The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-02-04
CAUGHT BY
THE LEG
BY James Lorre
Copyright, 1908, by N. NJ. Cunningham

Arthur MoTIlSol, DacnelOf ana club
man and, what is more, reputed to be
always in funds, had heard his friend
Johnson speak Of his shore property a
score Of times without taking any par
ticular interest in the matter. In q
dim way he knew that it was down on
Long Island; that 1t was on the shore
of a body of water, presumably the
sound: that Johnson was always kick
ing about the taxes and always abus-
ing some one named Copeland, who
owned property next to his domain,
and that he himself hadn't the re
hottest idea of buying either shore or
mountain property.
This was all before the great game or
poker that will be talked about in the
club for many years to come There
were but few members who didn't take
hand occasionally, but the play had
seldom become exciting. On the occa-
sion in question, when Morrison, John
son and three others sat down, no one
had any idea Of what was coming. And
what did come was all because of the
extraordinary hands which the even
ing's play brought out. The deck seem
ed to be bewitched. Pat straights,
fushes and full houses were as plenti-
full as pairs had been on other occa-
sions.
By and by, when every player had a
hand he could back for any reasonable
sum, there was raising all along the
| line, and before three of them grudg-
ingly dropped out and left Morrison
and Johnson to fight it out between
them there was a record pot on the
! table When that had been raised to
$4,000 Johnson put in his shore prop
erty and made it $4,000. He was
! raised $1,000 more. With that he put
down four aces only to be beaten by a
straight flush Within three days the
deeds of the property were in Morri-
/ sons hands.
In speaking of Dreamland, as John
son had named his shore property, he
had forgotten to mention one thing.
The Copeland he had inveighed against
was Colonel Copeland, a retired army
officer, sixty years old, and man very
jealous of his rights Having bought
to the edge OF the water, he fenced to
the edge of the water This raised a
quarrel with the property owners on
either side, and the fences had been re-
pea&edly torn down and rebuilt, while
the colonel had gone so far as to sit up
nights with a shotgun to protect his
vested rights. This summer, owing to
the coIoners wife being in Europe,
Dreamland was In the hands of a care
taker
1t was a month before Morrison went
down to see his new property. He
would not have gone then but for the
letters he received from the caretaker
The latter stated that he had become
afraid of his life and that he would
flee the place if something was not
done to protect him. Mr. Arthur Nor
rlson was not belligerent man, but he
refused to be bulldozed. If Colonel
Copeland, his neighbor, was carrying
things with too high a hand he would
drop down and let him understand that
other Long Islanders had few rights
too. Morrison had heard of irasciblt
old men with shotguns, and his belief
was that all they needed was some
one to talk right up to them.
He reached Dreamland one day JUS
in time to prevent the caretaker from
carrying out his project of hurried
fight. And all this because in accord
ance with a standing order from John
son, he had torn down the division
fence, and Colonel Copeland haC
actually fred at him before proceeding
to rebuild it. The injured man wen
on to give the old military hero such ;
reputation that Morrison was minded
at first to return to New York and pu
the place in the hands of a real estat
agent But the caretaker urged that h.
assert his rights as a property owner
and, though it was with many misgiv
ings, he started out to see about tina
shore fence.
The offending obstacle was nothin!
more or less than a rail fence that raj
down through the scrub brush ant
over the sand to the edge of the water
It was all on the colonePs own prop
erty, and just why this old man shoul
; not have a dozen fences there If h
= wanted them was a puzzle to the new
conner. In fact, he thought it might b
a good idea to fence his own shore an
would have stopped at this but for tn
caretaker, who insisted that he elm
the mooted fence and walk about O.
the colonels land just to show hiI
! that he did not own the earth
A man viii do foolish things agains
! his better judgment. Mr. Morrison di
one on this occasion. He proceeded
, climb the fence. As soon as his bac
, was turned the caretaker made a RI
treat If there was to be any shootin
he did not want TO be counted in.
When Mr. Morrison had hoisted hin
self to the top of the fence he So
there for q few minutes and surveye
! the landscape. There was the same oil