The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-05-19

AS Related by Simon Wheeler, Esq, of Angels Camp
Calaveras County, California Being Asked for
Information Concerning Certain Rev Leondas w.
Smiley

There was feller here once by
the name OF Jim Smiley in the win
ter of 4s-or, maybe, It was the
spring Of so; | don't recollect exactly
sowehcw. though what makes me
think It was the one or the other is
because | remember the big slume
wasn't finished when he first came to
the camp! but, anyway he was the
curiosest man ABOUT always betting
on anything that turned up You ever
see. If he could get anybody to bet
on the other side; and il he couldn't
he'd change sides Any way what
suited the other man would suit him
--sny way just SOS ne got bet, he
was satisfied. But stiil he ySAs lucky,
uncommon lucky; he most always
came out winner He wes always
ready and laying for a chance; there
couldn't be no solitary thing mention
ed but that feller'd offer to bet on IL.
and take any side you please, as J was
just telling yon. af there was a horse
race, you'd find him flush or you'd find
him busted at the end of &; If there
was dog fight. he'd bet on it; If
d there was chicken fight, he'd bet en-
! it; why # there was two birds set
ting On fence. he wonld bet you
which one would fly first; or II there
was a camp meeting. he would be
there reg'iar, to ber on Parson Wal
ker, which he judged to be the best
exhorter about here-and so be was,
too, and a coed man. II he even seen
a straddle bug start to go anywhere,
he would bet you how long it would
take him to get wherever he was go
ing to, and If you took him up he
would follcw that straddle bug to Mex
leo but what he would find out wher&'
he was bound for and how long ,ri
was on the road Lots Of the boys,
here has seen that Smiley and can
tell you about him. why it never
made no difference to him, he would
bet on anything the dangiest feller.
Parson walkers wife laid very sick
once for good while. and it seem
ed as If they warnt a-goin to save
her. But one morning he come in,
and Smiley asked how she was. and
he said she was considerable better
tha nix the Lord fer His inf'nit mercy
and coming on so smart that, with
the blessing of Providence, she'd get
well yet; and Smiley before he
thought says. We'll, I'll risk you two
AID hall that that she don't, any
way"
This-yer Smiley had mare,--ths
boys called her the fifteen minute
nag, but that was only in fun, yor
, know. because. OF course, she was
faster than that--and he used to wiz
money on that horse, fer all she was
so slow, and always had the asth
ma, or the distemper or the consump
tion. or something Of that kind They
used to give her two or three hund
red yards start, and then PASS her un
der way; but always at the fag en-,
Q OF the race she'd get excited ana dis
perate like, and come covorting ant
Struggling up and scattering her leg
r around timber. sometimes in the air
and sometimes cut to one sid
amongst the fences and kicking al
q more dust, and raising more racke
with her coughing and sneezing an
blowing her nose,-and always fetcl
Il up at the stand Just about necl
ahead, as near as you could cipher
down.
> And he had little small bull puI
that to look at him you'd think h
want WORTH cent but 70 set aroun
and look onery. and lay for chanc
to steal something But as soon 2
| money was up on him he was difte
ent dog; his under jaw'd begin to site
ont like the focastle OF a steamboa
and his teeth would uncover and shin
say age like the furnace. And a 30
might tackle him, and bullyrag hin
and bite him, and threw him over h
shoulder two or three times, and Al
drew Jackson which was the name {
the pup-and Andrew Jackson woul
never let on but what he was satisfe
and hadn't expected nothing else; an
the bets being doubled and doubled q
the other side all the time. till u
money was all up; and then All Of
sudden he would gran that other jC
just by the i'int Of his hind leg an
freeze TO II, not chaw, you nnderstan
but only inst grip and hang on Il
they thfowed mp the sponge. II it VI
year Smiley always come out wi
ner on that pup till he harnessed
dog once that didn't have no hir
legs, because they'd been sawed Z
by a circular saw, and when the thin
had gone along far enough, and q
money was all up. and he come
make a snatch at his pet holt, he 50
In a minute that he'd been impcs.
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