The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-01-29
WHICH DID SHE MEAN
HOW MEMBERS or A RURAL PARTY
GOT TO MORALlzING.

The Result Wasn't just as He Calculated. |
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 fair,
and in their periods of comparative re-
pose passed the time recounting their
experiences and observations.
81 can't hep bein anxious" the old
gentleman said alphabetically to gate
tender. "Ye see, there amt nobody to
home, an somebody up in our country
is developin ter BILE appetite fur Leg
horn chickens, which is my speciality. l
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 l 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 III
the conversation, 81 had to move weth
the percession. An wouldn't of missed
seein what did fur nothin. l guess l
got through woth more sights than any
body else in the hull outfit. -
81 reckon ye didn't come across any
more that was new an startlln 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 Oh ye
all the time. Hev ye got any money!"
''Two dollar an sixty cents" was
the self satisfied response.
''Then ye didn't see whit I'm talkin
about. Ye run over to thet 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 toe"
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 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:
CHOW, yell understan, of course,
tibet this here amt no lesson in gam
vp G
done. When ye go ter town, yell
know jes' ez much about it ez them
sharpers does an be on yer guard. It's a
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 the fair. and stepping back
said:
Course, l don't want ye ter bet
nothin, cause that 'ud be jes' like rob-
bin yer. But it won't do no harm ful
ye ter make a guess, SOS ter show ye
how the dag -on-ed swindle operates. !"
"I'll bet We my new knife agin that
buckhorn handled one Of yer'n thet
kin pick out the shell ez hez the paper
wad under it, remarked the hired man
81 wouldn't let ye do it. Don't y
onderstan' thet this is a skin game I'm
a-showin YEP
81 don't keer nothin bout that I'v'
got that Their paper wad located an y
da 'sn bet tibet l ain p"
q da'sn't, da'sn't |? I don't like te
take no advantage of ye, but ye're
man growed an responsible fur yer owl
acks. Put up yer knife. y
The stakes were laid on the windov
ledge, and the hired man promptly Sc
lected the right shell.
"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 nc
only the hired man, but Zeb and the oil
lady, risked all their available small
change Again the amateur thimbl
rigger juggled the shells, and with tn
same result.
Better own up an quit, father,
suggested Zeb.
81 won't do nothin of the kind, " wa
the reply
In the course of time he issue
pTOmlSSCIy uOI6S LUZ d. sdoetlS u]dAhCo,
pair Of boots, six pearl collar buttons,
calico dress, pair of bearskin gloves
seven plugs of tobacco and $4. so. BIZ
he was not discouraged. He was PR
pairing fer another shuttle of the walnr
shells, when his wife exclaimed
'Eiihu, amt it purity near trai
timer"
There was simultaneous rush fl
the gate. Their train had been gol
nearly 10 minutes.
"Waal, - said the old gentleman, sit
disapp'intin ter hev ter set here tell Il
mex one goes, but we've had the bene1
of the eXposy, anyhow. Ye kin all
dror moral from most anything tn
happens. 1t all goes ter show tibet the
amt any way of bein rely safe
games of chance, 10 matter which sl'
ye're on. !"
''Yes. 'said Zeb, sit all come ter pa
long Of hevin ter kill time in this he
place.
'Whur's the hired man?'
"He told me tibet, CT it would be a go
while tell the train went, be reckon
4 4. Sc, 9.