South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-12-08

play checkers till half-past six
II leaned against the bar. and
says TO Gotch-eared Mike. who was
on watch.
For Gods sake don't mention
this. You know what Perry used 10
be. He's had the fever. and the
doctor says we must humor him.
Give US the checker board and
the men. Mike says Perry. Come
on, Buck, I'm just wild 10 have
some excitement.
i went ia the back room with
Perry. Before we closed the door, ]
says 10 Mike:
Don't ever let IL stragg1e out
from under your nat that YOU seen
Buck Capert0n fraternal with sar-
saparilla or persona grata with a
checker-board, or I'll make a sWal-
lOW-fOrk IN your other ear
Il locked the door and me and
Perry played checkers. To see the
poor old Inundated piece Of house
hold bric-a-brac sitting there and
staggering out loud whenever he
jumped a man, and all obnoxious
with animation when ne got into
my king row. would have made
sheep-dog sick with modification.
Him that was once satisfied only
when ne was pegging six boards at
keno or giving the faro dealers ner-
vous prOstrauOn-tO see him push
ing them checkers about like Sally
Louisa at a school-childrens party
why. I was all smothered up with
modification
And ] sits there playing the
black men, all sweating for fear
somebody I knew would find it out
And / thinks to myself about this
marrying business, and how it
seems To be the same kind of game
as that Mrs. Delilah played. She
give her old man a hair cut. and
everybody knows what q mans
head looks like after a woman cuts
his hair. And then when the Phar-
isees came around 10 guy him he
was so 'shamed he went TO work
and kicked the whole house down
on top Of the whole outfit. Them
married men,. thinks ], lose all
their spirit and instinct for riot and
foOlishness. They won't drink, they
won't buck the tiger, they won't
even fight What do they want to
go and stay married for?' asks
myself.
but Perry seems to be having
hilarity in considerable quantities.
Buck, old boss says he. isn't
this just the helLrOaringest time we
ever had in our lives? l don't know
when I've been stirred up so. You
see, I've been sticking pretty close
10 home since ] married. and
haven't been on spree in n long
time
Spree" Yes. that's what he
called it. Playing checkers in the
back room of the Gray Mule! l sup
pose it did seem 10 him a little i'm
moral and nearer to a prolonged
debauch than standing over six to-
mato plants with a sprinkling-pot.
Every little bit Perry looks at
his watch and says:
81 got to be home, YOU know,
Buck. at seven
"'Aii right I'd say. Romp along
and move. This here eXcitement's
killing me. If I don't reform some,
and loosen up the strain of this
checkered dissipation I won't have
nerve left
'It might have been half-past six
when connections began 10 go on
outside in the street We heard
yelling and n six-shOOtering, and
lot of galloping and manoeuvres.
What's that?' I wonders.
"tOh. some nonsense outside
SAYS Perry. It's your move. We
just got time to play this game.
"T'U Just take peep through
the window says 7, and see. You
can't expect a mere mortal to stand
the excitement of having a king
jumped and listen TO an unidentified
conflict going on at the same time.
The GRAY Mule saloon was one
Of them old Spanish 'dobe buildings,
and the hack room only had two
little windows a foot wide. with
iron bars in 'em. I looked out one,
and 7 see the cause Of the rucus
There was the I'rimble gang
ten Of 'em-the worst outfit of des-
peradoes horse-thieves in Texas.
coming Up the street shooting right
and left. They was coming right
straight for the Gray Mule. Then
they got past the range Of my sight.
hut we heard EN- ride up to tho
front door. and then thew socked
the place full Of lead. We heard
the big loOking-Slass behind the bar
Knocked all to pieces and the bot
ties crashing. We could see GOtch-
cared Mike in his apron running