The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-05-21
CHAPTER xIII.-continued.

CHAPTER XlII.-Continued.
Ladies and gentlemen" he shouts.
Here Is positively the last chance to
secure this NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
brykin, made by the deserving poor
to cover the restless rich. Competi-
ton has been so strong that no n
person has been able to buy 1t. 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 a 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 a
rattle. The minister starts 1t. Tickets
are anything you please, provided it's
enough. Come early and avoid the
rush"
There was a 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 w%hirlwind, laughing and shouting
and passing up dollar bills. 'Twa'n't
hardly n 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 mum.
bers Sold" says he. "The drawing
will now take place. Here, Bill"
He grabs a little shaver by the coat
collar and lifts him up to the chair.
Old lady Patterson, the deacon's wife,
set up a scream.
"Stop!" she yells. my child shall
not"
TT takes but 8 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
sand looked foolish, but he stuck a
tfreckled 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 H." Van calls. "Who is
IA? MI. Morton. you began this.
Where is your ticket?"
The minister looked d~readfully
' troubled. Really" he stammered, II
lit was a mistake. +"
Here's yours, Mr.. Morton" 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. MI. Morton, Sc
cures the prize. That's as 1t should
lbe. Three cheers for Mr.. Norton"
The summer folks give the cheers,
Fbut the church folks looked pretty av-
~erage wild, l thought.
4 forgot how much was in Van
Brunt's pocket. That bedquiH fetched
in enough money to pretty nigh buy
the poorhouse itself.
The Twins felt good. They fingered
that they'd made a hit at that lawn
yfete.'
Great success, my rattle idea,
wasn't it. skipper" says Van Brunt,
ION the way home.
i didn't answC. right of. Eureka
spike up.
WELL" she says, 1T sold the bed
quilt, but wouldn't wonder If 1t made
the new minister lose his job. You.
sec, 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. l 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 1t was to lay
It heavy on the Twins. He had to
preach sermon giving gambling fits,
and all around town twas nothing but
Ahos dlsfjpsted and wicked ~ Hear