Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-06-18

The Ponies stood up and drank
Johnnie Hoganin anything they found
handy. Bill Craig drank him in cof-
fee. 1t was Handsome Harry's bari
tone which started the usual refrain: :
For he's a jolly good fellow.
Hogan sat still at the head of the
table. turning the stem of his wine
glass between his fingers. When he
rose he was greeted warmly. even aft
f~ectionately, certainly vo%ciferously.
Il can't make Il speech. fellows" be
began, but I'm glad you are all here
tonight You amt got u thing on
u.s." "Ill not be with you next sea-
SON Forget it, kid: Forget it.
Sure you Will" And this is Il sort
of a farewell dinner with me-" "Oh,
you'll be back in the spring." Il
want to let myself right with you fel-
lows You have. old horse! You
have" II asked you here tonight to
tell you the reason l haven't been as
popular as l wanted to be- "S-s-s-sh!
Shut up there, Dutch!!' II was in a
peculiar sort Of a fix. 1t was put up
to me to go out and show that l could
earn a living by hard work. l had to
earn a certain amount Of money and
produce it to show that I'd saved it,
and that was why Never mind
that, old pal! Forget it,"
Hogan paused and looked down the
table. When he began to speak again
the sentences tumbled out one after
the other, and there were no Interrupt
tons.
Il know the way you felt about me-
l don't blame you. either. butt had
to be that way, fellows. I had to go
to work for the first time in my life.
thought 1 could get more money play
ing ball than by going into an office
or digging bitches. So I asked Monk
here for a job and made him a bust
ness proposition"
Monk nodded his head as gravely as
a judge. "Per'fy true" he said.
II won out, all right" said Hogan,
and in a lot of ways this has been
the best year Of my life. I've learned
things-learned to save money, and
tA0S was ~ IOuS uCSt 1cSSOA VI all,
for I used to be pretty strong the 9th
er way. I'm glad I had a chance to
get in with such a good bunch, even if
l got in bad and I'mrgoing to ask each.
one Of you to accept a little present
from me, something from the highest
fellow you ever saw, and remember
once in awhile that, no matter how
things look on the outside, there's al
ways a reason a fellow could give if
he would. IL guess that's all. Thank
you, boys" he concluded lamely as he
took his seat, feeling that he had
made a fool of himself by talking too
much. 1t is a common sensation with
after dinner speakers.
Once more Handsome Harry lifted
his voice in song, and the team joined
melodiously, after which Bush Haw-
ley inquired in loud. staccato accents
who was all right. And every one.
seemed to know the correct answer.
During this, pleasant ceremony half
a dozen walters entered the room and
placed in front of each man a little
green leather box bearing his name in
gilt letters across the top.
"Do we look at these things now?"
asked Dutch Orendorff.
Just as you like" said the host.
eyes, Dutch. l think you'd better look
at them now"
A deep grunt of establishment ran
around the table as the boxes flew
open. Each one contained a heavy
gold watch fob in the form of a medal
lion. In the center of the medal a
pony stood out in bold relief, and above
the emblem of the team winked "A dia-
mond-a real diamond.
Harry McCarter spied a card in his
box, fished it out and jumped to his
feet with a yell.
whats this?' he cried. "'Compli-
ments of Lafayette Durand Chatter
ton! Chatterton. Why. say. that's
the young millionaire fellow we read
the dope about in the paper. That's
He paused. staring hard at Hogan. the
question in his eyes.
That's me. fellows! said Hogan.
with a laugh. and if you remember
what that article said you know that
/ wasn't always a cheap skate. | got
in a jam at corresponding too much
money and raising Cain around San
Francisco-and I went to work. Ask
Monk here. and he'll tell you that |
signed a contract to win two-thirds of
my games or work for my expenses"
Once more Monk Lawson nodded his
head.
"Gamest guy in the world" he said.
HE just the same's bet me $4,000 he'd
win twenty games ont of thirtvr"