The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-10-18
A We'll
Played Game
BY ALFRED w. sTOWELL


the party sitting around the stove in
the center OF Jones store. They 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
ish. What 'ud the sharpers do II 1t
want for the suckers, Ia like to
know7 Speakin O. sharpers, the pur-
test game / ever knew of wns played
in Calumet when l lived thar. The
feller that played 1t want real sharp
er neither and considerin' the circum-
stances some thort he was justified In
the doin' of It.
Jack Ketcham was his name. and
he was as likely a chap as you ever
seen. He had fine blue eyes and a
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. as l
was a-sayin, Jack Ketcham instead
o. tyin' up to a girl who was free-and
there was plenty O. 'em-had to tackle
an old Teller Simeon Ruggles, bach
elor fifty year old, but wo'th $4,000 II
he was wo'th a cent Amanda's father
wanted her to marry Ruggles to git
the FIVE thousand, and Amanda al
lowed she would, but when Ketchsm
come along she changed her mind and
allowed she'd rather marry Keteh.
ha In
hadn't nothin' but the clothes on his
back? Her father could "A set i'm up
IL he had wanted to. but he wouldn't.
zone day old jenkins was walkfn'
along the main street Of the town
when he seen young man standin'
lookin' at sumpin particular. jenkins
stopped and watched the feller. who
kept his eyes in the same direction
right along. Bimeby he says to him:
"'What r. lookin' at, young manT
HE had to nx him twicet before he
got his attention. Then he started,
looked at Jenkins kind O. queer and
said:
"I wouldn't "a believed it If 1
hadn't seen it with my own eyes
"'Seen whatr
"'Why. that wooden Indian down
there in front O. that cigar store
whats the matter with himT
"'He puffs smoke out o. that wood
en- cigar in his mouth
"'Boshr
"'Bosh yourself. I seen him doin' it.
"WhenY
"Jest now. He'll do it agfn.
reckon
"'See here, young feller, If the fool
killer comes along he'll get you shore
Whore you to talk to me that
a-way?' says tother. 4 reckon l know
what I see with my own eyes
"'Have you got any money!
"'No, but l mought git some II
tried right hard
"'Well, you go git it and I'll cover
it that wooden Indian don't smoke
ooh. you wouldn't pay If you lost
"I'll put up the money
"'Supposin' l raise sumpin to bet
with, where'll find youT
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 'em to me
to set up a store with
And you're fool enough to lose EN-
instead o settin' up the storeT
Il amt a-goin' to lose 'em. seen
that wooden Indian smoke, and when
a feller onct gifts the habit fixed on him
he can't stop. He'll be smokin' agin.
All we have to do is to be thar to see
him doin' 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 week by three witnesses be.
sides theirselv,
"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 VINO met man, ana then another
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 you bring us here furT
axed one on 'em, turnin' away mad.
Jest you wait a minute. seen
him smokin', but he's stopped He'll
be at it,
"At that moment the Indian com.
menced blowin' 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 1t but to turn over jenkins
$4,000 to the other feller.
Jenkins went to the cigar store, pull.
ed down the Indian and found a rubber
tube leadin' from the mouth into the