Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1900-08-29
VICE VERSUS INTEGRITY.

Nitt EhSbo ~ lEuhllhs
ambition getteth into jail at our ex-
pense. Teach myself moderation, and
thou shalt imbibe wisdom"
When | had finished my remarks, a
man Of scrambled appearance APP
preached me and shook my hand and
said:
stranger. may I take II that thou art
a pilgrim ~travelin from ATARI"
"You kim" says |.
"And that your object Is to make the
world better, while at the same time
you are doin a leetle bizness on the
outsider
"That's me-"
"Waal, | don't believe In ii. Bein
full Of virtue, integrity and truth don't
pay . cents on the dollar. It's wicked
ness that makes big dividends and
helps a Teller to hev good times. and |
kin prove it. The game Of poker is
sinful, amt it,"
"Alas. 1t Is, though il enticcth."
IF you'll come over TO my cabin and
hev n few games with me, Ill knock
your integrity blzness into a cooked
hat"
| was In the town of Wccpin Willer
as n shinin example of morality, but
yit this thought occurred TO me:
Integrity should never miss a
chance to deal a blow at vice."
And also:
1.-THE first step toward reformin a
Teller man is to bankrupt him."
And likewise:
"IIe who SCOTS at virtue should be
restrained"
Hevin thought these thoughts, !
made up my mind that | was the in
strument chosen to put the old man
on his back, and after feedin my boss
and lookin to see If my bottled grass
hopper was safe | fined him in his
cabin. He had the keerds before him
and 500 ut his right hand, and thar
was a look Of triumph on his face.
And yit that he might not give me a
too sudden shock he puts on q balmy
look and says:
"He who kin shed tears with his fell
Ter nan kin make the world better"
And, not to be outdone in politeness
by the baldheaded old reprobate, |
worked up a smile and replied:
"And he who reacheth the human
heart through words Of sympathy
lifteth up the fallen"
"Yes, that's all right" says he. "but
how about this game? Hev you any
cash?"
81 hev," says I as | pulled out n wad
which would hey bin a weepin Of de-
Tense ag'ln an elephant.
"Then git down here, and we'll be-
gin, and If | don't prove 10 you that
vice rides on horseback and drinks
champagne, while virtue goes on foot
and looks fur duck ponds, then my
name amt what my mother called me-"
1t was With a determination TO up
hold the cause Of morality and keep
spotless the r%eputashun of integrity
that | sot down and cut fur deal and
got 1t. When we had filed our hands,
we put - looks of humility, and he
sighed a leetle as he said:
"He who seeketh truth lndeth only
a stone at the end of his Journey"
Not to be outdone in any pint, | bet
$40 on my hand and observed:
"The wicked flee when no man pur-
sue, and thar Is no rest fur them"
He threw down his keerds, and we
had another deal. This time he won
his money back. For half m hour we
toyed with each other and made ready
fur battle, and then the climax came.
| saw him slyly manipulate three aces,
and thar was n smile on his face as he
picked up his keerds. Providence had,
however, given Inc four queens that |
might champion the cause of integri-
ty, and | was not afraid. lie saw NE
and raised, and | saw him and batter
ed his tlggers, and thar came n minute
when we had our all on the board.
Then he called. and we showed ouT
hands, and he vas 4 scooped man.
"Vice may win a dollar here and
thar" says | as | scoops in the pot,
'but It takes integrity to pull a mans
leg out seven feet long,"
With that he sucked In his breath
and jumped fur me, and | was rolled
over, but as we mingled together | got
him by the neck, and four minutes lat.
er he was n whipped man, and lntegri.
ty was ag'in the victor. / licked him
some more, that the lesson might sink
deeper into his soul, and then | arose
and went back TO my outfit and put the
Doodle In n safe spot and humbly re-
marked TO myself:
LET thy weepins be integrity aud
truth, hut II they don't prevail then
ndd draw poker"