Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1922-09-14

You don't Sayf Wen, WE'LL But
never heard of you, either" Now they
laughed, the joyous and unsuspicious
mirth of youth. They stood looking
down upon the deck-hands, loading
freight, listening to the stream of the
second mates profanity, who swore
his emotion by the stars, the moon,
the river, the universe; and when the
Leona was on her way again, the
fiddles going, the muddy roustabouts
singing, Liberty Shottle and brace
seated themselves on campstools
eagering toward swift acquaintance,
the friendship of two natures far apart
In aim and principle.
If you've got two cigars, I'll join
you In smoke" said Shottle. "Thank
you. You see, my people, what few
Of them are left, say that l don't
exist. They haven't cast me off, or
anything Of that sort, but being Of
staid habits themselves, they swear
that / am too unreal to exist Lord,
what is the world but queer7 What's
your gamer
Il haven't any-any game" parted
the Northerner. "But what are you
doing on this boat yourself?"
I'm going down to New Orleans"
replied Liberty, ito see how long
can stay there. l had a pretty fair
JOB couple of months ago teaching
a school near Memphis. They liked
me, too. I've got a sleeps hide from
Chapel Hill university, North Caro-
lima, with all the wool singed of and
the board acknowledged my qualifica-
tions, but they caught me shaking dice
with the boys and told me that as
there were some branches Of learning
they didn't care to have instilled, I'd
better get a professorship In some
higher institution. Have you been In
there?
Liberty Shottle waved his hand
and Drace, thinking he meant the ball
room, answered him:
"Only passed through. I'VE been
rather worn with that sort Of thing"
"Oh, you think / meant the ball
meant the poker-room."
Eyes, sat in there for o time."
"How did you come out?'
Not very well. Lost two hundred.r
you speak OF losing two hundred
as lightly as If it were a matter Of
breath instead of blood. Would YOU
mind holding my hand till you saw Il
again? Two hundredl Why. Won
know, a fellow would teach bullet
heads and sissies for two months for
two hundred dollars Now. let me
lay down proposition: I am lucky
tonight. I lost fifteen dollars, all had.
but I'd just got up to the point Of
winning when I lost my last dollar.
Just one more ante, and It would have
come my way. saw it coming. but
laundering fool headed 1t OF. Now
here's my scheme, and it's good one:
you want your two hundred back: Won
stake me to hundred, and I'll 20 in
there and make cleaning. Don't re-
fuse, now, until you have let your
mind digest the situation. Most Of the
errors in this life come from snap
judgment"
"Ah, you think you can win, because
you lost?''
my dear Virgil, there is, you might
say, psychology in everything. who
wins fight7 The man who believes
he can't? No, the man who knows he
can. And know right now. why. I'd
stake my life on it. You give me the
hundred and stay right here and wait.
AS for my honesty, can give you ref
erences-the mayor Of New Orleans
and Judge Hebbins Of Memphis
he died last week No matter - I'd
jump into the river and let the paddle
wheel beat me into sausagemeat be-
fore I'd deceive you. Liberty Shottle,
that's my namei"
Drace leaned back and laughed.
Liberty, thing astonishing to me is
going to happen. I'll stake you to the
hundred"
No superstitious devotee ever "a
ceived from the priest Of the gods 4
libation with more Of emotional strain
than Liberty Shottle evinced when he
closed in tight clutch on Braces adj
venturous hundred. Then he bowed
and disappeared.
Drace sat musing, and soon he be-
gan to wonder why he had been 10
weak as to give 500 to this peculiar
fellow, stranger. Well, Liberty had
amused him. Made him laugh, and In
this world there is more money spent
for the promotion Of laughter than for
the relief Of tears.
Presently Shottle returned. He sat
down and though physically he was
light, the camp stool groaned beneath
him. brace waited. The Leona blew
her great horn and all the world
seemed to tremble. When the sound
had died, echoing miles away the
gambler coughed lightly and groaned.
Drace wondered why he should be
tickled over any ones misfortune, but
he felt merry tingling in his blood.
This boats got good bass voice.
he remarked.
BASS vOicei Do you know what