruiser, you remember" put in the
other man. Ocean vessel. Belonging 70
the regular United States navy. That's
what we're betting on"
Certainly. Straight United States ma
val VESSEL. Ship Of war. That's the bet.
say there was"
And ] say there wasn't. Regular Unit
ed States cruiser, now. That's tie point
we want settled"
They had raised their voices to a high
pitch already, and the man in the chair re-
ferred them to the files, and said that If
they would consult the papers printed
about the middle Of May, when the great
Memphis bridge was dedicated, they would
see that some kind Of naval vessel had
gone up the Mississippi river as far as
Memphis anyhow.
They pOunced on the files with the eager
ness Of boy digging fishworms.
Here it isr exclaimed, after some
search, the one who had spoken first. ITS
in the paper Of May 3. Memphis Great
Bridge That's the headline. Um-let's
see. Here it is! knew iti THE Concord.
gayly bedecked with stars and stripes,
moved down the stream That's the name
OF the ship. The Concordl remember it
perfectly. Satisfied nowi I'll trouble you
for that five dollars"
Hold on" exclaimed the other, begin.
ming now an investigation on his own ac.
count. Let's look little further. All,
Here's little more about it in the paper
OF May 10. The United States steamship
Concord'-that doesn't say it was an ocean
cruiser, does iti-'may visit Cairo and St
Louis Let's see-'draws seventeen feet
do you call that great war steamship,
This will be the first naval vessel Of any
description that has visited the upper
Mississippi since the war; Sect Nothing
but an old tub. Do you suppose"-
Going to get out Of it that way, are
youf"
Get out of what' Didn't we agree to
abide by"-
do you mean to say haven't proved
that United States war vessel came m,
the Mississippi' Hand over that
Hand II over !Ourseiu Didn't | bet
that no regular ocean cruiser
Isn't a cruiser war vessel;"
Yes, but war vessel isn't necessar. ly
cruiser. Just you stick to the bet!"
You bet that no regular United States
ship Of war ever came'-
And II draws seventeen feet! Call that
a regular United States ship Of war; !
tell you no great ocean cruiser could get
over the bar at the mouth Of the Missis.
sippi. There's less than twenty-five feet of
water"-
"lf I'd lost bet I'd own it,"
$50 would ]. II had bet that govern.
ment cruiser came up the river and it
turned out to be an old mud scow | think
rd"-
well, I'll leave 1t to this man here"
80 will |. Only want him to under
stand that bet II was a.
And want him to remember that"-
Gentlemen" said the man in the chair.
II think | understand fully the term Of
your wager. Will you abide by what !
have to sayw
"We will"
"Well, one Of the rules Of this office Is
never to answer a question in order to de.
eide bet"
And they left the room and went down
the elevator still wrangling. Chicago
Tribune.