The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-23
BY o. HENRY.
Copyright. 1907. by S. S. Mcclure Coz

! "Well, sir, all 1 could think of to do
was to go out and get in the buggy.
The horse turned round and took ma
back to the hotel. / hitched him and
went in to see Andy In his room L told
him about this farmer, word for word
and l sat picking at the table cover
like one bereft of cOnscientiousness.
q" I don't understand it, says 1, hum
ming a sad and foolish little song to
cover my humiliation.
ANDY walks up and down the room
for a long time, biting the left end OF
his mustache as he does when in the
act of thinking.
jeff says he, finally, I believe your
story of this exDurgated rustic; but
am not convinced. II looks incredu-
lous to me that he could have inocu-
lated himself against ali the preoT-
dained systems of bucolic bunco. Now,
you never regarded me as man of spe-
ciaI religious prOclivities, did you,
Jeft?' says Andy.
Well says [. No. But says 7,
not TO wound his feelings, I have also
observed many church members whose
said proeivities were not so Outwardly
developed that they would show on a
white handkerchief if you rubbed 'em
With it
81 haze always been a deep student
OF nature from GIedIiOl GOWIt- says
Andy. and I believe in an ultimatum
design of Providence. Farmers was
made for purpose; and that was to
| furnish n livelihood to men like me
and YOU. Else why was We given
brains? 1t is my belief that the mamma
that the Israelites lived on for forty
years i'm the wilderness was only a fig
urative word for farmers; and they
keep up the practice TO this day. And
! to f4gF
my theory. "Once A farmer. always q
cOme-On," in spite of the veneering and
the orifces that a spurious civilization
has brought to him.
You'll fail same as I did, says /. %
This ones shook off the shsckles of the
shecp-fold. He's entrenched behind the
advantages of electricity. education, lit
eratUre and intelligence.
I'll try says Andy. There are Ger
tain Laws of Nature that Free Rural
Delivery can't overcome
Andy fumbles around awhile in the
closet ard comes out dressed in n suit
with brown and yellow checks as big as
your hand. His vest is red with blue
dots, and ne wears high silk hat.
noticed he'd soaked his sandy mustache
in kind Of blue ink.
Great Bafnums.' says /. You're 2
ringer for 4 circus thimblerig man.
outside? Wait here till I come back.
won't be long
Two hours eft eTWdTd Andy steps IN
the room and lays a wad of money on
the table.
Eight hundred and sixty dollars
says he. Let me tell you. He was-in.
He looked me over and began to guy
me. l didn't say a word, but got out
the walnut shells and began to roll the
little ball on the table. l whistled d
tune or two, and then I started up the
old formula.
Step up, lively. gentlemen says I.
and watch the little ball. 1t costs You
nothing to look. There YOU see it, and
there you don't. Guess where the little
joker is. The quickness Of the hand de-
coives the eye
:" I steals a look at the farmer man.
I see the sweat coming out on his fore
head. He goes over and closes the front
door and watches me some more. Dr.
rectIy he says: an bet you twenty I
can pick the shell the balls under
now"
AFTER that goes or Andy. there
was nothing new to relate. He only had
$3.50 in -ash IN the house. When ] left
he followed me to the gate. There was
tears in his eyes when he shook hands
Bunk says he. thank you for the
only real pleasure I've had in years. 1t
brings up happy old days when ! was
only a Garner and not an agTicuitUrist.
God bless you
Here Jeff Peters ceased, and I in
ferred that his story was done.
- hen you Think began
Yes says Jeff. Something like
that. You let the farmers go ahead
and amuse themselves with politics.
Farr.ing's 4 lonesome life: and they've
been against the shell game before"