The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-11-06
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1912, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

try"
Hell sweep nothing. You old dozer'
here had better wake up as to what !.
going on. Your man won't be knee
high when the votes are counted"
Now, what followed the elder could
never clearly explain. He had neyel
done the like before, and he didn't
mean to do it then. Something came
over him of a sudden. and he got mad
for the first time in seventeen years
and raised his voice to say
Don't call me an old dozer.. don't
care what they say outside. My man
is sure of election"
so is Tom Jones'"
Don't imagine you know 1t air.
"And don't imagine you know any,
thing at all about it. Why, man, your
party leaders gave the thing up weeks
ago."
By this time score OF men had as
sembled to hear the discussion. and the
| elder was put on his mettle. He was
the only man In German who had ever
predicted n blizzard and had 1t arrive
on time, and he didn't want to lose his
prestige. He drew long breath and.
to the horror of his friends. called out:
MY candidate will be elected. and
| I'll bet on it,'
How much?' asked Mr.. Jackson as
his hand went to his pocket.
"a dol--that is. l will bet 10 cents
"uoot mon. but that Is not even q
baby's bet"
Then. by gosh, I'll make it 15!'
Say So"
mo Fifteen cents is my limit"
As Mr.. Jackson could not get the
figures raised. he accepted them. and
the money was placed in the postmas-
ters hands 1t was spoken of as the
highest election bet ever made in that
town. and inside Of two hours 1t SEEM
ed that 200 men had heard Of it. Some
complimented the elder on his nerve.
and some shook their heads and pre-
dicted that 1t would turn out bad
thing for the town.
The enormity Of his offense did not
occur to the elder until the next day.
when his good wife heard of the wager
and tackled him with;
And you made an election bet with
Mr. Jackson the same as a loafer
wouldv'
1T was only for Is cents"
"But l could have used it to buy a
roller towel. and then look at the prin-
ciple of the thing! / can't believe it |
Of you. What are Christian men and
women going to say?"
but Jackson tried to bluff me
down.
"S'posin he did? It's the duty of an
elder of the church to be bluffed."
Darn him, he tackled me when folks
were around"
See! Seer exclaimed the wife.
"First you make a bet and then you
swear. The next thing will be swap |
ping horsesw
"You know didn't mean to be
wicked" pleaded the elder.
But 1t was wicked to bet. and you
go straight to the postmaster and get
that money back and give 1t to me-"
"Oh. no. you DON'T" replied the post.
master when the good man sneaked
into the Office and whisperingly asked
to draw his money down.
But it was what they call bluff"
Il don't see it that way. You must
have Mr.. Jackson's consent. Have you
got cold feet so soon?'
The elder looked down at bis feet
and shufiied them around as he would
feel of them and said:
MY wife wants the money"
But she won't get It."
II don't know what our church will {
say"
Sorry for you. elder. but in time
you may become a real old sport. You
may win out on this and scoop in Jack
sons cash"
To the establishment of large share !
II the voters of German. the elders !
candidate won out. and he was on a
hand ut an early hour to claim his
takes. His rejoicing was darkened. }
when charges were brought 7
Igainst him in his church and he was
summoned for trial. He expected the =
worst. but he didn't get it. The find
ngs read: :
HE could have been more wicked I
nd bet ~ cents. o
HE helped to elect his candidate. Il
HE has put the 30 cents ia the con-
box.
"He won't ever do it again.
HE didn't yell on election night :
I'VE therefore find the accused broth :,
r not very guilty-not so very" a
Never Had Chance. &