Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-01-06
THE WRONG SHOP

There is certain building in Chi
cago, in which the office OF justice of
the peace is located on one side of n
Ozark hallway and the headquarters
OF a lottery company is located on the
other. or course, the lottery business
is not putting itself very much in
evidence these days, and the gentle
manly agent is sometimes a tritie wary
Of the sucker he angles for.
Recently pair OF footsteps palpi-
tated at the lottery agents threshold.
a youth OF rural aspect, and evidently
of a painfully retiring disposition,
wavered into the office. He drew after
him by the hand buxom damsel, who
giggled eifusiyely and spent most Of
her time tying unsubstantial little
knots in her bonnet strings. For
some time neither youth nor maid
could speak, but stood looking help
lessly at the gentlemanly agent.
G.. A. (urbanely) What can | do
for your
Youth (delolng into silver dollars
ard blushing desperately II guess
you know what we want"
G., A. (severely, to make sure they
are not dummies" from police head
quarters) -" Have you ever done this
thing before?'
She with a gasp oh, JEDI"
He (gulping down his embarress-
menD Nope; and we don't want nc
one to hear about 1t till We tell EN-.
Can We fix it,"
G. A. rubbing his chm Relatively
Your folks don't believe in such ven
lures, then?'
He with a GRIM The ole man I'D
trade his false teeth to know what
we're doin this mint! Peculiar case.
jedge"
G. A. (thawing slightly Never
tried your luck before"
Youth shakes his head.
c. A-"Of course, either of you may
draw prize or blank-you under
stand that"
Youth and maid f1dget nervously and
draw closer together.
q. A.--"You are sure that neither
of you will regret it?"
He (resolutely, his arm wandering
rrotectingly about the buXom waist) -
We didn't come here TO be poked fun
at. We'Ie in hurry, so do the bust
ness fore some one comes in
c. A. convinced that everything is
all righD Certainly One twentieth
or two fortieths?"
He (surprisedly) Hey"
c.. Al see that you have two
silver dollars in your hand viii you
/ have one certificate or two?'
He-"It's proper to have two, amt
/ it2 One for Sue an one for me?'
G. A. stamps the tickets and hands
them to the youth who gives him the
money.
lie Ca little uncertainl lis that all
there is to it?'
G.. A. That's ALL"
! He shorter II expected.
She GIANT with rapture, dropping
! into youths arms) AT last, Jed
we're married"
G.. A. (aghast) Married."
He (serenely) - Been) keepin' comp
ny four years-her folks an mine
dead set ag'in our gittin' hitched-but
we've fooled EN-, Come on! Wei
ketch the two-forty train, put back
! ter Hammond, an show dad our GER
tficates fore shutdown. II this don't
knock spots of that yearlin' heller OF
his, III eat hay"
They bolted out Of the room and
down the hall.
G. A. fully recovering and rush
ing to the door, Hey. there! Come
Lacki"
Youthful swain shakes his certificate
triumphantly as he descends the steps
and wouldn't stop for "A policeman
The G. A., Tor prudential reasons, de-
clires TO make q scene and returns to
his office.
G.. A. tloquitur. lighting a cigar
Wanted the justice ana simply struck
the wrong lottery. that's all. hope
they'll catch that two-forty train!"--
William Wallace Cook.
MAX NAV NtAppV MANV WIVES