Gilpin observer., 1908-11-26
a FELLOW
+ e ELI N @
Why Wexford VIII Keep Dobbs' Story Secret

Mr.. Dobbs was Sitting ashes in the
back yard of his comfortable little
suburban home when Mr.. Wexford
came out of his house next door and
leaned over the fence.
How do you do this morning, Mr..
Dobbs?"
Mr.. Dobbs ceased operations and
looked up through cloud of white
| dust. Not very WE'LL" he said. i've
lost four pounds. Now l weigh only
! 1877"
PITY about you," shifted Mr.. Wei
ford You ought to have n tonic"
Il know it," the emaciated man re-
Piled.
You ought not to work so hard"
You're right" Mr.. Dobbs assented
Shorter hours"
Yep"
And more pay"
| Nov you're making fun of me. It's
no laughing matter" Mr.. Dobbs was
| getting nettled and he wiped bead OF
! perspiration from his brow.
"'Pon my honor, I'm not" denied
Mr. Wexford.
"Oh, put it on some sounder basis" ;"
said Mr.. Dobbs, seeing a chance to get
back at his neighbor.
"a prophet is not without honor,
save to the man who lives next door"
Mr.. Wexford paraphrased, knowing
full well that Mr.. Dobbs would not be
able to perceive the liberties which he
had taken with the verse, nor the rich
| sarcasm of the remark, but feeling.
nevertheless, that he had scored a
| point.
| depends some on the prophet" an
swered Mr.. Dobbs, in vaguely r.fec-
tive manner. IF you knew all my
feelings"
I'D write book that would be one
Of the six best sellers"
''I say, if you knew all my feelings.
maybe you'd think even less of me
than you do" Mr.. Dobbs was be-
coming introspective.
Tell me some of them. and see
what effect it will have on me-" en-
couraged Mr.. Wexford.
| So in the confidential manner of one
who lays bare his innermost heart Mr.,
Dobbs began:
We'll, I'm rather suspicious of peo-
pie. l have always made it boast
that 1 have never been swindled, had
my pocket picked, or been robbed in
any way. I've never had much sym
pathy with these people who get swim
died by green-goods men, because it's
only dishonest people that get swim
died"
by green-goods men," Mr.. Wexford
ihterjected.
Yes, of course, that's what
mean. Now, look here, Wexford. all
this is confidential. l wouldn't have
my wife know this for anything"
Il won't tell a soul"
We'll, this is how it IVES. l was
in the city last week, and as l was
walking across street l caught
sight of ten-dollar bill f1uttering
along just few feet in front OF me.
OF course, l. was not going to let that
slip by me if could help it, so made
dive for it. A rather poorly dressed
cuss spiel it as | was about to reach
to pick it up. and the result was that
we stoored for 1t ittogether There was
no doubt about the money being mine,
| because l had seen 1t first, but l felt
sorry for the man. He looked cold
ard the wind was sweeping across the
square pretty freely, so l said to him.
See here, this is mine by rights, bu,
I'll let you have half of It, He grum-
bled bit, but tished fiver cut OF
my pocket, gave 1t to him and proceed
ed down Broad street.
He wa&el moment to allow Mr.
Wexford 10 speak word, but Mr.. Wei
-c-d kept silent, so Mr.. Dob5s con
,.ru5d:
81 kept on until l came to a cigar
store. where l storred TO get a pack
| of cigarettes. l didn't have any
change, so I gave the clerk the bill
had ricked up. He looked at 1t and
| fanded it back to me, saying 1t was q
counterfeit. He asked me where /
got it, and when | told him he said
the same game had been worked on
enc cf Eis friends"
Mr.. Dobbs again paused. and this
time Mr.. Wexford spc,.e:
"Dobbs, old man" he said, I'm not
likely to tell your wife, or anybody
else about that. l had the same ex.
| perience myself"