Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-02-05
The Farmer From the
Richelieu River

IOriginall
A finely equipped billiard hall In !
Montreal was kept by an expert with |
the cue. Indeed. he held champions !
trophy. During the daytime there
were few people to use his tables. and
II any one desired a game the proprie-
tor would accommodate him. One aft
ernoon a farmer whose lineaments
were French strolled into the place and
seemed greatly pleased with II.
Would you like to play q gamer"
asked the proprietor.
The farmer admitted that he had
heard a great deal about billiards and
had come to Montreal especially to
play a game. The proprietor called for
q set Of balls. handed the farmer . cue
and. unlocking a private rack, took
down his own cue.
How much you play fort" asked the
farmer.
Il don't play for money"
WHAT Nothing to max Get inter
estingr'
"If you IKE wen play for refresh
mentA"
Entertainments! What 10 thatr'
Drinks. cigars, anything you like"
''Ver' we'll. How much de gamer
'Oh. Wen play till you are satisfied
that l can beat you"
Meanwhile several loiterers gathered
around to see the expression that
would come over the farmers face
when he saw the proprietor counting
as much as he liked. The farmer was
given the first shot. He took 4 long
IN al In h ind hot 10 10
and whep 1t was made up did a great
deal of saving with his cue. He
missed the shot he tried for. but
scratched" one point. The proprietor
then attempted to show the spectators
a very difficult round table shot, but.
having no incentive. played carelessly
and missed.
go ahead" he said to his opponent.
you say we play till I am salts
| hed?" he asked
THAT was the understanding"
| 81 am satisfied. l STOP"
| There was a burst Of laughter from
the onlookers. for the ''house" had lost
the refreshments.
Now. it happened that an amateur
player. an expert. was looking on who
was not as averse to betting money as
/ the proprietor. When the latter threw
\ down his cue and ordered the refresh
4 ments the expert went up to the farm
| er with outstretched hand and told him
| he was the cIeverest countryman that
i had ever honored Montreal with his
i presence Then he offered to play him
II q friendly game for a nominal stake.
The farmer accepted. and the game be
gan. The expert played as badly as he
could. but not badly enough to let the
farmer beat him. which he intended In
order to draw his dupe into his net.
But the more the farmer lost the more
he Insisted on playing further ai:d. to
regain his losses. continually suggested
u raising of the stake till he had lost
In round numbers $3.50. Then he got
very much excited Drawing wallet
from his pocket. he showed his enemy
$3.50 in bills. which he agreed to put up
in case he could get odds Of to 1.
The expert. with well fegned reluc-
money from the proprietor. the stakes
were placed In the latter's hands.
The expert won first shot and ran
63 points. the game being 100, Then
the farmer chalked his cue looked
at the balls and began to play His
first shot was a difficult masse with IA
draw nearly the full length Of the Ia
BILE. and he made it beautifully. From
that he proceeded to make one difficult
shot after another. always leaving the
balls in the position he desired. A
crowd gathered around. and 1t was
soon apparent to them that no such
handling of billiard balls had ever been
seen in Montreal. The game being
short one, 1t seemed that the player
was ambitious to make nearly all the
points by difficult shots. He missed nc
shot at all till he had counted loo
points and won $1,000.
From the moment the farmer made
the first shot the expert. who was the
best amateur player in the city. had
made up his mind that he had fallen
into his own trap. When the money
was paid over to the farmer the losel
, said to him:
!. "Now that you've been paid the bel
perhaps you won't mind telling us wht
You are?"
ri got leetle farm down on De Rlcne
| lieu riviere," said the farmer.
, ''Rats!' said his questioner and, turn
r ing on his heel. left the place. Thei
the farmer called for refreshments ant
invited his admirers to partake o
them.
, Now. there was q billiard match T.
be played that night between the cham
I pion Of the United States from New
York and the champion Of France from
I Paris. This was mentioned to tn
Z farmer. and he manifested desire Z
see the match. Promising to meet HI
| naw made frianda Mt the Mace m