The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1911-01-12
A Singular Bet
By ALLAN c. LAMOND
Copyright. 1910 by American Press
Association

After every man OF the SlX-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 a dozen times, Carter
captain Of my company. remarked:
II offer $40 to any man Of this
crowd who will give me new sensa.
ton"
make it hundred" said Billy Ken.
dali, second lieutenant of + company
land I'll try"
IN make it a hundred if you sue.
coed, you to pay me Il hundred if you
don't"
That's fair: I'll so you once"
"Who's to decide who wins" asked
Carter
"I'll make a more definite PROPOSE
ton" replied Kendall. IN bet you
that on or about tomorrow morning !
pull old Toms nose
Old Tom was the major, thirty eight
years old, bald. digniiied. 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 meE'
Il certainly do. but the money will
do you no good except to pay for your
funeral
"Ill risk that; put up the funds"
Seabury, captain of + company, was
made stakeholder, ana he. with the
two first ieutenantS, were appointed
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 aS well pull the nose Of the sec.
rotary of war, the highest official an
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 wight ct un and Were obliged
to be content with this for the rest of
the day ana evening.
That night the surgeon was called
up TO treat Nose, the majors cOlOrcd
striker He found Nose throwing III
his supper nf 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 fol
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 off some one of the umpircs
were to be at Old Toms quarters
ready to observe the pulling Of his
nose.
The major was in a bad humor that
morning in consequence of the alb.
sence of his body servant and being
required t. get ready his own bath
and perform other mental duties that
were usually attended to by Nose
When the umpircS 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
as he could then come out, to be re
placed by one Of the others. Seahury
entered. asked the major some trivial
question on a matter Of duty and came
out, reporting that the major had his
coat off and his collar unbuttoned
while Kendall was stropping a razor
In 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 slapplng his
leg
What is it?" asked the others
crowding around him.
But Sykes was so full of laughter
that he couldn't 20 on, Finally, wher
he recovered somewhat, he said:
when I went in Old Tom said apol
ogetically. That Internal striker o
mine had to get sick last night, anG
the surgeon reports that he CAM
shave me this morning Mr.. Kendall
has kindly come to the rescue, and
am under an eternal obligation to him
What is it you wantE
Kendall" Sykes went on, las soor
as the major had finished speaking
took hold of old Toms nose with the
forefngor and thumb of his left han(
and pulling it first to one side theI
to the other, looked up at me, winkec
and began to shave the commandant
Carter has lost"
II believe" said Brown. that ras
cal Kendall bribcd Nose TO be sick"
Sure enough" chmed in Seabury
Lets go and find Carter"
At Carriers quarters they told thu
story, and the captain agreed that tn,
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 cmetic, TO fool TIN
surgeon and stay in bed the mex
morning. knowing how old Ton
dreaded to 20 without shave ant
couldn't shave himself, Kendall hat
bantered him to let him do the job.