Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1938-02-18
~
from the
Democrats Pen
from the


that gives light to all, when happen
ed to light upon the following little
squib:
A raiding crew headed by Sheriff
Ernest C. West has confiscated a
number of slot machines and more
seizures are expected. The Sher-
tiff expressed disappointment that
no more machines were found in
the first raids. eve expected to
find twice as many as we did,"
he said.
Now, if that isn't intended to be
funny, I want to extend to Sheriff
West my sincere sympathy in the mat
ter of his keen disappointment. This
thing needs looking into, which re-
minds me of story have told before
in this column, but which bears tell
ing again. It's one of the Abe Lin
coins yarns:
Honest Abe was once asked for his
opinion as to the financial standing
of a certain party. In his character
istic, drawing tone, Abe said: "Well,
he has a wife, who should be worth
five millions; and two children, who
should be worth two millions each. He
has, also, an office about 8 by 10, a
rickety desk, and two unsafe chairs.
Finally, down on the floor in a corner
Is a rat hole which bears looking into. "
If Sheriff West would only get
nad-real angry-and do a little bit
o. cussin' instead of getting disap-
pointed, believe he could see what's
down that rat hole. Looks to me like
somebody belled the cat and the var
minis scuttled into their holes. Now,
a cat generally waits around a bit
sorta patient like-and the chances
are the rats will return. We humans
can take many a lesson from instinct
i've creation.
What intrigued me until this morn
ing, was the punishment handed out
to the poor machine, while the man
behind the gun was left to go free.
Those innocent little metal coin Jug
glers wouldn't harm a soul, if left
alone, all by themselves, and nobody
with 'em. But l see that, in certain
localities, they are swiped from the
bright lights, and no arrests made of
those who reap the rewards. It's
sorta ungrateful, isn't it, to yank thos
Woodworking little instruments from
their comfortable quarters, and allow
the creative man to roam the light of
day.
However, see by this mornings
paper that there is to be trial, and
I know it's going to be trial for the
magistrate to try 'em. He won't
know just what to do with the inno-
cent little creatures, who have been
so abused by having their living TAX
en- away from them. Of course moth
ing will be said about other peoples
living slipping through the alIuring
slots down into the bowels of the
machine. And pretty soon the trial
will be over, the talk will be over, the
vacation of the machines will be over
they will be sliding over the thresh-
Odds of their former hangouts, anc
history will go on repeating itself, as
it has always done. If it were not
30, there wouldn't be any fun in vio-
lating the law.
There's another aspect of the sit
uation: If I thought I were in danger
, of becoming a star boarder, at the
hotel de West; or if were in immi-
nent peril of having my exchequer di-
minished by a sum of money that
would make the profits of slots look
like a hand-me-own pair of breeches
caught out in a summer rain, I'd let
SOMEBODY else take the risk-wouldn't
you? I thought so.
But-and I am not giving away any
secrets-there seems to be regular
recurring acts and scenes in the ever
lasting drama. And the play never
assumes the characteristics of trag-
edy. To say the least, they are melo-
dramas, if not verging on farce COM
edy. The roles are played according
10 accepted methods. The actors 60
through their parts by rote and every
thing turns out all right, despite the
majestic roar of the law and the en-
forcement thereof. The wind subsid-
es over the expanse of troubled waters
and the raging surf ripples ever tl.S
sands, even as a mountain rill drips
over a natural dam made of stones
inches high.
Oh! it's a great life, if you don't
weaken. These little episodes add
spice to, perhaps, a humdrum exis-
tence. They strike a major chord to
relieve the rasp of minor note. They
are just thrills-dangers passed over