The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-07-03
residential Wager
By NJ. QUAD
By NJ. QUAD
Copyright. 1912. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

tons. There were no political bosses,
no grafters. and the candidates select
ed to run for town Offices we're Of the
best, and it made little difference who
was elected.
A change was at hand. however, but
no one suspected it until it came down
upon the town like roaring lion.
Henry Jackson was one Of the men
who travelled the country over, taking
orders for the articles turned out at
the factories. and one morning. as be
returned from trip. he met Elder
Scott In front of the postof1ce:
"Howdy. elderY says MIR. Jackson.
"A little rheumatic. thank you" 70
plies the elder. .....,
"Politics warming up here any?
"Not that have heard Of"
'lts red hot outside"
"Well, let 'em 70 it, I've made up
my mind who | shall vote for for presi-
dent, but I'm not going to do any yell
ing about it."
BLANK Is your man. of course?"
HE is that. He'll sweep the coun'
try" ma...
Hell sweep nothing: You old dozers
here had better wake up as to what Is
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 never
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"
$50 Is Tom jones'"
Don't imagine you know 1t 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 u 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 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
III bet on it!''
"How much?" asked Mr.. Jackson as
his hand went to his pocket.
"A dol-that is. will bet 10 cents!
"uoot mon. but that is not even
baby's bet!"
''Then. by gosh. I'll make it IS"
''Say $40"
mo. Fifteen cents ts my limit"
Az Mr.. Jackson could not get the
figures raised, he accepted them. and
the money was placed in the postmas-
ters hands. It 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-
dtctk1 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 wager
and tackled him with:
'And you made an election bet with
Mr.. jackson the same as loafer
would"
1T was only for Is cents"
''But could have used it to buy a
roller towel, and then look at the prin.
eip}e of the thing! / can't believe 1t
OF you. What are Christian men and
women going to say?"
'But Jackson tried to bluf me
down."
's'posin' be 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 horses!"
"You know didn't mean to be
wicked, pleaded the elder.
"But it was wicked to bet, and you
go straight to the postmaster and get
that money back and give IL to me-"
"Oh. no, you don't" replied the post
master when the good man sneaked
into the office and whisperingly asked
to draw bis money down.
| But it was what they call bluff
i II don't see 1t that way. You mus
have Mr.. Jackson's consent. Have yot
got cold feet so soon?"
The elder looked down at bis fee
! and shuffled them around as he woult
feel Of them and said:
my wife wants the money"
"But she won't get it."
81 don't know what our church Will
say"
"sorry for you, elder. but in tim
you may become real old sport. Yo'
may win out on this and scoop in Jack
3 sons cash."
i To the establishment Of large shar
Of the voters of German, the elder
candidate won out, and he was o
hand at nm oarlv hOur to claim hi