The Washington herald., 1915-10-31
MASTERLY STORIES OF AMERICAN RANCH Il
tOopyrieht. leiSl


Mr.. Ezekiel George Washington
Scraggs, entered the detective
profession begins with check.
Mr.. John George Hazelton had a
ranch about thirty miles out of town.
For the evening of certain day he
had an engagement in town with a
very charming lady. Now, owing to
divers events on the ranch, including
the injury of valuable horse, Hazel
ton was unable to keep his appoint
ment. When he hunted for a piece of
paper to inscribe a billet-doux to his
fair friend, he found wrapping paper,
soiled with bacon grease; newspaper.
some tar paper; but nothing fitted
for the purpose of writing. except a
blank check from his check book.
There were no neighbors, so Hazel
ton used the back of the blank check.
Then he called unto him one Billy
Jones, able-bodied cow-punch, and
said to him: BILL, I want you to do
thus and so with this piece of paper,
and don't read IT," And, then using
diplomacy, he added Have a few
drinks at my expense, Bill, but de-
liver this note first"
Billy went to town, called at the
lady's house and found her not at
home. He sat on the front stoop and
waited and waited. A great thirst
came upon William. Huge schoon-
ers of beer, icy cold, foam capped.
delicious, foated before his minds
eye; close hauled on the sta'bbud
tack. At last, these visions were too
much for him.
THAT goldurn woman don't know
where her own house is. III just
have one little drink of beer and
come back and give her that note, |"
said he.
William went and had that one
glass of beer. N.Y. 1t was absorb
ed as though it had been spilled in
the sands of a desert. So Billy set
'em up for the house again.
Shortly after this, the house be-
gan to set EN- up for Billy.
1t got to be o'clock in the after
noon, all in a minute, and, in the
meantime, William had gotten under
the influence of liquor. Also, his
money had run out.
That Teller Hazelton," he said to
the barkeeper, che owes me three
months pay. He's a good Teller,
Jack Hazelton, but dunno how I'm
goin' to get any money out of him,
and he out on the ranchP
By some association of ideas, he
put his hand in his breast pocket and
drew out the check. BY this time he
was defiant of pleasant customs.
What's a woman, anyhow" said
Billy. "! need the money. Gimme
a pen and ink"
Whereat he filled out that check in
a handwriting much exaggerated by
alcohol. The check said that the
First National Bank was to pay to
the order of Bill Jones SIo, and at
the bottom was a shameless and bla-
tant forgery of the name of John
George Hazelton.
When the paying teller of the
bank took the check he looked at It
in establishment, bordering on horror.
It shocked the paying teller's sense
of order. He knew Bill Jones, and
he knew that Bill Jones was incap-
able of crime, but he also knew that
never-no, never, under any circum-
stances, would the highly proper Mr..
Hazelton ever sign his name in such
a fashion.
He was about to speak rudely to
Bill tones, when las is the custom
with paying tellers), through force Of
habit, he turned the check over to
look at the Endorsement.
What met his eye gave him pause,
as the old books say. A sort OF slow
smile sparkled like a streamlet IN
the whiskcrs of the paying teller.
He dove down into his own pocket
and produced S.. bill.
~.
he asked.
Billy. always willing to meet you
hfty-fftv. in pleasure or in war, grab
bed the railing and made: generous
but intoxicated gesture Of assent.
"Surest thing you know" hic-
coughed Billy.
well. here YOU are" said the
paving teller, and handed him the S.
bill
On Williams departure, the pay
ing teller called in loud voice Tor
the cashier, for the president. Tor
the bookkeepers, and for two dlrec-
tors, and he read the note on the
back of the check aloud and the bank
resounded with noises of unseemly
mirth. .,
The president wiped his eyes, and
handed the paying teller dollar, to
reimburse him for expenses in the
Joke. The rest came forward with
their assessments, and they all
agreed that they would have plenty
Of fun with Hazelton when next he
came to town. i
l am not saying that it was real
thing to do-to read
this private correspondence of Mr.:
Hazelton's to some lady who had
better remain unknown. l am mere
" stating that they did it.
Well, when Hazelton came to town
they had plenty Of fun with him, and
for once, John George parted with
his sense Of humor. The madden he
got the more they plagued him, un-
81 he reached point where he be-
came detached from every rule and
custom of Dakota
He laid his complaint before the
authorities, who were to arrest and !
prosecute one Bill Jones for the
crime of forgery. Then the others :
ried to argue him out of it, but Han
.lton was stubborn. Then the others {
clipped in, raised a fund, handed it
o Billy Jones, and told him to leave
he country at once, and swiftly. s
So, Bill Jones, as a person should 7
n a detective story, pulled out for
PARTS unknown. S
The whole episode annoyed the
sheriff very much. He swore vivid I
Ind healthy curses into the clear Da-