The Topeka state journal., 1903-01-16
TIE JERICHO POST OFFICE.
Pap Perkins, Postmaster, Tells About
a Guessing Hog.

It was one day ten years ago that
stranger came along the Five Mile Road
with hos in a wagon and stopped at
Uncle Jerry Whites for supper. The
hog was in a cage, and he looked to
weigh about 200 pounds Uncle Jerry
was curious to know why the pOrker was
being tOted around the country. and the
stranger took him aside and whispered.
I'm goin' up to Jericho to make a
pot Of money. This is what you call
guessing hog. All those who pay a
quarter can have a guess at his weight,
and the one who hits It gets SO. III get
at least 400 guesses in Jericho and none
of them will come within ten pounds of
the true weight How much would you
say that hog weighed2"
Close upon 195 pounds" replied Uncle
jerry after a long squint.
And you are a pretty good Judge?
Purity fair
We'll, let me tell you that you are
way off Are you a man who can keep
a secret2''
Il am
DO you want to make $40 as easy as
rolling off q Logo
I do, if it's honest. I wouldn't want
to cheat or rob anybody"
Your conscience needn't trouble you
in the slightest" continued the stranger.
I'm told you are hard working. good
hearted man, and I'm willing to do you
a favor. I'll tell you the exact weight
of the hog. and you can put in a guess
and get the S1O.'
But wouldn't want to rob you Of
$40"
Never mind about that I know a
good man when I meet one, one if I
want to help you out a little that's my
+ own concern. Don't say word to any
one else but come up to Jericho and
/ put in your guess The Weighing of the
hog in public will come off in three days.
That hog win weight exactly l52
/ pounds"
But he must go more than that"
! Vr0tpgfPH FTHclP IpTrV he took
other squint.
Not an ounce You see, he's been
taught to swell himself out to look big
ger and heavier than he is. He does it
{ by sucking in wind. He's so full of
wind now that he could almost sail
away. You just make your guess l52
4 pounds, and if you want to make few
bets on the outside it won't keep you
/ out OF heaven when you die"
The stranger drove into Jericho and
put up at the tavern, and of course
1 there was considerable curiosity about
his caged hog. The landlord was the
first man taken into confidence and he
was ready enough to enter into the
scheme. The next man was Deacon
SpOoner The Deacon had been asking
a heap of questions when the stranger
Winked him into a corner and began
Deacon, if YOU found ten-dollal
bill in the road you'd use It to buy
Sunday school books. wouldn't you2
II rather think So" was the re-
well. I'm going to let you find 9
ten-dOllar bill. and perhaps more, anc
know you will lay the money out fol
the good Of the dear children who are
growing up in our midst
Then he went on and told the Dea-
/ con the same story he had given Uncle
Jerry. and advised him TO make a:
many side bets as he could The dea
con didn't take to it at first, but wher
he came to figure that it was all in the
interests of the Jericho Sunday schools
) and that it was about the same tnins
as a church fair. he wavered and de
cided to take a hand in.
For two whole days the man with th'
hog was taking men into his confidence
) and giving the pOrker away, and whel
the third day dawned the guesses anC
the quarters came in as fast as they
{ could be counted. AS far as could b'
learned every man in town put up hi
money for a guess, and the farmers
came in for five miles around
Early in the morning seconC
stranger arrived He claimed ne want
ed to exhibit a patent chUrn, but th'
churn was not brought out and M
seemed greatly interested in that hog
pounds, and he was willing to be
on it. and in the interests of the Sun
day school about a hundred different
men covered his Wagers. They fel
sorry for him while they bet. but if {
man couldn't guess the weight of (
/. hog within forty pounds ne deserved
to lose his money.
1t was afternoon before the hog wa
driven to the public scales to be weigh
ed, and when all was ready his 0wne
made a speech. He stated that he wa
a good man. and as Sunday schoo
scholar and an orphan had taken four
teen rewards of merit. What ne wa
doing was not in his own interest. H
didn't care for champagne and fur
lined OvercCats. If he could see all tn
Sunday schools provided with Libraries
oil ~1rrr7
! with electric bells, he would be willing