The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-16
THE WEAK SPOT
IN HIS ARM0R,
By M. QUAD.

Press
| Deacon Joab Carter lived in the vii
| Iage of Oldham, and when his great
| temptation came to him he was over
| fifty years old.
| Six evenings per week Deacon Car
| ter went to the postotiice. He aver
aged only about four letters per year.
but his trips to the postotfice were
made just the same. On one particular
evening n letter was handed him which
excited surmise and curiosity. 1t was
postmarked at New York, and it had
a business look and feeling. Those
standing around when the letter was
passed out looked for the deacon to
open it then and there and give them
a chance to comment: but. greatly to
their chagrin. he placed it in his pock-
ct and started off home. On reaching
| there he ought to have sat down and
opened his letter. but something re.
strained him. He said nothing of it's
receipt even. and it was not opened
until his good wife threw shawl over
her head and went over to a neighbours
to have a bit of gossip
Deacon Carter trembled when he
carefully cut the envelope Of that mys-
FERROUS letter with table knife and
saw greenbacks in it. Yes. there We're
a two dollar bill and one dollar bill.
and both were-brand new and full of
crackle Who had sent him money?
Why had it been sent? His heart was
beating faster as he unfolded type
written letter accompanying the cash.
1t was from party in New York The
party had heard of the deacon and
Was going to trust him with great
secret. The party was manufacturing
greenbacks-not counterfeits, but the
genuine thing. same as the inclosed.
same as those turned out by Uncle
Sam. The party felt that he had at
least moral right to do this. All gov
ernments were oppresSOrs: all individ-
uals had Il right to better their condi-
ton. He was lettering his and at the
same time not hurting the government
or any Of his fellow men. In fact he
was beneti,iag the country by putting
more money in circulation and making
it easy to get.
The church to which the deacon be-
longed wanted to raise the minister's
salary: it wanted 10 repair the spire
Of the edifice: it wanted to replace the
old pew cushions. The congregation
was waiting for the deacon to lead off
with Il liberia: subscription. but as Il
matter of fact he was hard up. hay
ing been aiding some of his relatives
l.: ixs.
hankered If he had only $50 he
would ask for no more. Would it
harm the government or any ull,. else
for him to get the $50 in the way suy-
gcstcd?
"Of course it would" said the good
man to himself as he heard his wife
returning and hastily pocketed the
money and circular. and he Went to
bed determined to return the epistlc
on the morrow. He awoke with the
, same determination. but his wife was
to be the cause of Il change Of heart.
At the breakfast table she said:
"Joab. we are out of brown sugar
5 "Um"
I'VE must have tea today"
1 I'm
: And you'll have to take my shoes
to Smiths and get 'em fixed. | go,
g my feet damp last night
c An hour later Deacon Carter started
e out on his Grand He had silver
dollar in his pocket. but as he wa:
l. about to enter the store the idea came
: to him TO hand out the new dollar bill
V received in his letter No secout
thought came. He handed it ovel
e when his purchases had been made
G and the merchant received it and mad,
change without a word. That settled
l. matters The money was not cOun
t terfeit. and no one was being harmed
by handling it. That afternoon let
ter was written to the party in New
II York. The deacon started out TO So,
i that he would buy $50 of the money
n but made it $500 instead. He woul,
g go to the city at any date and TAX
r. 800 In Uncle Sans money with hin
He knew where lie could borrow tina
t. sum for Il few days He would de:
* Just once and no more.
l. Then followed Il considerable CORE
u spondence. A date was set for the de;
con to show up. and he was so Stron.
~ advised 10 take $500 instead of tn
lesser sum that lie agreed. He had
sell one Of his COWS. two hogs and w
calves and do some borrowing to max
ID up the amount. and he had to dods
I'd many questions from his wife. but I'll
day finally arrived when he started Il
a the city. He was come along" ;
last. He was to be met at the depo
I. and he was met. The man who IN,
ut him gave word. aud the deacon r
C. piled when n couple OF detectives a
rested both.
At the police station the deaco
re showed his letters and told his stor
tn while the green goods man took cal
n to say nothing. The deacon was n
arrested. He was simply talked
g. and sent direct home.
n Don't you imagine that the people
this town have ever heard these thin