Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-11-19
AGame Of Chance
By LAVONA PAYNE NEWSOM
(Copyright, by Short Stories Co.. Ltd

mt MN VI OuC vi bhC OOoboA
Steamship Company's boats. making
the run from Manila to Tacoma. He
was a Jew, small Of stature and dark,
after the manner OF his race; keen
witted, an American citizen, but had
known many foreign lands. ! found
he had been much in South American
countries, and spoke excellent Span
ish. Just now he was returning from
a three-years' stay in the Philippines.
One cold, raw day, well out in the
Pacific, We sat in the smoking-room,
putting away in silence at our Manila
cigars. Suddenly he turned to me,
with a question::
Ever been down in Sorsogon prov
ince? No? Well, you don't need to
regret 1t. II is a wild country, the
mountains infested with ladrones; but
the rich valleys yield great crops OF
hemp and rice, and the natives have
plenty of money. / travelled down
there once, doing three lines Of busi-
ness. / represented large American
jewelry firm in Manila, carrying with
me thousands of dollars worth OF
jewelry, some of it valuable stones
and gold pieces, but the greater part
cheap crosses, rings and other trink-
cts for ready sale among the genie.
In addition to this, as a private enter
prise, / took a stock of monographs;
the machine was new to the natives
at that time, and l sold large num-
Der. My third line was kaleidoscope,
with pictures representing the life OF
Christ, which exhibited in the even.
ing. after my days work was over.
Well | had completed a very success
full canvas Of the province, and, with
a pocket full Of money. was return
ing on a small steamer to Manila. On
the boat was the presidente Of a town
located some distance from the river
at the foot Of the mountain. He was
dressed In spotless white, was polite
polished in his manners, spoke Span
ish well, and altogether made rather
a favorable impression upon me. We
became acquainted, and he insisted
that | should not leave the province
without visiting his town; that he
was especially eager to have the pic
lures exhibited; that | should be q
guest in his house, and that he him
self would advertise the show among
the people.
" I tell you what ! will do / finally
said. You go on to your town, ar
range matters and get the people in
/ will join you therefore Saturday and
Sunday, selling my goods during the
day, and at night giving the kineto
scope entertainment. II you see tC
1t that my trip is successful, you shall
have a percentage Of the sales He
agreed, much pleased, and left me
that night.
The next morning started for the
town on horseback, my goods going
just in front, in carreton, with two
faithful natives whom / always tool
with me. | reached the place late in
the afternoon, and went at once t.
the presidente's house, as | had beer
directed to do. He had known wher
! was to arrive; | was, therefore, con
siderably surprised when a shriveled
old woman came to the door, and told
me that the presidente was not al
home. But where is he?' demanded
He is expecting me, and has invited
me to stay in his house
THE old woman looked incredulous
but after much insistence, said she
would take me to him. followed heI
through struggling rows of nipa
shacks to an abandoned hut on the
edge Of the town. Entering, saw my
erstwhile immaculate acquaintance
clad in dirty pajamas. stretched Out
in a hammock, smoking cigarettes
He greeted me indifferently, without
rising, all his politeness gone. coolly
told him that had come prepared to
keep my part Of the contract; that as
there seemed to be no other place to
stay, | should live in his house, but
that he should be we'll paid for 1t, and
that my own servant would buy and
cook all my food. With that | left
him, returning to the house to get my
things ready for business the next
morning.
Later in the evening, the presi
dente became more cordial and com
municatiye. He came into my room
where we sat smoking until bedtime
He related all the gossip of the sur
rounding country, finally leading up t.
the subject Of ladronism.
1.-The ladrones are very bad in
these mountains he said. Why only
two months ago there was a Turl
here, selling silk and laces, and Jew
elry, too, just as you are. The lad
rones sent me letter, saying tha
they would sack the town. If he die
not give me three hundred dollars t
be paid to them. The poor fellow hat
to pay it to save his goods, as / wa,
powerless to protect him.
1T all flashed over me in a second
the mans eagerness for me to come
to the town, ap1 his change of atti
tude once | had arrived. | realized
how helpless | was, and the question
leaped into my mind, whether 4
would be wiser to pay the rascal /;
sum of money, than to run the risl