Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-17
WHICH'DID SHE MEAN
HOW MEMBERS OF A RURAL PARTY
GOT TO MoaALIzINc.

HOW MEMBERS OF A RURAL PARTY
GOT TO MoaaLIzINc.
Elfhu Undertook 60 Snow the Hir-a NJ.
and Other Members Of Ilis Family rxov
Easy II L. 60 Rob the rssophisese>s~d.
The Result WASN'T Bust n he C.,~-,.s.s
II was truly rural party that waited
in narrowing suspense for the train
which was to leave in two or three
hours. They had been 20 q fair.
and in their periods Of comparative n.
pose passed the time recourting their
experiences and observations.
Il can't hep bein anxious" the old
gentleman said alphabetically to q gate
tender. Eye see. there amt nobody to
home. an somebody up in our country
is developin terrible appetite for Leg.
horn chickens, which is my speciality. I
don't like the idee Of stayin here over.
night, dodgin bunko sseererS when we
orter be chasin chickin thieves"
Haven't you get u hired NJ an on the
placer
I'VE brought i'm along. He was
willin to pay his own way. an CT he'd
Of quit Ct l bed told i'm he'd gottcr
stay, thort il I'D save trouble in the
end"
YES Stree" clrimed in the hired
man, who came up just at that point in
the conversation. ''I had 60 move wcih
the procession. AMI wouldn' OF missed
seein what did fur nothin. I guess I
got through wcth more sights than any
body else in the hui outfit"
II reckon yc didr't come across, auy
more that was new nm sfartlin than
some Of the rest Of US. replied the old
gentleman in blasc tone of liberation.
81 know Of one thing thet yc didi. q see.
fur mother says she Lad her eye On ye
all the time. Eev yc got any money 20
1.-Two dollar nm sixty cents" was
the self satisfied response.
Then We didn't se,,-whu: Tn talkin
about. Ye run over TO fhcf store an
buy 3 cents with Of English walnuts
nm I'll show il foye. I'll he ever wbur
mother an Zeb is. 'cHsc it'll intcrss;
them too"
When tho hired man came baci. from
his errand. the old gent .ainan was saying
10 his wife: II was cut fur experience.
an ye cant sit ,xpcriercn without its
costin loetle someihin. I learnt a.ncw
game, an / want Zcb IL. the hired man
ter know about il. so's.;er put 'em on
their guard again the wickeiness Of this
here world. All We need is some walnut
shells an n paper wad."
The members Of his household FOL.
lowed him TO the window ledge. and,
after n few preliminary passes 60 loosen
mp his muscles for fcatsof leeerd.main,
he paused TO remark:
Now. yell unds..an, of course.
tibet this here amt no lesson in gam
bin. i jes' wanter show yc hdlv it's
done When yc go ter town. yell
know jes' ez much about it ez them
sharpers does an be ON yer guard. It's n
game whur the man cz does ihc.gucssin
amt got no show whutsomovcr
He manipulated tho shells and the
paper wad in imitation Of tho man nc
had seen ut the fair. and stepping hack
said:
Course, don't want 20 Ter bet
nothin, 'carso that nd be jes' BIKE rob-
bin yer. But it won't do no harm fur
yc ter make q gless. SOS tersshow yc
how tho dag-on-ed swindlo oIsrltes.
I'll bet We my new knife agin that
buckhorn handled one Of ye,'n tibet I
kin pick out the she'll cz bez tho paper
wad under t., remarked the hired man.
81 wouldn't lot ye do IL. Don't yc
opderstan' tibet this is q skimgamc I'm
a-showin yep
II don't keer nothin bout that. I've
got that ther paper wad located nm ye
da'sn't bet tibet amt"
Il da'sn't, da'sn't II don't like ter
take no advantage Of ye, but yo'rc a
man growed an rcsponsible.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 hockey" exclaimed the old gen.
tleman, "ye'vc guessed it'll IL must a
been by q miracle"
He tried it again, md this time not
only the hired man, but Zeb and the old
lady, risked all their available small
change. Again the amateur thimble
| rieger juRgled the shells. and with the
same result.
Better own up an quit. father. /"
suggested Zeb.
II won't do nothin Of the kind. /" WA
the reply.
In the course Of time no issued
| promissory notes for n saddle blanket, q
pair of boots, six pearl collar buttons. q
calico dress. a pair Of bcarskin gloves,
seven plugs Of tobacco and $3.50. Bot
he was not Discouraged. He was pre-.
| pairing for another shuttle Of tho 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.
"Waai, said the old gentleman, "it's
disapp'intin ter hev ter set here tell the
nex' ono goes, but we'vo had the benefit
Of the exposy. anyhow. Ye kin allus
dror o moral from most anything that
happens. IL all goes ter show tibet there