Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-12-29
A ,JlGFUL !,
-. OF BEANS
By M. QUAD
Copyright. .1sll.. by Associated Lit
erary Press
BY NJ. QUAD


ants began to talk about a church.
Then it took three more of hard
scratching to get up building that
stopped short at the roof There was
neither spire nor belfry. but the people
were well satisfied with things as they
We're until a tin peddler drove into the
village one day and raised dissension
He got hold of Uriah Goodspeed and
Deacon Sparrow and others and said:
I'm telling you that nothing makes
me feel like telling the truth and leav.
ing off swear words as the sound of a
church bell. It's the same with lots of
other men. You want bell on a
church just as much as a man wants
a hat on his head. If you don't have a
bell you might as well put your preach
err in a stable to preach
The peddler went his way. and there
was talk and talk. After three or four
days he came back, and there was more
talk. Everybody had decided that it
would be good thing to get bell,
but no one knew just how to go to
work to raise the money. 1t was for
the peddler to show the way.
1T can be done as easy as falling of
o log" he explained. land you can
have some fun over it at the same
time. I'm going to lay up here for
couple OF weeks while l paint my
wagon. and I'll see you through"
His plan was to get u gallon jug and
put lot of beans into it. No one else
should know how many. Everybody
should pay so cents to guess. and the
one who came nearest the number
should get his half dollar back, and the
rest Of the money should go for bell.
Two or three of the deacons hung off a
little. thinking the plan looked like a
lottery, but after day OF two the
thing was Il go. Indeed, Deacon Hos
mer. who was always considered a
lucky man, planked down So and re-
corded four guesses. and the ball was
started rolling. Inside Of four days
every man In Swan Creek had paid for
at least one guess. and inside of n
week most of the farmers for five mNAk
around had caught the spirit. The ped
dler had charge Of the money as well
as the beans. and every evening there
was a gathering at the postoffice to
talk the thing over.
After two weeks there were no more
gueSses TO come in. and meeting
was arranged to count the money and
the beans and send committee up
to Troy TO buy the bell. Everybody
turned out to the meeting. Deacon
HOSmer took charge. He didn't ex-
actly know whether TO open with
Fourth of July Grafton or the singing
of hymn. but upon a hint from SilaS
Wigfall. who had just got over the
measles and was feeling happy. he
recited a poem and gave Christopher
Columbus a certificate of character
for SObriety.
Then the meeting waited for the
peddler to show up. and while It
waited Fearnaught Pilgrim, got up
and started to eulogiZe George wash
ington. He had been sorting over po-
tatoes that day and had got things
mixed He said Washington and Nero
had gone down in history together
and that the Father of His Country
and Captain Kidd would never be
forgotten while the fires of patriotism
continued to burn. Just about that
time Iish Billings came saupterlng IN.
1t had been whispered around that lie
was the only man in Swan Creek VINO
hadn't come with n guess. but nobody
had dared to ask him. As soon az
Deacon Hosmer caught sight OF him
he said:
II observe that Mr. Billings has JUST
entered the hall. May | ask MN 10
give us some information on the SUD
ject of church bellsT 4
You may" Answered Lish. "fou>
are going to buy bell for the meet
ing house bht1 don't understand where
you are going to hang 1t. VIII 1t De OH
a fence.o or post? There's no tower
or belfry... Why didn't some OF you
thick headed people think Of that:
Yes. Why didn't hep shouted
dozen voices in chorus.
ut wasn't my fault" explained tne
deacon. II was bossing the bell. anu
] supposed some Of you would LOOK ou.
for the other things It's no use u se'
u bell until we get DeiIry.
Perhaps the tin peddier can neip us
out" suggested some one. and thete
were shouts of "Peddler. peddier!
from all over. the. hall. AS he did nos
stand up in response Deacon HosineA
held up his hand and said:
Perhaps MI. Brings Will De kin"
enough to act as a committee OF one "
step across to the paint shop ana orins
the peddlerover.*
ut wouldn't be any USE. repii.-
Lish. with grin. HE left town n %.
an hour-ago. and de had a gait Oh III
teen miles an. hour on him when NJ
ratified over the bridge"
The people were benumbed Tor tnil'S
seconds. Then they broke loose WIN .
yell and began humping one announcer
and it took some of them four weeks 70
get rid of their black eyes and skinneu
noses. Deacon Hosmer lost three Irv'
teeth and most of his chin whiskef
and Fearnaught Pilgrim bad his NO.
knocked out of plumb and his ear o,.
ten. Night closed down on scene =.
carnage. and the sun came up on q pie.