Smyrna times., 1912-02-21
DOING A
COUNTRYMAN
By HARRY B. LARNED
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

ed into the billiard room Wnefe the ]
game was to be played the same night |
and stood looking at a couple of men
engaged in a friendly galle.
He was dressed in Il rusty suit Of
store clothes and wore a plug hat with
much of the nap worn off, his attire
giving him the appearance of a hay
seed who had come to town to splurge,
but did not know how.
Now, these men were both billiard
sharps, and. taking advantage of the
excitement attending the match game.
had come to the city to pick up a dis
honest penny. The countryman had no
sooner entered than by signs to each
other they arranged to get him in for Il
game and fleece him. Having finished
a game. one of them put his cue in
the rack, while the other. after knock
ing the balls about for awhile, said to
the farmer:
"Neighbor. do you play billiards?'
"Not much I've played pool some
times in our town."
"Come on; let's have a game. III
give you points
The cOuntryman assented. while the
man who had stopped playing took a
seat to look ON. The sharper agreed to
start by giving the cOuntryman thirty
points in a hundred. The latter played
better than was TO have been expected
and beat his opponent by ten points.
He was putting up his cue when the
!, hot
couldn't beat him again with the same
odds. The cOuntryman produced the
money and the confederate offered 20
be stakeholder, but another man had
sauntered in and stood looking on, and
the cOuntryman handed his $40 to him.
In this game the sharper endeavored
to let the cOuntryman beat him, but
the latter played so poorly that this
was impossible. He seemed very an
gry with himself for not doing better,
declaring that he had never played
such a "dod rotted" game in his life.
Taking a roll of bills from his pocket.
he offered to bet the sharper that ne
could beat him at no better odds, the
best three games out of five. The
offer was accepted, and the country
man. taking $40 from the roll, put the
rest back into his pocket, whereupOn
the sharper looking wistfully at his
| dupe's pile. offered to bet him four to
1 one for any amount he liked. The
.eoBntrvman counted out. $500, and the
sharper, delighted. covered the amount
with 81 200 more. The size of the bet
/ attracted attention, and quite num-
Der of persons gathered around. The
proprietor came up and. having been
taught by experience the outcome Of
such games. started to warn the coun-
tryman, but the confederate headed
him off and took him away.
The first game of the set the coun-
tryman did better than before, and
the sharper let him win by few
points. He appeared to be much ex-
hilarated by this success and, taking
out another roll of bills, offered to
double the bet. The sharper made a
loan of his confederate and put it up.
The second game was won easily by
the sharper, who had no further in
terest in playing badly. This stagger-
ed the countryman. who refused to
raise the bet any further. The games
were a hundred points each, and the
countryman had first shot. The mo-
ment he led off there was a marked
change in his playing. He handled
his cue gracefully and instead of saw
ing it and then plunging, as he had
done up to this time, shot lightly
came around the table on four cush
ions and counted.
The next shot was a long draw
which he made beautifully. On the
third he got the balls together anC
nursed them till he had run fifty
points. then. disdaining to do so any
longer. scattered them and made
twenty-five points more in round table
Shots. But on the twenty-ffth coun
he pulled the balls together again an(
ran twenty points. when he purposel!
knocked them apart and, by curve
shots, won the game. His opponen
had not had an opportunity to use hi
cue.
For awhile it looked as though ther
would be trouble. the sharper assert
ing that he had been swindled. Blu
those standing about, seeing he ha'
S been beaten at his own game. took tn
countryman's part. The prOprieto
was called and said to the loser:
"T know you and your pal to b
confidence men. Either submit to you
Il loss or | will call the police, who wi
doubtless recognize you and take car
: Of you"
There IVES nothing for the man t
do but submit, and he and his col
federate soon after skunk away. Th
countryman departed. saying that b
was going to take his winnings as
gift to a charitable institution. II
had scarcely gone before one of th
men, who had witnessed the games
told the others that he had recognize
him for one who, few years befor'
had held the billiard championship
hut vvho had rplinouished IL to 90 int