The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-04
WHICH DID SHE MEAN
HOW MEMBERS OF A RURAL PARTY
GOT TO MoRALlzlNG.

/
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.
Il can't hep bein anxious" the old
gentleman said alphabetically to gate
tender. eye see, there amt nobody to
home, an somebody up in our country
is developin q 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 ef 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, II had to move weth
the procession. An Iwouldn' t of missed
seein what did fur nothin. I guess I
got through weth more sights than any
body else in the hull outfit.
II reckon We didn't come across any
some of tho rest of u.s." replied the old
gentleman in a blase tone of liberation.
~ know of one thing tibet We 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 talkin
about. Ye run over to tibet store an
buy cents with of English walnuts
an I'll show it to We. 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: II was out fur experience.
an ye can't git experience without its
costin leetle somethin. l learnt q 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
bin. l jes' wanter show We 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. 4"
He manipulated the shells and the
paper wad in imitation of the man he
had seen at the 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 10 harm fur
ye ter make guess, SOS ter show ye
how the dag on-ed swindle operates +"
It'll bet We my new knife agin that
buckhorn handled ono of yer'n tibet |
kin pick out the she'll ez hez the paper
wad under it,, remarked the hired man.
Il wouldn't let ye do it. Don't ye
onderstan' tibet this is skin game I'm
a-showin YEP"
II don't keer nothin bout that. I've
got that Their paper wad located an ye
ola 'sn't bet tibet amt. !"
Z" da'sn't, asn't II / 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 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 not
only the hired man, but Zeb and the old
lady, risked all their available small
change. Again the amateur thimble
rieger juggled the shells. and with the
same result.
Better own up an quit, father"
suggested Zeb
II 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,
calico dress, pair Of bearskin gloves,
seven plugs Of tobacco and $3.50 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
the gate. Their train had been gone
nearly 10 minutes.
WAL, 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 chow tibet there
amt any way Of bein rely safe in
games Of chance. no matter which side
ye're on"
eyes, "said Zeb, cit all come ter pass
long Of hevin ter kill time in this here
place.
"Whur's the hired mani"
HE told mo tibet, ez it would be q good
ALL - a