Evening journal., 1912-10-12
A We'll
Played Game
BY ALFRED W. sTowELL


-some Is continually hndin' fault
with Providence" said Abner Sleek to
the party sitting around the stove in
the center Of Jones store. 'srhey don't
reckon that the Lord takes care O. his
own, no matter whether they're good
or bad, honest or tricky, wise or fool
Ssh. what nd the sharpers do II Il
want for the suckers, I'd Ike to
know7 Speakln' o. sharpers. the pur-
test game l ever knew Of was played
fn Calumet when lived thar. The
Teller that played It want real sharp
er neither. and considcrin' the clrcum-
stances some thort he was justified In
The doln OF g.
"Jack Ketcham was his name. and
he was as likely a chap as you ever
seen He had fine blue eyes and
pleasln' way with him Just calculated
TO kctch the girls. He wasn't much
account-at least at that time. Them
girl ketchers never arc; they get the
girls by their appearance. Wen. as
was a-sayin'. Jack Ketcham Instead
O. tyln' up TO a girl who was free-and
there was plenty O. 'em-had to tackle
Amanda jenkins. who was engaged 70
an old fcller. Simeon Ruggles, bach
clor ffty year old but woth 5000 II
he was wo'th cent. Amanda's father
wanted her 10 marry Ruggles TO git
The Ave thousand, and Amanda al
lowed she would. but when Ketcham
come along she changed her mind and
allowed she'd rather marry ketch.
But how could she. seeln' that he
hadn't nothln' but the clothes on his
back? Her father could "a set im up
AZ he had wanted 10, but he wouldn't.
zone day old Jenkins was walkin'
along the main street OF the town
when ho seen n young man standin'
lookin az sumpin particular. Jenkins
stopped and watched the feller. who
kept his eyes IN the same direction
right along. Bimcby he says 70 himi
"'Whnt r. lookln' at. young manT
"Hc had to ak him twicet before he
got his attention. Then he started.
looked at Jenkins kind o queer and
said:
~ wouldn't a believed It II
hadn't seen It with my own eyes
Seen whatT
"'Why. that wooden Indian down
there IN front O. that cigar store
whats the matter with himr
"'He puffs smoke out O. that wood
en- cigar in his mouth
"Boshr
"Bosh yourself I seer him doiu' it.
"'VhenY
"'Jest now. Hen do it gin. l
Feckon.
"'See here. young feler. II tho fool
killer comes along he'll get you shore
"'Who're you TO talk 10 me that
a-wayr says tother. J reckon know
what ! see with my own eyes
"'Have you got any money!
"'No. but mought git some II !
tried right hard
"'Well. you 20 sit II and IN cover
Il that wooden Indian don't smoke
"'Oh. You wouldn't pay II you lost
"T'll put up the money
'Supposin' raise sumpin TO bet
with. where'll find youg
Jenkins gave him his address. and
the next mornin' the young man come
to him with three $1,000 bills
Phewv says jenkins. Where did
you get emp
"Aiy grandmother give EN- to me
20 set up store with.
And you're fool enough 20 lose 'em
instead o. settin' up the storeg
Il amt agoin' 70 lose 'em. seen
that wooden Indian smoke. and when
feller onct gifts the habit fixed on him
he can't stop. He'll be smokin' ag'in
All we have to do is 70 be thar to sec
him doin' A.
Jenkins was Just mean enough e
take advantage of the boy. and they
called in man by the name o. Becker
and they put up the money on a bel
that the Indian would be seen smokin
within week by three witnesses be
sides themselves.
"One day the youngster rushed into
Jenkins house kind o. wild and hol
Tered:
Hes saloking Come quick befor,
he stopsr
Jenkins got up and follered the fel
Ter who met a man. and then another
man. and still another. takln' all thre,
pf en- with him TO the corner opposite
the cigar store. and the hull lot OF 'en
stood lookin' at the wooden Indian.
"'What yon bring us here fur:
nxed one on 'em. turnin' away mad.
Jest you wait a minute. 1 seel
him smokin'. but he's stopped Hell
be at it,
"At that moment the Indian com
menced blowin' a cloud from his moutl
to beat the band. Jenkins looked a
him bewildered. Jist then the stake
holder come along, and there was moth
1n' for it but TO turn over Jenkins
$1,000 TO the other feller
jenkins went 20 the cigar store, pull
I'd down the Indian and found a rubbe
eube leadin' from the mouth into tn
store and the cigar holler and full O. tc
bacco. A man inside had done tn
pmokin jenkins made a big fuss an
9Rvee he'd have the swindler jugget
but he couldn't. because he'd skipped.
The next day the stakeholder cal
ed on jenkins and explained that hl
money would be returned If he'd giv
his daughter to the winner.
'aThen it come out that the WHINE
was Jack Ketcham and Amanda wa
IN the game Jenkins was so mortiie
at bein' made a laughIn'stock that
order to keep hls neIghbors' good onll