The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1912-01-04

other men. You want a bell on
church Just as much as a man want
a hat on his head II you don't have
bell you might as well put your preach
er in a stable to preach"
The peddler went his way. and Their
was talk and talk After three or foui
days he came back. and there was NOR
talk. Everybody had decided that 1
would be a good thing to get a bell
but no one knew just how to go L
work to raise the money. Il was FOL
the peddler to show the way.
1T can be done as easy as falling OF
q log" be explained. ~and you car
have some fun over It at the same
time. I'm going to lay up here for 9
couple OF weeks while I paint my
wagon. and III see you through"
His plan was to get a gallon jug and
put a lot Of beans into It. No n 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 80 for a bell
Two or three OF the deacons hung on a
little. thinking the plan looked like a
lottery. but after a day or two the
thing was a go. Indeed. Deacon Hos
mer. who was always considered a
lucky man. planked down 81 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 a
week most OF the farmers for five miles
around had caught the spirit. The ped
der had charge OF the money as wen
as the beans. and every evening there
was a gathering at the ~postofnce to
talk the thing over.
After two weeks there were no more
guesses to come In. and a meeting
was arranged to count the money and
the beans and send a committee up
to Troy TO buy the bell. Everybody
turned put to the meeting. Deacon
Hosmer took charge. He didn't ex-
actly know whether to open with a
Fourth Of July grafton or the singing
OF a hymn. but upon a hint from Silas
wigfaIl. 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.
fngton. 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 Lish Billings came sauntering In
It had been whispered around that he
was the only man in Swan Greek who
hadn't come with a guess, but nobody
had dared to ask him. As 500 as
Deacon Hosmer caught sight Of him
he said:
Il observe that Mr.. Billings has just
the hall. May / ask him 70
give us some Information On the sub
|ect OF church bellSF
"You may" answered Lish. You
are going 70 buy a bell for the meet
ing house. but { don't understand where
Vou are going to hang #. VII It be on
4 fence OF a post7 There's no tower
Dr. belfry. Why didn't some OF you
.bick headed people think Of thatY'
Yes. why didn't her shouted a
voices In chorus.
TT wasn't my fault" explained the
Il was bossing the bell. and
supposed some Of you would look out
or the other things. It's no 5 TO get
bell until we get a belfry."
Perhaps the tin peddler can help rs
ut suggested some one. and there
shouts Of 'Peddler. peddlerT'
all over the ball As be did not
up in response Deacon H0smer
cid up his hand and said:
Perhaps Mr.. Billings viii be kind
nough to act as a committee Of q to
across to the paint shop and bring
be peddler over
1T wouldn't be any use replied
ish, with a grin. "He left town half
n hour ago. and he had a gait Of If
cen miles an hour on him when he
attled over the bridgef'
The people were benumbed for thirty
Then they broke loose with a
ell and began humping one another.
I'D It took some Of them four weeks to
It rid Of their black eyes and skinned
oses. Deacon Hosmer lost three front
eth and most Of his chin whiskers.
nd Fearnaught Pilgrim had bis nose :
hooked out Of plumb and his ear Bit
Night closed down on a scene Of
and the sun came mp on a pic q
ire Of d~esolation. and It took the town
n years to recover its childish conf /
.nce IN lightning rod and tin ~peddlerB. Z
Some were simple enough 70 hope 4
laf the peddler might again appear at /.
ear Swan and that they might G
simmer him. But be never gladdened Q