The evening bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1887-1905, 1896-11-07
WHICH DID SHE MEAN
HOW MEMBERS OF A RURAL PARTY
GOT TO MoRALlzING.

1t was truly rural party that waited
in narrowing suspense for the train
which was to leave in two or three
hours. They had been to a fair,
and in their periods of comparative re-
pose passed the time recounting their
experiences and observations
Il can't hep bein anxious" the old
gentleman said apologetically to gate
tender. "Ye see, there amt nobody to
home, an somebody up in our country
is developin BILE appetite fur Leg
horn chickens, which is my speciality. I
don't like the idee of stayin here over
night dodgin bunko steerers, when we
orter be chasin chickin thieves
Haven't you got hired man on the
placer"
"We 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 in the
end"
Eyes siree." chimed in the hired
man, who came up just at that point in
the conversation, 81 had to move weth
the percession. An wouldn't Of missed
seein what did fur nothin. I guess 1
got through weth more sights than any
body else in the hull outfit. "
II reckon ye didn't come across any
more that was new an startlin than
some Of the rest of us, )" replied the old
gentleman in blase tone of liberation.
81 know Of one thing tibet ye didn't see,
fur mother says she had her eye ON ye
all the time. Hev ye got any money!"
1.-TWO dollar an sixty cents" was
the self satisfied response.
'"Then We didn't see whit I'm talkin
about. Ye run over to tibet store an
buy cents with Of English walnuts
an I'll show it toye. I'll 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 ye can't git experience without its
costin a leetle somethin. l 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 paper wad."
The members of his household fol-
lowed him to the window ledge, and,
after few preliminary passes to loosen
up his muscles for feats Of legerdemain,
he paused to remark:
"Now, yell understan, of course,
tibet this here amt no lesson in gam
blin. I jes' wanter show ye how it's
done. When ye 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 ez does the guessin
amt got no show whutsomever.
He manipulated the shells and the
paper wad in imitation Of the man he
had seen at tho fair, and stepping back
said:
Course, I don't want ye ter bet
nothin, cause that 'ud be jes' like rob-
bin yer. But it won't do no harm fur
ye ter make a guess, SOS ter show ye
how tho dag-on-ed swindle operates. "
"I'll bet ye my new knife agin that
buckhorn handled one Of yer'n tibet l
kin pick out the shell ez hez the paper
wad under it, remarked the hired man.
~ wouldn't let ye do it. Don't ye
onderstan' tibet this is skin game I'm
a-showin ye?"
II don't keer nothin bout that. I've
got that Their paper wad located an ye
da'sn't bet tibet amt"
II da'sn't, a'sn't 1? 1 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 she'll
"By hokey," exclaimed the old gen.
tleman, "ye've guessed it'll 1t must "a
been by 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
rigger juggled the shells, and with the
same result.
Better own up an quit, father,
suggested Zeb.
st won't do nothin of the kind" was
the reply.
In the course of time he issued
promissory notes for saddle blanket,
pair of boots, six pearl collar buttons. a
calico dress, pair of bearskin gloves,
seven plugs of tobacco and s.. go 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 a 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've had the benefit