Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1909-03-10
CHAPTER XIII.-continued..

NHAF IN NIII.-NOnIInueOs'
Ladies and gentlemen" he shouts.
Here is positively the last chance to
secure this agnificent-er-er-
brykin, made by the deserving poor
to cover the restless rich. Competi-
ton has been so strong that no one
person has been able to buy it. The
only solution would be a syndicate,
and the almshouse is opposed to
trusts. Therefore l am authorized to"
then he bent down and whispered:
Mr.. Morton, kindly give me whatever
small change you have left
The minister looked puzzled, but he
handed up half dollar. Van Brunt
reaches into the hat and takes out one
Of the folded slips of paper.
Here you are sir" says he. "Treas-
ure that as you would your life. Now,
then, ladies and gentlemen, this is
rattle. The minister starts it. Tickets
are anything you please, provided it's
enough. Come early and avoid the
rush."
There was kind of gasp from all
the church people. The members of
the sewing circle looked at each other
with the most Mortified kind of faces.
The parson, Mr.. Morton, run forward.
Just a minute, Mr.. Van Brunt, if
you please" he sings out.
But Van waved him away. The sum.
mer folks come after them tickets like
a whirlwind, laughing and shouting
and passing up dollar bills. 'Twa'n't
hardly any time afore the hat was
empty and the Twins jacket pocket
was full of money. Then he fills up
the hat with more pieces of paper.
These are duplicates of the num-
bers sold," says he. The drawing
will now take place. Here, Bill"
He grabs little shaver by the coat
collar and lifts him up to the chair.
Old lady Patterson, the deacon's wife,
set up scream.
Stop" she yells. my child shall
not"
1T takes but a moment, madam"
says Van, waving to her, calm and
easy. Now, julius Caesar, please take
one of those numbers from the hat"
The boy Redeemed up and grinned
and looked foolish, but he stuck a
freckled paw in and took out a piece
of paper.
Number a." shouts Van Brunt.
Number IA secures the-the tapes
try. Who's the lucky one?"
Everybody unfolded their papers,
but there didn't seem to be any IA.
Hartley had three. but he want in it.
Number a." Van calls. Who is
IA? Mr.. Morton, you began this.
Where is your ticket?"
The minister looked dreadfully
troubled. Really" he stammered, Il
lit was a mistake. L"
Here's yours, Mr.. Norton" says a
little girl. You dropped it on the
! ground
The parson looked pretty sick. He
reached for it. but Van got it first.
Number IA it is" he says Our
esteemed friend, Rev. Mr.. Morton, Sc
cures the prize. That's as it should
be. Three cheers for Mr.. Norton"
The summer folks give the cheers,
but the church folks looked pretty av-
erage wild, thought.
forgot how much was in Van
Brunt's pocket. That bedquilt fetched
in enough money to pretty nigh buy
the poorhouse itself
The Twins felt good. They figgered
that they'd made a hit at that lawn
fete"
! Great success, my rattle idea,
wasn't it. skipper" says Van Brunt
on the way home.
1 didn't answer right of. Eureka
spoke up.
Well" she says, at sold the bed,
quilt, but l wouldn't wonder if it made
the new minister lose his job. You
see, twas gambling, and that church
is dreadful down on gambling. Mrs
Patterson told me that she should
have her husband call a parish meet
ing right of. 1 guess you won't be
invited to no more sales this year"
And we want Poor Morton had
! an awful time explaining, and the only
way he could get out of it was to lay
1t heavy on the Twins He had tC
preach a sermon giving gambling fits
and all around town twas nothing buI
how dissipatsd and wicked the Heav