OCR Text |
Show WON HIS BET. 1 "John isn't a betting man," said Mrs. Dorcas, "In the accepted sense of the word. I know he never puts a penny on the horse races, and he has only a very little money up with friends on the election. We always talk these matters mat-ters over at dinner. But I must confess con-fess that when John went to church with me last Sunday morning, because it happened to be my birthday, something some-thing happened to set me thinking. "You know. John was an usher at our church when I met him. He looked so handsome and well groomed as he led visitors to seats In the center aisle that one could not help falling in love with him. As we went in John shook hands with the ushers, some of whom were Sunday-school boys when he was there. He remained behind to talk with them, while I went on to our pew. 'When the first hymn was announced John smiled. He was in good humor ail through the scriptural readings. When the second hymn was announced he became be-came positively elated. All my fears of his sleeping through the sermon vanished. van-ished. He sang the closing hymn as fervently as In the good old days. As we came out the head . usher shook hands with John, and I saw John tuck a bill Into his waistcoat pocket. " 'What is that?' I asked, not without suspicion. " 'Sh-sh-sh. my dear. Walt until we get In the car.' " 'What is it, John?' I asked a few moments later. ' 'A fiver I cleaned up from the boys on the number of the hymns.' he replied, re-plied, smilingly. 'I was $15 behind the game when I quit ushering and married mar-ried you." " New York Press. |