The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-04-30
Two of a Kind
BY z. p. O'BRYAN
Q. Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.

LIPPERY McGONIGAL was no.
- body's fool around race tracks. 0c-
casionally IL became necessary for him
| to go away for long stretches at a
| time until the race-track cops forgot
what they wanted him for, then he'd
show up with new name and maybe
some new clothes His greatest stroke
of genius at a disguise was when he
/ had all his snags pulled and got him.
| self a brand new ser of grinders. Not
only a new set of shining worries. but
a set with lot of gold teeth il front,
! too.
| II was surprising how different the
| gold teeth made him look. He'd had the
plates for these made deeper so that
| they stretched the skin around his
mouth, giving him the appearance OF
| a long-faced. serious-looking youth
Just TO see what effect the gold
teeth had, Slippery went into sa-
loon one night. wearing his white ones,
/ and had a few drinks with the bar
/ tender. Then he went back 10 his room
and changed TO his gold ones. He also
| changed his hat and suit When ne
came back, he smiled broadly at the
bartender and had a few more drinks.
Tell me that yarn again" he said
sThe one about the widow"
what story was that?" the barten-
| der said. 81 don't recollect''
THE one you told me half an hour
ago-when 1 was in here before"
| The bartender shook his head Guess
/ It must have been Gus, the bartender
relieve"
| That was enough for Slippery. Why,
/ be was two men. This was something
be had been waiting for all his life.
When you could fool a bartender with
| nothing but a set of teeth and some
new clothes. your disguise was per-
feet. Il you could fool a bartender
you could certainly fool a cop.
The little old guy in the gray cap
Slippery spotted the next afternoon
interested him more than any prospect
he had ever singled out Once the man
had opened his wallet TO make two
dollar bet and Slippery had been close
enough TO see what the wallet con-
tanned. He caught the flash of several
c notes and his pulse quickened-
The little old man in the gray cap
was leaning over the rail watching
| Showgirl romp home in the fourth
race. Slippery with expert fingers
| transferred il to his own pocket. He
looked around just in time TO see Cap
tain Miles OF the guards pushing his
way through the crowd. making
straight for him.
Slippery made the fringe OF the
crowd in time TO have a good start
en- the policeman Though Captain
Miles called upon the fleeing man 20
| halt, and threatened TO shoot. Slip
4 perry knew that no sane policeman
would fire in that crowd. He kept
right on running. When he reached
| his hotel he changed clothes hurriedly.
/ He also changed back TO his gold teeth.
Except for an occasional visit TO
| the restaurant downstairs he scarcely
left the hotel for week Then one
day he put in his gold teeth, had
/ few shots Of whiskey and set out for
| the track II would be a cinch- No
! cop would recognize him after whole
week, especially If he kept laughing
all the time and flashing those gold
teeth.
/ As he left the saloon. he turned
I back and asked permission TO leave
! his topcOat He remembered he had
worn it the day he heisted the wallet.
"Sure," the bartender said. "hang IL
right over there. III keep an eye on
It." II was the same bartender who
had failed TO recognize him the other
night when he had come back wearing
( his gold teeth.
AT the track he nOsed around look
money now and could lay a little bet
Suddenly he felt a hand upon his
arm. then fingers gripped IL hard He
| turned 70 face Captain Miles. Though
! his heart was in his mouth he man
aged TO smile broadly, exposing his
gold teeth.
Well" Miles said. eye come back.
1idja7 didn't think ye would. I been
waiting for yez. l have. Didn't think
| I'd forget that face. didja? Or maybe
ye thought il was my day of. hnh7'
Slippery tried TO tell Captain Miles
that he was a stranger in town and
this was his first day at the track.
"Gwan, We lunkheadi Don't Ye think
got eyes in me head? Why, ye lynn
rat. I've a mind to"
"All right. you win" Slippery said.
All the way back 10 town he tried
70 think where he had slipped this
time. He certainly had fooled thar bar
tender. Why hadn't those teeth fooled
the cops? He asked Captain Miles to
let him go by the saloon for his top
eeat.
The bartender didn't remember
about the coat.
But I just left It with you less
than an hour ago." Slippery insisted.
That's it hanging over there"
Don't We remember this hird?" Cap
tain Miles asked suspiciously whats
he tryin' TO put over on yez naw2'
'T do remember he was in here about
a week ago." the bartender said. Re
member. we had a couple of drinks and
I told you the story about the widow
Slippery nodded. A great light was
beginning to dawn upon him
1T must be his coat all right the