Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1910-01-06
Game OF
Chance
BY LAvoNA PAYNE NEwSOM
Copyright. by Short Stories Co. Itd.

the run from manila TO Tacoma He
was Jew, small of stature and dark,
after the manner Of his race; keen
witted. an American citizen, but had
known many foreign lands. 1 found
he had been much in South American
countries, and spoke excellent Span
ish. Just now he was returning from
threo-years' stay In the PHILIPPINE
Islands. His business had taken him
from the Sulu archipelago to north
ern Luzon, and he had an extensive
knowledge OF the islands and the
strange people inhsbiting them.
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 q question:
Ever been down in Sorsogon prov
ince? No? Well, you don't need to
regret it. 1t is q 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. 1 travelled down
there once, doing three lines of bust
ness. 1 represented a large American
jewelry firm in Manila, carrying with
me thousands of dollars worth of
1ewelry, 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
of hof
Der. My third line was a kaleidoscope,
with pictures representing the life of
Christ. which exhibited in the even
ing, after my days work was over.
Well 1 had completed a very success
full canvas of the province, and, with
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
favorable impression upon me. We
became acquainted, and he insisted
that l should not leave the province
without visiting his town; that he
was especially eager to have the pic
lures exhibited; that / should be n
guest in his house, and that he him.
self would advertise the show among
the people.
I tell you what will do, l finally
said. You go on to your town, ar
range matters and get the people IL.
will join you therefore Saturday and
ri, ho
day, and at night giving the kneto-
scope entertainment. If you see to
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 1 started for the
town on horseback, my goods going
| just in front, in a carreton, with two
| faithful natives whom / always took
| with me. l reached the place late in
the afternoon, and went at once to
the presidente's house, as I had been
directed to do. He had known when
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 at
home. But where is hep 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 her
through struggling rows of nipa
shacks to an abandoned hut on the
edge of the town. Entering, l saw my
1 ~ l. I.A@
clad in dirty pajamas. stretched out
in a hammock, smoking cigarettes.
He greeted me indiaerently, without
rising, all his politeness gone. l 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 it, and
that my own servant would buy and
cook all my food. With that l 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
municative. He came into my room,
where we sat smoking until bedtime
He related all the gossip of the sur,
rounding country, finally leading up to
the subject of ladronism.
1.-The ladrones are very bad in
these mountains he said. Why only
two months ago there was a TURK
here, selling silk and laces, and jew
elry, too, just as you are. The lad
rones sent me a letter, saying that
they would sack the town, if he did
not give me three hundred dollars to
be paid to them. The poor fellow had
to pay it to save his goods, as 1 was
powerless to protect him.
1T all flashed over me in a second
the mans eagerness for me to come
to the town, and his change of atti
tude once l had arrived. l realized
how helpless l was, and the question
leaped into my mind, whether II
would be wiser to pay the rascal q
! Of hax 20 h. III