Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-25
TheEvening Story
A Well
Played Game
By ALFRED W. sTowEL


own. no matter whether they're good
or bad. honest or tricky. wise or fool.
ish. What I'D the sharpers do II It
want for the suckers, I'd like to
know? Speakln' O. sharpsrs, the pur.
ticst game I ever knew Of was played
In Calumet when lived thar. The
Teller that played It want real sharp
er neither. and considerln' the circum.
stances some thort he was Justified In
the doin' of It.
Jack Ketcham was hts name, and
he was as likely a chap as you ever
seen. He had fine blue eyes and
pleasin' way with him just calculated
to ketch the girls. He wasn't much
account-at least At that time. Them
girl ketchers never are; they get the
girls by their appearance. Well. a.
was a-sayin'. Jack Ketcham instead
o. tyin' up to a girl who was fres-and
there was plenty O. 'em-had to tackle
Amanda jenkins. who was engaged to
an old Teller. Simeon Ruggles. a bach.
elor fifty year old. but wo'th 5000 II
he was wo'th a cent Amanda's father
wanted her to marry Ruggles to git
the I've 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. seein' that he
hadn't nothin' but the clothes on bis
back? Her father could a set I'm up
II he had wanted to. but he wouldn't.
"One day old jenkins was walkin'
along the main street Of the town
when he seen a young man standin'
lookin' at sumpin particular. Jenkins
stopped and watched the Teller. who
kept his eyes in the same direction
right along. Bineby he says to him:
"'What r. lookin' at, young man?
"fie had to ax him twicet before he
got his attention. Then he started.
looked at Jenkins kind O. queer and
said:
~ wouldn't "a believed it II i
hadn't seen 1t with my own eyes,
"'Seen what?
"'Why. that wooden Indian down
"'What's the matter with him?'
"'He puns smoke out o. that wood
en- ciCnr in his mouth
"'Bosh!
"'Bosh yourself. I seen him doin' It,
"'When?'
"Jest now. He'll do It ag'in. l
reckon
"'See here. young Teller. II the fool
killer comes along he'll get you shore.
"'Who're you to talk to ME that
away" says t'other. I reckon know
what see with my own eyes
"'Hcve you got any money!
"'No bnt mought sit some II I
tried right hard
"'Well. you go git 1t and I'll cover
1t that a wooden Indian don't smoke
"'Oh. you wouldn't pay II you lost
"'I'll put up the money
'Supposin' raise sumpin to bet
with. where'll find your
Jenkins gave him his address. and
the next mornin' the young man come
to him with three $1,000 bills.
"'Phew! says jenkins. Where did
you get 'em:'
"'My grandmother give EN- to me
to set up store With
"'And you're fool enough to lose EN-
instead o settin' up the store?'
~ amt a.goin' to lose 'en. seen
that wooden Indian smoke. and when
Teller onct gifts the habit fixed on him
he can't stop. He'll be smokin' ag'in.
All we have to do is to be thar to see
him dom It.
Jenkins was Just mean enough to
take advantage Of the boy. and they
called In man by the name o Becker.
and they put up the money on a bet
that the Indian would be seen smokin'
within a week by three witnesses be-
sides theirselves.
"One day the youngster rushed into
Jenkins house kind o. wild and hol.
Tered:
"'He's smokin': Come quick before
he stopsr
jenkins got up and follered the fel.
Ter who met q man. and then smother
man. and still another. takin' all three
Of 'em with him to the corner opposite
the cigar store. and the hull lot Of 'em
stood lookin' at the wooden Indian.
"'What yon bring Us here fur?'
axed one on 'em. turnin' away mad.
"'Jest you wait a minute. seen
him smokin'. but he's stopped. Hen
be at IT.
AT that moment the Indian com.
msnced BLOWN cloud from his mouth
to beat the band. jenkins looked at
him bewildered. Jist then the stake.
holder come along. and there was moth.
In for Il but TO turn over Jenkins
5000 to the other Teller.
jenkins went to the cigAr store, pull
Cd down the indian and found q rubber
tube leadin' from the. mouth into the
store and the cigar holler and full o to-
bacco. A man inside had done the
smokin'. Jenkins made . big fu0 and
swors he'd have the swindler jusged.