The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1911-04-22
A Singular Bet
By ALLAN c. LAMoND
Copyright. 1910. BY American Press
Association.


two company post In the western vii.
derness. We had played poker till We
had won one another's money several
times over. but It was tho same money
passing and repassing between us.
and the fund hadn't increased under
the operation. Neither bad 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 a dozen times. pro-
ceeded ION tab" and cleaned out every
other man half a dozen times, Carter.
captain of my company. remarked:
II offer $40 to any man Of this
crowd who will give me 4 new sensa-
tion."
Make It a hundred" said Billy Ken
dali. second lieutenant of e company.
land I'll try"
"I'll make 1t a hundred II you sue
coed. you to pay me a hundred IL you
don't"
THAT'S fair: I'll go you once"
"Who's to decide who winsr asked
Carter.
an make a more definite PROPOSE
tion." replied Kendall. .T'll bet you
that on or about tomorrow morning
pull old Toms nose"
Old Tom was the major. thirty eight
years old. bald. dignifed. even pomp-
GUS. a murtinet. and bis proper name
was Thomas Ordway.
Great Scott: You'll be court mar
tailed and shot,"
DO YOU take mer'
81 certainly do. but the money will
do YOU no good except to nav for YOUR
funeral"
"I'u risk that: nut I'D the funds"
seabury. captain of r company. was
made stakeholder and he. with tho
two first IIeutenanta were amounted
umpires 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 ma well mil the nose of the sec.
retary of war. the highest oa,cial an
omcer considers excent the nresident
who ia onIv supposed to figure in mar.
dons Rut since no one could guess
what Rill, was I'm To. we finally drift.
ed into yiunt ct nm and were Obliged
to he content with this for the rest Of
rho dov and eveninp
That night the surgeon was called
I'M 10 ,rent Mo.e the majors colorod
str,ker He found Nose throwing nm
hia sumner NJ oork and hard tack The
The surpeon could mot see that any,
thing was the matter with him. but
Mose nersuaded him to report to the
ma ,or thar hia STRIKER WAS unable for
the present IN perform bis duties.
inst before guard mounting Kendall
sent an orderly tn Canta,n Seaburv to
sov that as soon ms the old guard had
marched NJ, .ome ono NJ tho umnirea
we're IN be ar Old Toms ouartera
ready to observe the pulling Of his
nose.
The mn Tor was In a bad humor that
morning in consequence of the alb
.ence Of bis body servant and being
reouircd To get ready his own hath
and perform other mental duties that
were usually attended TO by Nose.
When the umpires heard the tramp Of
the puord that had been twenty.four
hours OIL 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 90 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
cont OF and his collar unbuttoned.
while Kendall was stropping a razor.