The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-11-26
WHICH DID SHE MEAN
Kow MEMBERS OF A RURAL H<RTY
GOT TO MoRALlzlNo

and Other Members Of Hi,,fsmiiy How
Easy IL L. to Rob the unsophisticated.
The Result Wasn't Just ss He Calculated.
II was truly rural party that waited
in narrowing suspnse for the train
which was to leye in two or three
hours. They bd been TO fair,
and In their periods Of comparative re-
pose passed thu time recounting their
experiences ohd observations
II can't hep bein anxious" the old
gentleman said apologefically to q gate
tender. "Ye see, there amt nobody to
home, an somebody up in our country
is developin teri BILE appetite fur Leg
horn chickens, which is my speciality. /
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"
I'VE brought i'm along. He was
willin to pay his own way, an ez he'd
Of quit ef he'd told i'm he'd gotter
stay, thort it 'ud save trouble in the
end"
|
man, who came up just at that point in
the conversation, II had to move weth
the percession. An Iwouldn't of missed
seein what did fur nothin. / guess /
got through weth more sights than any
body else in the hull outfit. ~
II reckon yo 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 thet 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 ye didn't see whut I'm talllin
| about. Yo run over to thet store an
buy 3 cents wuth Of English walnuts
an I'll show it toye. I'll be over whur
mother all Zeb is. cause it'll interest
them too. +"
When the hired man came back from
his errand, the old gentleman was saying
60 his wife: II was out fur experience.
an ye can't git experience without its
costin 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 wiokedness 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 a few preliminary passes to loosen
up his muscles for feats of legerdemain,
he paused to remark:
Now, yen understan, Of course,
thet this here ain { no lesson in gam
bin. 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 q
game whur the man ez does the guessin
amt got no show whutsomever
Ho manipulated the shells and the
paper. wad in imitation Of the man no
had seen at tho fair. and stepping back
said:
Course, / don't want 20 ter bet
nothin, cause that 'ud be jes' like rob-
bin yer. But 1t won't do no harm fur
ye ter make n 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 thot
kin pick ont the shell cz hez the paper
, wad under it," remarked the hired man.
II wouldn't let ye do it. Don't ye
onderstan' thet this is a skin game I'm
a-showin ye?"
II don't keer nothin bout that. I've
got that thor paper wad located an yo
da 'sn' bet thet / amt"
Il 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
lectod the right shell.
"By hokey." exclaimed the old gem
tleman, "ye'vo guessed it'll 1t must "a
been by n miracle"
He tried it again, and this time not
only the hired man, but Zeb and the old
lady, riskcd all their available small
change. Again the amateur thimble
rigger juggled the shells, and with the
same result.
Better own up an quit, father. 4"
suggested Zeb.
Il won't do nothin Of the kind" was
the reply.
In the course Of timo he issued
promissory notes for saddle blanket, a
pair of boots, six pearl collar buttons, a
calico dress, pair of bearskin gloves,
seven plugs of tobacco and g. 90 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 simultaneous rush for
tho gate. Their train had been gone
nearly Is 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
of the exposy, anyhow. Ye kin allus
dror moral from most anything that
happens. 1t all goes ter show thet there
al, % l,s. =.