The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-10-29
MISSING THE MARK.

Interior Office,
October %, 1895

Bunko Stecrers Tackle Hayseed Who
Could Play Their Game.
Two cute chaps from the city, ostensibly
selling Lightning rods and incidentally
picking mp all the rural snaps they could
find, pulled upat Il farmers house not long
ngo out in Washtenuw 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 II wink N
the other, that looks simple and easy, yet
not one man in "a million can do it,"
whats that" asked the farmer limo
Gently and cuTiOusly.
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 alOudi"
e! don't believe til know it," asserted
| the farmer.
Maybe you'd like to bet something on
| it," ventured one of the men insinuatingly.
l
farmer, but I'll 90 you 500 on it,"
The city man didn't think ne had that
much but he managed to find it and then
said he was ready.
wait till 20 and get mine" remarked
the farmer, and lac 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 Lis eye on the pen
dulum and his tongue on the count, and ut
the end of the first quarter one of the men
suggested that the other might 20 out and
look up the horse, 50 they would be ready
to start when the count was done. They
were wise enough to let the stakeholder
remain, SO rs not to excite suspicion
though the old man WAS such an easy one
that such IL thing seemed impossible, Al
the end of the second quarter the man re
turned.
go on with the count" he said. 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.
"Ifyou'll excuse my friend just a minute"
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 big.
ugly looking pistol. Ilenever said word.
except that interminable counting, but he
covered them with the gun and shook his
head warningly. They made a move, and
they saw the self cooking hammer begin to
rise slowly, and they stopped. The old man
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 aud kept
on counting, and at last the hour was up
There, by thunder" he exclaimed in "A
tone of eXultation and relief II knowed
| could do it. Now, hand me over that
money and pay for yer dinner and the horse
feed, and say" he continued, as they hand
ed it out, ''supposiu you give me SIS extra
for wear and tear"
They kicked, but he threatened to drive
them before his gun to the nearest town
and hand them over TO the authorities, so
they gave him the SO for wear and tear
Now, git out of here" he said, kickinn
them both out of the house and calling the
dog, "and if you've got any friends that
thinks as you do, send EN- around. DE
troit Free Press