Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 November 1879 — Wouldn’t Bet On a Sure Thing. [ARTICLE]

Wouldn’t Bet On a Sure Thing.

At an early hour yesterday morning a Randolph-street saloon-keeper waa called to wait upon a customer who bad lost an eye, suffered a broken aoee, and was otherwise spoiled to take the part of Apdllo op life's stage. He was a stranger, but he was very easy to get acquainted with. “What kind of folks have ydu got in this fc>wn?” he suddenly inquired, as he sipped his beer. “Well, apurty good lot, I guess,” was the reply. “Rather soft, I guess,” continued the stranger. “ I might have made ten dollars just now if it wasn't for my confounded conscientious scruples. Hang it! I wish I could be a little off, like most other men, but I can't It wasn't born in me to be trioky.” “How’s that?” said the saloonist. “ Why, there’s a chap in a saloon gat above here who thinks he’s smart, e wanted to bet me that the windows in the back end of the Board of Trade building contained six panes of glass to a window. He bluffed me all around the room and shook a ten right under my nose, but my conscience wouldn't let me bet on a sure thing. If I hadn’t been strictly honest I could have taken his money as slick as grease.” “How?” “ Why, my partner puttied in all that glass, anu there’s eight panes to a winow. I knew it all the time, and I could have bet on a sure tiling, you see. I sometimes wish I hadn’t been brought up so strict, but perhaps it was the best way.” Just then a second stranger dropped in. Seeing No. Ihe hauled out a tendollar bill, sbopjt it at him and sneeringly said:

“You must be a taffy aortal a chap! When I lay any thing Tm willing to back it, but you sneak around the woods!” “I never bet on a sore thing,” calmly replied the other. “MI took your bet I should simply rob you of ten dollars, and my conscience would never let me rest.’’ “ ril tell you what TU do,” said the saloon-keeper, carelessly—“ Til make a little bet with you. I think there are eight panes to a window; Fm willing to bet ten dollars there are.” “After considerable “clawing off” the money was put up and the two walked down to the building to count the paces. There were only four to a window, and yet it took the saloons* an hour and a half to get the trick untangled so that he could comprehend. —Detroit Free Pro*.