Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1896-11-19


and dingy looking saloon. Cum
ningham spoke familiarly to the
barkeeper, who directed them to o
wineroom in the back Of the place.
The two sat down at the table and
were Joined presently by three 9TH
er men. One Of them was q fat
man, who tried to get Tstman to
play cards lust for fun
Another one of the men wore q
white vest and q polka dot necktie.
He did all the talking, and after
Cunningham had whispered q few
words in the fellows ear he could
hardly keep bis eyes of the carpetbag
He was introduced to Tatman a.
Thomas w. Bloomfield. the board
OF trade man.
1T seems, Mr.. Tatman,' said
Bloomfield. that you are very care
less with your money. Dir. Cum
ningham tells me that You carry it
in your satchel.'
you bet | have got . lot of mon
ey in that ere old carpetbag. was
kinder thinking of speculatin with
it.
Perhaps, you would like TO have
me invest it in wheat. think you
could make big stake
I'm kinder fraid of losing it,
ooh, not at all not il it's well
invested. People only lose their
money through carelessness. But
of course some one has to lose mon
ey to keep the stuff properly in cir
culation.'
'Waal, hain't got much mon
ey to lose, and I'm feared if was
to open that ere bag that mine
would get to circulstin, aud you
bet it would circulate mighty dsrn
fast
well. If you did lose it, it
would stick to some ones fingers
You bet your blame life she
would, and she'd stick purity gol
derned FAST
so you don't want me to invest
it for you?'
I'm a little bit bout scary put
tin it in wheat
No risk whatever said Bloom
field. why, l tell you, MIR. Tat
man, good speculator can pick
money of the trees here in Chi
csgo.'
BIo"mield's expression tickled
Tatman. He laughed uproarious-
ly and then said
You can pick it of the trees in
Bunkum, too, but YOU can't keep
it long, cause it circulates too dern
fast
By this time the men were grow
ing impatient, and Tatman noticed
that they looked more frequently
and longer at the carpet-bag. He
thought it about time to take his
revenge, SO he said:
WAL, gentlemen, I reckon I'd
better be a-goin, and I'D like to
leave that ere money with you, so
as it'll be safe while | hunt up q
stopping place.
The men were perfectly willing
to accommodate Farmer Tatman.
They assured him that the carpet
bag aud its contents would be per-
fectly safe and that they would be
willing to wait until he came back.
Much obliged. gentlemen And
Tatman arose. "Tisn't very of
ten that Teller meets such kind
friends as you are in a strange city,
and it's kinder soothin ter know
that a fellows leavin his money
with honest people. reckon I'll
be back in about an hour And
Tatman once more thanked his
friends as he passed out of the
r"c m closing the door behind him.
Tatman did not leave the saloon,
as the men expected. By a clever
dodge he managed to slip the key
of the door in bis pocket before he
left the room. He remained on the
outside long enough to silently turn
the bolt in the lock, after which he
slipped into the adjoining room.
He did not wait long before he
heard one of the men say:
We'll, that was the easiest snap
] ever saw Silias recognized the
voice as that Of Cunningham. Then
Bloomfield answered
Easy? Why, you could rob that
fool before his eyes and he would
not know it. Hand up the grang-
er's gripsack.'
Tatman heard the sound of the
gripsack striking the top of the ia