The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-11-08
A Singular Bet
By ALLAN G. LAMOND
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Associati ton.


and the fund hadn't increased under
the operation. Neither had it de-
creased There was nothing to buy
neither wines. liquors nor cigars. We
had brought supply with US.
After every man Of the six-the com
mandant didn't play poker-had been
cleaned out half dozen times. pro-
ceeded ION tab" and cleaned out every
other man half dozen times. Carter.
captain Of my company. remarked
Il offer $40 to any man Of this
crowd who will give me a new sensa-
ton"
Make it hundred" said Billy Ken
dali. second lieutenant Of company
land I'll try"
'1'll make 1t a hundred If you sue
coed. you to pay me hundred if you
don't"
That's fair; I'll go you once"
who's to decide who winsT asked
Carter
'Tn make a more definite PROPOSE
don." replied Kendall. 'I'l bet you
that on or about tomorrow morning
pull old Toms nose"
Old Tom was the major. thirty eight
years old. bald. dignifled. even pomp-
| Gus, a martinez, and his proper name
| was Thomas Ordway.
Great Scott! You'll be court mar
| tailed and shot,
do you take me?'
II certainly do. but the money will
do you no good except to pay for your
| funeral"
I'm risk that; put up the funds
Seabury, captain Of F company. was
| made stakeholder. and he. with the
two first feutenants. were appointed
umptres. The rest Of the day was
spent in wondering how Kendall was
going to get out of losing his bet. for
as to pulling the majors nose one
might as well pull the nose Of the sec
officer considers. except the president.
who IS only supposed to figure in par
dons. But since no one could guess
what Billy was up to. we finally drift
ed into vignt ct un and were obliged
| to be content with this for the rest Of
the day and evening.
That night the surgeon was called
up to treat Nose, the majors colored
striker. He found Nose throwing up
his supper of pork and hard tack. The
next morning Nose remained in bed.
The surgeon could not see that any
thing was the matter with him. but
Nose persuaded him to report to the
major that his striker was unable for
the present to perform his duties.
| Just before guard mounting Kendall
sent an orderly to Captain Seabury to
say that as soon as the old guard had
| marched of some one Of the umpires
were to be at Old Toms quarters
ready to observe the pulling q hi"
The major was in a bad humor that
morning In consequence of the alb
sence Of his body servant and being
required to get ready his Own bath
and perform other mental duties that
were usually attended to by Nose.
When the umpires heard the tramp Of
the guard that had been twenty-four
hours on duty going to their quarters
all three of them moved. at different
times, so as not to attract attention
to headquarters. Near the door they
rallied on the center and conferred.
1t was agreed that Seabury should
make an excuse to go in. stay as long
| as he could. then come out. to be re-
placed by one of the others. Seabury
entered. asked the major some trivial
question on a matter of duty and came
out. reporting that the major had his
49, k,S-
while Kendall was stropping razor.
In q few minutes went In and came
out to report that the major was in
the chair in which Nose usually
shaved him. Kendall was lathering
the commandments face. Here comes
Lieutenant Sykes. who had entered in
his turn. laughing and Shaping his
leg.
what is itf' asked the others.
crowding around him.
But Sykes was so full Of laughter
that he couldn't 60 on. Finally. when
he recovered somewhat. he said:
when went In old Tom said apol-
ogetically. That internal striker OF
mine had to get sick last night. and
the surgeon reports that he can't
shave me this morning. Mr.. Kendall
has kindly come to the rescue. and
am under an eternal obligation to him
What is it you wantY
Kendall" Sykes went on. las soon
as the major had finished speaking
took hold of old Toms nose with the
forefnger and thumb of his left hand
and, pulling 1t first to one side then
to the other. looked up at me. winked
and began to shave the commandant
Carter has lost
II believe" said Brown. that ras
cal Kendall bribed Nose to be SICK
"Sure enough" chir,sd in Seabury
Lets go and find Carter
At Carriers quarters they told the
story, and the captain agreed that the
joke was worth the stake. In little
while Kendall came In and told how
he had bribed Nose with a ten dol
lar bill to take an emetic. to fool the
surgeon and stay in bed the next
morning Knowing how old Ton
dreaded to go without a shave and
couldn't shave himself. Kendall had
bantered him to let him do the Job.
|