Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1911-09-01
y MIKE SAW M1NoT.
= (From the wolford Mirror;
**************** .

The editor of this great family Jour.
ma: journeyed to Minot Monday aud
spent twentyseven cents cash, Tor
that's what it costs to register-on a
chance of drawing winning number
in Uncle Sans grand; rattle of Fort
Berthold land. ~ ,f,S,< fs,a,.
Ne were accompanied to tho realms
of chance by Dave f. Carlson. The gen
tlemanly erstwhile editor of the Botti.
neau Courant, who, like ourself, was
willing to risk his all before the draw
in the hope that the blind goddess
might switch the cut and slip him a
choice quarter section of land from the
top, middle or bottom Of the deck.
When we entered the place of regis.
tration the first person encountered
was flossy bunch of calico, who, OF
receipt Of two bits, gave us printed
blank, small ticket and pleasant
smile. We quickly found out what the
blank and ticket were for, but we re
still wondering why the female smiled.
Advancing to the counter we present.
co our blank to a suave gentleman,
who pointed to line near the bottom
and gently murmured "sign here.'
After our John Henry had been attach
ed he started a series Of rapid fire
questions as to our residence, age,
height, weight, politics, religion, natur-
allied or denatured, plain or colored.
male or female, married or free, and if
we'd swear to the whole smear. When
we politely assured him that we would
either swear to, or at, any old thing
for a homestead he asked for our tick
ct. which we then found out was re-
ceipt for the two-bits we gave the doll
near the door.
He tossed the ticket into box, Slip
ped the blank into an addressed envel-
ope and handed it to us with instruc-
lions to put two cent stamp on it.
In reply to our inquiries if two one
cent stamps would answer the purpose
just as well, he incidentally mentioned
something about yaps, whatever they
are, and replied in the affirmative.
On leaving the building we were ap-
preached by body snatcher who in
sisted that we should make an auto
trip, at fifteen bucks a throw, out to
and over the reservation so as to take
in its general contour, but we prompt
ly, Immediately, unhesitatingly and en-
phatically refused to be party to any
such con tour, as our interest in the
reservation was still denoted by the
minus sign.
Seeking cheap and harmless recrea-
ton we wandered about the Magic
City, but on account of the solitude
our Trilbys soon strayed from the
straight, narrow and moss grown path
of virtue and sought that broad,
smooth and well-worn one that leads
to high-balls, hilarity and headache.
The nearest thing we could find to
the "gilded palaces of VICE. as the
preacher calls them, were the pool
rooms, and in most of these the gilt
was badly furnished and fly-specked.
In one of them we ran across an old
gone masquerading under the name Of
" he-horse poker, at least that's what
the dealer called it, "with checks
dollar bundle and twenty to the bun
de-" The players at this interesting
and profitable (for the house) game
were an Irishman, Jap, Chinaman,
a coon, two Norwegians and couple
of white men, and the way the checks
iuctuated back and forth between the
players, with a constant stream going
into the "kitty,' was anything but |
slow. Another game, not quite so pop
ular was called "black jack" where
the players ask the dealer to "hit ME
again. -
Leaving the pool rooms we meander-
ed through the streets looking for ex-
element, but everything was as quiet
as a dead rabbit, SO we retired for the
night.
Minot used to have the reputation
for being about the warmest little cup
Of tea in the dining room, but things
have changed in the past few years,
and it is now staid, respectable city,
with more factions and churches than
any other town Of its size in the state.