Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-11-02
The
residential Wager
BY M. QUAD
By ". QUAD
Copyright. 1912. By Associated Lit
efary Press

best, and IL made ilttle uluerence VINO
was elected.
A change was at hand. however. but
no one suspected II until II came down
upon the town like a roaring lion,
Henry jackson was one OF the men
who Travelled the country over. taking
orders for the articles turned out at
the factories. ard one morning, as be
returned from trip, he met Elder
Scott In front Of the postoffice:
"Howdy. elder?" says Mr.. Jackson.
"a little rheumatic. thank you" re-
plies the elder.
Politics warming up here anyT
Not that | have heard of"
ITS red hot outside"
We'll, let 'em 90 it. I've made up
my mind who shall vote for for presi-
dent, but I'm not going 10 do any yell
ing about it"
BLANK is your man, OF eourse?'
"He is that. Hell sweep the coun.
try"
He'll sweep nothing. You old dozers
here had better wake up as to what Is
high when the votes are counted"
Now, what followed the elder could
never clearly explain. He had never
done the like before. and he didn't
mean to do 1t 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"
$50 is Tom Jones"
Don't imagine you know it all"
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 bear the discussion, and the
elder was put on his mettle He was
the only man in German who had ever
predicted a blizzard and had it arrive
on time. and he didn't want~to lose his
prestige. He drew Il long breath and,
to the horror of his friends, called out:
My candidate will be elected, and
III bet on it,''
How much?" asked Mr.. Jackson as
his hand went TO his pocket.
"a dol that is. will bet 10 centsl"
''uoot mon. but that is not even a
babys bet"
Then, by gosh, III make it 10"
"Say SO"
mo Fifteen cents is my limit"
As Mr. Jackson could not get the
figures raised. be 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 it 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 it 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 wage
and tackled him with:
And you made an election bet with
Mr. Jackson the same as a loafer
wouldw
1T was ouly for Is cents"
But | could have used it TO buy a
roller towel aud 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 bet and then you
swear The next thing will be swap
ping horsesr'
"You know | didn't mean to be
wicked" pleaded the elder
But it was wicked to bet. and you
go straight to the postmaster aud gei
that money back and give 1t TO me
"Oh, no you don't" replied the post
master when the good maa sneaked
into the office and whisperingly asked
to draw his money down
But it was what they call a bluff "
81 don't see il tbat way You must
have Mr. Jackson's consent. Have you
got cold feet 81 SCOnF"
The older lnoked down at his feet
and shuliied them around as he would
feel of them and said:
My wife wants the money"
But she won't get it,"
Il 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 a large share
Of the voters OF German. the elders
candidate won out, and he was on
hand ut an early hour TO claim his
stakes His rejoicing was darkened
however, when charges were brought
against him in his church and he was
summoned for trial He expected the
worst. but he didn't get it, The find
ings read