The Huttig news., 1908-02-01

self, but I'm afraid for his moral nature after my guidance is removed
 Deacon Stebbins promised he would be father to the bear during the elders absence, so the elder went on his journey rejoicing in the thought that he had left his pet in worthy hands.
 Now Deacon Stebbins, while good man in many ways, was sort of whited sepulchre, too. He was one of the pillars of the church, and gen. erally strong in reform movements, but the deacon had a weakne5 -tha iasaal SC zsa asivoz twice week he used to drop down to Hal Jenkins tavern and take hand in a little game in one of the back rooms. The game was kept very much on the quiet, so this never in- jured the deacon's reputation, although it often dented his bank-roll, he not being the player Hal Jenkins and some of the rest of the boys were.
 At last Hal tried to buy the bear, but of course Deacon Stebbins had no authority to sell the elders cher ished pet Then Hal wanted to rent the bear at mighty liberal figure until Elder Allison returned; but Deacon Stebbins wouldn't hear of this. He sort of hinted, too, that he was afraid the pious bears morals might be corrupted by too much contact with Hal, whose heart was rather set on things of this world. This didn't please Hal overmuch and made him more determined to get the bear.
 "So Hal took two or three of the rest of the boys into partnership, and they laid for the good deacon. As a result of having so many house-play- CTS against him, it wasn't long be- fore the deacon had lost most of his ready money. Then Hal loaned him some. This went, too. Hal kept this up until he had the deacon pretty well tangled up in debt. Then one day he suggested, casual like, that he needed the money. The deacon didn't have it.
 "Then I'm afraid I'll have to sue for it, said Hal, in kind of ugly way
 "Of course this landed right hard on the good deacon. Hal probably couldn't recover a gambling debt, but he could put the deacon's reputation with the truly good back good many miles, After Hal had the deacon we'll scared, he sprang his proposition on him.
 "I tell you what I'll do, deacon,' he said in more kindly tone. If you will let me have that bear until Elder Allison returns, I'll call our little account square. When the elder gets back, I will turn the bear over to you, and the elder won't know he has been absent from your foster ing care.'
 Deacon Stebbins was pretty joy. ous at getting out of debt on these i terms. He turned the bear over to Hal Jenkins, remarking as he did it that the bears long suit was playing checkers. Hal snorted at this.
 "'Checkers!, he said, mighty con- temptuous like. That's no game for either man or bear of his talents I'll tedCH tAi' CHciiSueu Poe oA IiuCI AT lison's how to play a mans game. When the elder returns and finds his bear the best poker player in the coun- 1 ty his heart ought to bubble over with gratitude towards Hal Jenkins; | but I ain't by any means sure that it will And Hal chuckled in pleased way to himself, there being small love l lost between him and the elder i "Of course, as soon as the bear was little used to his new home he want | ed to show off his talents in the check er-playing line, being justly proud of them. But Hal just laughed at the