The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-11-29
WHY ELI
DID NOT BET
The Story of a Cruel Deception.

n: Pu5 idHulord OF the Golden
,,s resretiully, and it's the first time
Is Deeh IN Tor more than Il fortnight"
Druv I'm OUT replied the stranger
scorntully. "Wot calls e got to take Of.
tense Just because l suggested a LITTLE
wager! If e didn't want to take if On
all ed got to do was to say So,
Magers is sore pint with Eli inst
now, explained the landlord. ED rs
het XIII man wot mentions EN- as look
at I'm, wouldn't he, gentlemen?'
linus appealed to the company. with
apprehensive glances toward the door
thfough which the irate Eli had disap-
peared nodded acquiescence.
All can say is if 'e's fair specimen
OF the Inhabitants of William they are n
soclable lot" remarked the stranger sar-
castically.
1T don't do to judge a community bv
an lndividule," replied the landlord I'M
pressively and with some warmth. pc
sides, as | said before, wagers is a sore
pint with Eli"
Lost some money" Queried the stran-
ger.
twenty pounds" replied the landlord.
Twenty pounds" came in a confirming
murmur from the rest of the COMPANY.
The stranger whistled
Wv came e to risk such a lot?
well, if you're not in a 'urry"-
BE careful" interrupted one of the
company warningly. "E might come
back any minute"
Fiji up all round at my expense" said
the stranger, "and let's ear it."
The landlord complied and, leaning over
the bar. commenced his narrative.
Eli, as you know, drives the bus be-
tween this village and the town of Hop
ston. and one night e came down with
good lookin' young woman of about TWEEN
ty-siX sittin' on one side of i'm on the
box and Pete Micrs lad the other side.
Eli and the lady got into conversation.
and Tim Miller KEEP is ears open. or
course Tim 'adn't oughter ave listened.
but then, ne way some parents bring up
their offspring is scandaous.
Coach drivin' these days amt the lob
1t was. is it? asks the lady.
Suits me well enough SEES Eli.
"'Couldn't make a fortune at it,
though she remarks.
No, | s'pose not
Drivers never put any money by, so
ear
"'Don't they though ses Eli. getting
excited. for e was very proud of is sayin'
abilities.
"'No. do they?'
81 wouldn't mind bettn' can show
yer bankin account the right side Of
200
ELI was always ready for a wager in
them days when e felt pretty certain of
winnin'.
Sir says the lady 'autily, 4 don't
bet
"I'm sure l beg yer pardon ses Eli
humbly.
81 'aven't taken offense,' she replies,
smilin'. And, accordin' to Tim Miller
she made 'erself wonderful nice to Eli
after that.
"She told i'm she'd come down to Wilt
!. ham for few weeks for 'er health and
! that she'd got to find lodgin's somewhere
Eli said e knew just the place as would
suit 'er, and when the bus got in e took
Fer to is aunt's old Wilder Mullins.
well, after that, it was surprisin' 'ow
anxious Eli became about is aunt's
ealth. Until Miss Walters came-Wal-
ters was the young woman's Nance
didn't go near Wilder Mullins three
times in a year, but after she came if you
asked Eli to sit down and ave a chat,
ed say, L should like to, but, yer see, my
poor aunts gettin' very old and decripit
Ike, and it's my dooty to look after 'er.
HDooty first, my boy; dooty first
# well, the natural result was that one
day. about a fortnight after Miss Wal
tiers arrival. 'er and Eli got engaged. e
kcame in ere after e left Ter that night
4 and was that excited e couldn't 'elp tell
in US all about it.
"'When's the weddin'?' l asks.
"'Three weeks from today SEES e.
"That's early | ventures.
"'Not too early e replies.
"'Means to make sure of yer, Eli fool
3ishly remarks Ben Upper.
"At that Eli got in a rage. an pickin'
Ben up as though ed been a feather, he
began to dust the glasses and things off
} the tables with i'm.
1--WE GAINED i'm at last. but after what
s lad 'appened it seemed risky on the part
of Mr.. Robert Cookson. a tofIish young
man, who, like Miss Walters, 'ad come
8 down for is 'ealth, to offer to bet Eli
Benson as Miss Walters wouldn't become
Mrs. Benson on or before the date ed
named
"'Doner SEES Eli 'otly. 'Wot's the
amountY
"'Oh, anything yer liker replied Mr.
Cookson.
essay 900 ses Eli with a sheer, for
'e didn't think the stranger possessed that
much Everybody looked at Cookson,
expectin' i'm to draw in. but. to our sur
prise, e pulled ont is pocketbook and
takin' from it four five pound notes laid
'em on the table in front of i'm.
III Ell turned pale and said e must ave
stime to think it over. He got up and
walked out. Just outside the door wLo
Should e meet but Miss Walters 'ersef
"Wots the matter? we card 'er say
as she noticed is red face. u told e.
Swot 'ad 'appened.
d "Why didn't yer het?' scs she. us
4 EGO and yours would just come in andy
10 furnish decent ONE
But ses Eli. asto1shcd. ! thought
bettin' was agenst yer principles. That's
why | wouldn't take i'm on
"She laughed and said: why, yer silly
goose, said | never bet myself. but
didn't say We wasn't to. But there, !
see wot it is. We cant trust me. Ye're
Esfraid | shall jill YER and She began to
whimper
eli protested strongly. and. 'avin'
dried 'er eyes. marched back iuto the har
& and, lookin' straight at Mr.. Cooksen. ses
proudly: 4 shall be pleased to take yer
on, sir III draw EGO from the bank in
the .mornin', and tomorrow eyenin' we'll
both deposit that amount with the land
lord 'ere-that is, unless ye'd like to turn