The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1946-06-20
Savin' Coins
-
By EDWIN T. STRAYER
Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Features.


4 right. He sure gets Old Dave
After he's been in the service sta
ton there's always something
missin', OF the change is wrong. Blu
never any proof. He's slick or ha:
no nerves. Got away with things be-
cause he'd pull them right in your
face Dave won't accuse him be.
cause he wants to beat him at his
own game. Things are pulled SC
often that Dave commences to feel
like a fool. To tell Keecee to stay
out would be no satisfaction. Dave
too contrary himself for half-justice.
He wants to turn the tables.
Well, me an Dave are playin'
checkers on the side counter. Kee-
Gee is perched up on the end. Sittin'
there lookin' innocent. He can't
reach anythin' from there, so we
don't pay too much attention to him.
Dave, pretendin' he doesn't know
the game, is takin' me over with
his smooth moves.
Keecee's down. Glides back of
Dave to the refrigerator for a bot
tie Of chocolate milk. Dave keeps
his face toward me an the board,
but moves his eyes watchin' Kee-
Gee. Keecee gets his bottle, comes
back, opens the slide, takes a bag
of peanuts from right under the
checkerboard He lays a coin at
Dawes elbow. Dave glances
the money. But he doesn't say d
word. Not to Keecee. To me he
says, "It's yore move"
think, Is he gonna let him get
away with that? He can easy
enough see it's a cent and not
dime. But it's Dawes business. l
make my move an keep my face
straight. Dave sees through it.
'Somethin' slick, amt yuh?" he
grins. "But it happens I pulled that
one on a guy oncet, myself"
l look up, an l see on Keecee's
face sly grin which says plainer'n
Scripture, "Yuh old fools, anybody
could outslick both of yuh
Dave picks up the coin, absent
like, drops it in his pocket. Keecee
IS perched again, eatin' peanuts
an, o course, much to the good.
Guys start comm fer gas. Dave
has to go out once in a while to
fill tank-or give EN- their stamps (
worth anyhow. Sometimes there is
quite bit Of business per square !
inch. So, while Dawes out | lust +
keep an eve tailed on Keecee SOS (
he don't shin up the chimney with .
the cash register or nothin'. But he .
sits there, sweet an good as a
bouquet of lilacs.
A guy comes in fer change, an T
up speaks Keecee! He says: Il get
change, too, Davel"
Dave looks puzzled. why? What
did yuh gimme?"
i gave yuh a quarter got a
chocolate milk an a bag o. pea
nuts. Hmm! So this is how it
works, think to myself.
Dave fishes all the silver out of
his pocket where he's been putin
1t all evenin'. why, l amt got no
quarter"
! gave yuh quarter, because 1
had nickel and a quarter, and
here's the nickel" An sure enough
he pulls out a nickel. He looks at
me. he wants me to speak up fer
i'm. Nerve! View!
"Yuh laid yer money down." I
says, sarcastic-like, but l thought
1t was nickel" But burned if Dave
don't give in and hand him three
nickels change!
{ i reckon yuh wouldn't lie for IS
cents, Dave grins.
Keecee perches himself up on the
counter again, four coins in his
jeans stead of the two he started
out with, an bag of peanuts glidin'
along his gullet. Washin' EN- down
with his free chocolate milk! Natu-
rally, I'm wonderin' if Dawes nuts
or blind, when he gives me a look
winch says, Shut upl Everythin's
hunkydory.
Soon Keecee goes out, lookin'
thoughtful Dave starts GRIMM all
over his face, an Dawes face COW
ers lot of territory. He gets all
his change out of his pocket He
riddles around through fistful of if -
TIL ne comes to Keecee's bit. He
hands It to me, an l see Keecee's
right! It's NOT nickel. But it's
somethin' l have only seen twicet in
10 years OF steady lookin'. An while
I'm maxim plumb sure, Dawes
reachin' for big mo Loafng"
sign. I'm ahead of him now" he
chortles, land sure as guns iron
I'm gonna stay ahead"
He hangs up the mo Loa6ne' so
til look Keecee right in the eve
when he comes in. He stacks enptv
pop cases, old boxes and sticky oil
'ags two feet deep on Keecee's end
seat. Now I'm sure he's not nutsl
FOR that piece I'm a-gapin' at is
big copper cent. It's a 1899
model in beautiful condition An
Jave knows it's the real thing. He's
leen hUntiD' Onn a 1opo g. -