Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1883 — A Shrewd Game. [ARTICLE]

A Shrewd Game.

We will say that his " name is Alexit isn’t and that, hii residence is neur-Reusselaer,=whicli it is. Smithy’s boon companion was , not named Pelter, which is a good enough reason why we should call him by that name. The love of Jonathan and David surpassed—that of man 1 and Woman, and if Smithy and Pelter did not love each other belter than they loved the wives of their respective bosoms, their conduct belied their sentiments. ‘-Many an evening, byThe lamplight did they watch the poker chips, And their spirits rushed together, as they took their frequent nips.” Ifohe cf them had any money, or other portable property, of value, (which was~airunusual circumstance) it belonged to the other, equally or more so. Or at least would, at the cohclusfon of their first game of poker, if some sharper fellow had not cleaned ti: e m Loi h out. — —l__ Pelter bad watches to sell, at one time, and during an interval of unaccountable trustfulness, he sold one to his friend Srniihy, “on time/' He would dun him for the price of it, in season and out of senson, in some such terms ns these: “Now you Aleck, you know I have always stood by you like a brother, and now 1 am as hard up :-s H and I want that money/’ These heart moving appeals having failed to elicit any response in cash, a ‘ brigliT idea, struck Pelter. Young Winkler, acting under his instructions, met Smithy one day and told him that Pelter wanted to sell him (Winkler) a watch similar’ to the one Smithy wore with such easy -grace. Winkler wanted to be sure tliat.he. was. buying a good watch, when he bought at all, and if Smithy would lend him his for a short time he would take it to a jewelry store and get the opinion of a watch-maker as to its merits. Smithy was glad of a chance to aeconimcdaie his interesting young friend, and handed over his watch, with an unquestioning trustfulness, truly touching in its childlike simplicity. The watch was carried straight to Pelts l*, and Smithy of course saw it no more- That night, at about midnight, or something later, Deputy Prosecutor Watson was roused from bis slumber by the n rathful Smithy, who wanted criminal pro eedings instituted against his dear friend Pelter before the sun rose. He was advised, if he had a valid ; claim to the watch, to recover it by writ of replevin, or to sue for its value; but no, lie cared nothing for the watch, nor for the value which it represented, i but the honor of all the Smithies had been outraged in bis person, and nothing but red-eyed justice and a prison cell awaited the man who had dared to prove himself a sharper dead-beat [ than he. Watson returned to his ; peaceful slumbers, the afiidavit was I not prepared, and the honor of the ! Smithies still awaits vindication. .