Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1907-08-03
From Mark Twain's Autobiography In yyes
AcArth At-nr


From Mark Twains Autobiography In yyss
North American Review.
More than forty years ago, in SAM
Francisco, the Office staff adjourned. !,
upon conclusion OF It's work ct O'Clock
in the morning, to a great bowling es-
Ia blishment where there were twelve,
alleys. ] was invited. rather perfume
toriiy. and as matter of etiquette-by,
which ] mean that | was invited DO
litely, but not urgently. But when /
difldently declined, with thanks and
explained that ] knew nothing about
the game those lively young fellows
became at once eager and anxious and
urgent to have my society. This fat
tered me, for I perceived no trap, and
innocently and gratefully accepted
their invitation ! was given an alley
all 10 myself. The boys explained the
game TO me, and they also explained TO
nee that there would be an hours play,
and that the player who scorde the few
est ten strikes in the hour would have
to provide oysters and beer for the
combination. This disturbed me very
seriously since IL promised me bapk-
rUptCy, and / was sorry that this detail
had been overlooked In the beginning.
But my pride would not allow me 10
back out now, SO ] stayed in, and did
what | could TO lock satisfied and glad
/ had come. II is not likely that
looked as contented as / wanted TO, but
the others looked glad enough TO make
up for IL, for the were quite unable
to hide their evil joy They showed me
how to stand and how to stoop. and
how to aim the ball. and how to let fly:
and then the game began. The results
were astonishing. In my ignorance
delivered the balls In apparently every
was except the right one; but no mat
tcr-during half an nour j never started
a ball down the alley that didn't score
a ten strike, every time, al the other,
end The others lost their grip early
and their JOY along with It. Now and
then one Of them got ten strike, but
the occurrence was so rare that it made
no show alongside of my giant score.
The boys surrendered at the end of
the half hour, and put on their coats
and gathered around me and In cour-
tcous, but sufficiently definite. language.
expressed their opinion of an expert
ence worn and seasoned expert who
would stoop to lying and deception I'm
order TO rob kind and well meaning
friends who had put their trust in him
under the delusion that he was hon.
est and honorable. / was not able to
convince them that | had not lied, for
now my character was gone. and they
refused to attach any value 10 anything
/ said. The proprietor of the place
stood by for a while saying nothing.
then he came to my defense. He said,
1t looks like a mystery, gentlemen,
but IL isn't a mystery after it's ex-
planned. That is IA grooved alley:
you've only to start a ball down il any
way you please and the groove will do
the rest; 1t will slam the ball against
the northeast curve of the head pin
every time and nothing can save the
ten from falling down"
IT was true. The boys made the cx-
pertinent and they found that there was
no art that could send a ball down that
alley and fail to score ten strike with
IT, When / told those boys that I knew
nothing about the game ] was telling
only the truth; but II was ever thus, all
through my life. whenever ! have d.
verged from custom and principle and
uttered a truth. the rule has been that
the hearer hadn't strength OF mind
enough TO believe it,