The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-10-26
ILLUSTRATED BY
RH.uVUNG GSTONE


en- by a negro in livery. Out stepped a
man as tall as Lincoln and wearing a
hat as high as his. His raiment flashed
like the varnish Of his equipage. Drace
recognized him as he came through the
gate, taking off his gloves, and the
General cried out:
"Tycie. wish may die dead II It
isn't Liberty ShottleI"
Colonel Shottle, at your SERVICE"
replied Liberty, bowling and gesturing
with his gloves in his hand.
"Well. Libertyl" cried his aunt. CIV
ing him hug of welcome.
The General and Drace grasped him,
stroked his velvety raiment. urging
him to a seat.
'Why all this, Colonel Shottle
from the General. "You don't mean to
tell me that you have sold your jute-
stock?"
'Uncle Howard, sir FIRST issue orders
to have my carriage stored, my horses
stabbed and my driver quartered,
please"
The order was issued, and they sat
waiting for Shottle to explain his
transformation.
"A simple story" he began, stretch
Ing out his legs. But do not forestall
me. Poker, dice. roulette, faro, haz-
ard-all of them failed"
"And this comes of legitimate In
vestment" Tycie cried 'I knew It
would. oh, knew 1t just had to come.
Now tell us about 1t.
''It was an Investment. Aunt Tycie.
But let me not forestall myself. left
here on boat. got broke Finally I
reached Tampa, Florida"
away down there. Liberty ?"-from
Tycie.
Patience. my dear aunt. Tampa,
and brokel After a day of hope with
Its throat cut from ear to ear / got
on boat bound for Havana. The
Spanish captain gave me passage for
service. He was studying English, and
I agreed to explain to him certain
niceties of our mother tongue, you un-
derstand; and am sure that, reaching
port, he knew more about gambling
terms than he could have picked up in
a year Of close study in one of our Or
dinary schools. He was apprecIative,
generous, and gave me a bonus of five
dollars. l went to a hotel, not Of the
first class, and 1t was there that
made my investment. The weather
was warm and"
"For gracious sake, Liberty. tell us!"
his aunt urged him.
'That is my aim, but let us not be
impetuous. was eating a
Spanish stew out on the sidewalk, the
weather being warm, when along came
an agent-not a man In distress, but
regular agent-and invested with
him. bought ticket In the Havana
lottery. Wait, now. Nothing
ever happens until 1t does, you know.
The drawing came of two days later,
and my number, S58. 1872. won the first
prize. twenty thousand In gold"
Tycie Rugged him; Drace shook his
hand; and the General exclaimed his
astonishment.
well, that beats anything 1 ever
heard in my life. 1t doesn't seem pos
sible, SIR"
mo, and l was somewhat taken by
surprise, Uncle Howard. But there Ii
often success In a change of occupa-
tion, and had tried everything else.
1t took me few moments to adjust
myself; then got a draft, and In Mo-
bile received premium enough on my
gold certificate to pay my debts. And
now 1t gives me great pleasure to per-
form that duty. owe you, Uncle
Howard, twelve hundred and thirty
dollars, all told. Aunt Tycie, owe
you five hundred. Virgil, owe you
but wen get at that later. Worthy
and patient creditors, here we arei''
He took out a roll Of bank notes,
counted the amount Of his Indebted
ness to his aunt and showered her lap
with greenbacks. Then he turned to
the General.
''No. Liberty, don't want the
money" protested Bethpage. "If you
pay me. 1t will be the FIRST time you
ever returned borrowed money to me,
and don't care to have you establish
a precedent that might bring disap-
pointment In the future"
: After the family bedtime, Shottle
came into Drace's room and requested
him to report as to what progress be
had made; and Drace told him all
that had occurred.
"And now let me tell you notion
Of mine," said Shottle then. "If you
are waiting for that old sharkbone to
decay, you'll perhaps walt twenty
years. Attention: I'm going ON lit
tie trip tomorrow. In two days, when
I come. back, I'll drive down to con-
venient point; you. fetch the girl, Into
the carriage you jump. and away we
go. drive over to some place where
we can catch train, and Cincinnati
before old Stepho knows which way
we've gone. What do you say7"