The daily Alaskan., 1913-09-26
By M QUAD

Deacon Haskins was an active church deacon. He was a good man and gulloless man. Ho subscribed to and read religious weekly, but so seldom glanced at any other sort that the trlcl,cry and wlckedness of the outside world were almost a sealed book to him.
 On q certain evening, however, and ono to be remembered to his dying day, as the deacon was abroad with his kerosene can, he had a hunch tO drop into the postonice. It is doubtful if he had ever heard of the game Of poker, and yet he felt that hunch as strongly as Senator Bailey might when holding four aces. Yes, there was a letter for hlm-a letter bearing the New York postmark
 It was from a market tipster. He wanted to do the deacon and several other persons a good turn by putting them next to a good thing.
 The stock of the Wild Cat silver mine, then selling at cents on the dollar, was to jump to co within a month.
 It was an allurinG circular. One read 1t through a hazc of greenbacks. It made ones blood run faster and his toes to snap. Tho preacher would have to preach no more, and tho wid. ow could go ahead and get her fur cont and auto.
 But it's speculation" sighed Deacon Haslilns as he laid aside the letter.
 Yes" sighed the wife.
 We've got $500 in the house, you know. If we invested that We would make over S3, 800 In month. That's big profit Martha"
 "Its a whopper, and can't see wherein it's wicked to take advantage Of the chance. It almost seems as if Providence sent 1t to us."
 The matter was debated at great length, and the conclusion arrived at was that 1t couldn't be very wicked to speculate in silver stocks. They weren't food or clothing, and poor peo. pie couldn't be harmed.
 But don't send your order in," eau toned the wife when the other matter had been settled "It you do some one Is going to find out about 1t You just go right up to New York and see this Mir. Ripper personally. If he looks honest leave tue money with him. If be don't then bring 1t back. I have an idea he's a church member and all right, Christian man wanting to do another Christian man a good turn"
 "Thats the way I fcel' replied the deacon, and two days later he was face to face with Mir. Nlpper.
 Mfr. Ripper looked honest He had q face as open and frank as yearling child.
 He quoted Scripture.
 He was church meHber- and fully Intended to go to heaven when he died.
 He courtcd the fullest investigation Into his life and actions since the day he was born.
 or course Deacon Hasklns bought $500 worth of silver stock. He re- fused cigar or a drink, but he did shake hands with great heordness and whispered something about meeting Mir. Ripper in a better world than this
 Martha, if that man hain't as hon. est as the day is long then I can't read human nacher," was his report on ar. irving home.
 But Is he church member?' she asked.
 "Why, he's one of the elders in the biggest church in New York cityl"
 And their confidence was chRdlike as they sat down to wait and the prof. it they were to make was figured out two or three times a day. You know how such speculatiOns end It was a staggering blow to the deacon and his wife. They hardly spoke for days and days The neighbors saw n great change in them, but none got at the cause of 1t.
 The reader must now jump things along for six months. One July day as the deacon was mile from home, looking for stray hogs, he came upon an auto that had rammed into fence from the bursting of a tire. There was only one man in the auto, md he was held in tho fence by his foot
 It was Mr. Ripper. He was taking a little spin by himself from a sum- mer hotel several miles away. He had made some changes in his appearance, but was almost instantly recognized Such was the bitterness called up by sight of the man that the deacon went off his head. He pricd the foot loose and then flung the man to the ground and wallopcd him tl he begged for mercy. Then the walloper stopped to get his breath and wallopcd some more 1t wasn't Deacon HOskins now. It was an enraged bull seeing red. He slammed and hit and battered and banged, and Mir Ripper really had hard work to make him take $70O and go his way,
 The deacon went home to tell his wife and put the money in the cup board and then continued on to the parsonage. He made a clean breast
 HH