Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-12-05
WHICH DID SHE MEAN
HOW MEMBERS OF A RURAL PARTY
GOT TO MORALIzlNG.

The Result Wasn't just as I.e Calculated.
1t was truly rural party that waited
i'll narrowing suspense for the train
which was to leave i'll two or three
hours. They had been to fair,
and i'll their periods of comparative re-
experiences and observations.
81 can't hep bein anxious" the old
gentleman said apologctically to % cato
tender. eye see, there ain nobody to
home, an somebody up in our country
is developin "a ter bic appetite fur Leg
horn chickens, which is my speciality. I
don't like the idcc of stayin here over
night, dodgin bunko steerers when we
orter be chasin chickin thieves
Haven't you got hired man OF the
placer"
eve brought i'm along. He was
willin to pay his own way, an ez he'd
of quit eff | he'd told i'm he'd gotter
stay, thort it 'ud save trouble i'll the
end.''
Eyes siree." chimed in the hired
man, who came up just at that point in
the conversation, 81 had to move woth
the procession. An Iwouldn t of missed
seein what did fur nothin. l guess I
got through weth more sights than any
body else in the hull outfit. -
II reckon We didn't come across any
more that was new an startlin than
some of the rest of us, replied the old
gentleman III blasc tone of liberation
Il know Of one thing tibet We didn't see,
fur mother says she had her eye on ye
all the time. Hcv yo got any money!"
'"Two dollar an sixty cents" was
the self satisfied response.
'"Then we didn't see whit I'm talkin
about. Ye run over to thet store an
buy 3 cents with of English walnuts
an I'll show it to ye III be over whur
mother an zeb is, cause it'll interest
them too.
When the hired man came back from
his errand, the old gentleman was saying
to his wife: 81 was out fur experience.
an We can't git experience without its
costin a leetle somethin. | learnt new
game, an | want Zeb an the hired man
ter know about it, SOS ter put 'em on
their guard again the wickedness of this
here world. All ye need is some walnut
shells an a paper wad."
The members of his household fol-
lowed him to the window ledge, and,
after a few preliminary passes to loosen
up his muscles for feats of legerdemain,
he paused to remark:
"Now, ye'll understan, of course,
tibet this here ain 10 lesson in gam
bin. l jes' wanter show ye how it's
done. When 80 go ter town, yell
know jes' ez much about it ez them
sharpers does an be on yer guard. It's {.
game whur the man CT does the guessin
amt got no show whutsomover.
He manipulated the shells and the
paper wad III imitation of the man he
had seen at the fair, and stepping back
said:
Course, 1 don't want ye ter bet
nothin, cause that 'ud be jes' like rob-
bin yer. But it won't 90 no harm fur
ye ter make a guess, COS ter show ye
how the dag-on-ed swindlo operates.
"I'll bet We my new knife agin that
buckhorn handled one Of yer'n thet |
kin pick out the shell cz hez the paper
wad under it, - remarked the hired man.
81 wouldn't let ye do it. DON'T ye
onderstan' tibet this is "a skin game I'm
a-showin ye:?"
II don't keer nothin bout that. I've
got that ther paper wad located an ye
da mt bet tibet l ain -
I" l da sn't, da sn't |? don't like ter
take no advantage of ye, but ye're a
man growed an responsible fur yer own
acks. Put up yer knife ~
The stakes were laid on the window
ledge, and the hired man promptly Sc
lected the right shell.
"By hokcy," exclaimed the old gen
tleman, 'ye've guessed it! 1t must "a
been by a miracle. -
He tried it again, and this time not
only the hired man, but Zeb and the old
lady, risked all their available small
change. Again the amateur thimble
rieger juggled the shells. and with the
same result.
Better own up an quit, father, I"
suggested Zeb
Il won't do nothin CT the kind" was
the reply,
In the course Of time he issued
promissory notes for saddle blanket, a
pair of boots, six pearl collar buttons, a
calico dress, a pair of bearskin gloves,
seven plugs of tobacco and 81. so. But
he was not discouraged. He was pre-
pairing for another shuttle Of the walnut
shells, when his wife exclaimed
'Elihu, amt it purity near train
timer"
There was q simultaneous rush for
the gate. Their train had been gone
nearly 10 minutes.
"Waal, said the old gentleman, it's
disapp'intin ter hev ter set here tell the
mex one goes, but We had the benefit
of the exposy, anyhow. Ye kin allus
dror moral from most anything that
happens 1t all gees ter show tibet there
amt any way of bcin rely safe i'll
games of chance, 10 matter which side
ye're on.
eyes" said Zeb, cit all come ter pass
long of hevin ter kill time i'll this here
place.
'Whur's the hired MANI
"He told me tibet, cz e would be IL good
while tell the train went, he reckOned
he'd take some of his winnin's an paint
the town little bit"
The old lady passed around some red
apples and remarked:
ITO my way of thinkin, there's an
other eternal truth tibet this afternoon
hez demonstrated.
"What is it, Mirandy?"