Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1903-08-27

tired out with his philanthropic Ia bors
slowly walked up Main street to the
notel which he was gracing with his
presence. A low whistle sounded. Sim
mons stopped and looked around with
ready apprehension. He had philan-
throplc funds in his pockets. Through
Tue darkness he perceived q short man
carrying a satchel and limping around
the corner. A gas lamp glinted for a
moment ON the satchel. It was green.
Shifty Simmons gave stage start and
Iollowed. His air was determined He
seemed to be saying "Sh-sh' to him
self.
The short man limped through the
town and out into the country After
an hours walk he jumped over a fence
and ran nimbly over freshly plowed
field. Shifty laboriously followed.
keeping close to a fringe of trees that
bordered the field. The short man went
to little tool house and obtained a
shovel, with which he dug deep hole.
He then opened the satchel. Shifty
saw him abstract a few yellow backed
bills, leaving the rest of the contents.
He then placed the satchel in the hole.
carefully covered it up, put the shovel
back in the tool house and silently
stole away.
Shifty Simmons now took a promi.
nent part in this little drama. He
sneaked up to the tool house and began
cropping for the shovel. Enter the
trained beasts-two large, cavernous,
bounding, resounding and ravenous
bulldogs dashed across the field
from the farm house in the next lot.
Shifty fed. He spent the night just
| outside the fence and kept an unwink-
ing eye upon the spot where the olive
colored satchel lay buried.
AS strict matter of history it should
| it should be stated that it started rain
| Ing in torrents shortly afterward, and
that the rain continued all night. It
| would indeed often seem as though ma
ture was not above joke.
At daybreak next morning there was
| unusual activity in the field. A num-
Der of hired men appeared with spades
| and lumber. Shifty shook some of the
| water from his clothes and climbed
| over fence.
'What's going on?' he asked.
"We're going to dig potato pits they
| replied
Shifty didn't like this development.
1t seemed to him that these prospective
potato pits were much too near the
buried treasure. He asked for the
| owner of the field and found in him
| old Amadee Pierson, who had bought
one Of his watches the day before for
$40.
''I've just been looking for you to pay
you back that $19," began Shifty sol
! emnly. "It's been troubling my mind"
"Oh, that's all right" replied Amadee.
I'm not kicking. That was business
and I got valuable experience. Any
| thing I can do for your
| "Why, yes,' answered Shifty. ''The
circus people want to rent q field to put
some old circus wagons and things on.
I'll give you $50 for a years use of this
| field.'
Amadee scratched his head with a
puzzled motion.
'Seems kinder funny they didn't
come themselves" he remarked. "Still,
it's none of my business. I was just
going to put some improvements on
this lot and I'd figured on making quite
some money out of it. I'll let you have
the field for six months for $3.50 and
not cent less. And I'd want the cash in
advance, seeing as don't know you"
'I'll take it," Shifty replied, after a
suitable pause. IF you'll give me re-
ceipt I'll give you the money. Imme-
date possession-and say, just chain
up your dogs at night, will you?"
That night, in another pouring shower,
Shifty Simmons dug up the precious
satchel. He carried it lovingly to the
tool house and opened it carefully un-
der the Pickering glim Of little Ian
tern. He picked a neatly folded note
out of the satchel and read:
''My boy Eph limped like the bank
burglar and Josh painted the satche]
green. We lay for you. The American
farmer is quick to learn and it's bad
business to cheat him out of $40.
! "AMADEE PIERSON."
In conclusion it may be- set down
judging from Shifty's subsequent re
marks and manner, it would seem that
there are few things so irritating as fol
! man to be tripped up at his OWL
game.-New York Evening Sun.
The Boots Were Mrs. Smiths.
Mrs. Smith and Miss Brown were