DRUMMING UP A DEAD BEAT.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2558, 19 March 1877, Page 3

DRUMMING UP A DEAD BEAT.

Sam Davis kept a store in Gainsville, in which, as is the custom, you could get anything from'a 1 lady's cambric handkerchief up to a ship's anchor Sam's was the rendezvous for tlio neighbourhood, and, beyond a doubt, it was the best place in Southern Mississippi to drum up " Dead Beats." Sam ■■generally had his hands , full in preventing the smaller,; articles of his "stock-in-trade" from being, stolen. There was one thing, however,, which did more than anything else "to preserve Sam's properly. Sam was crosseyed, and'it was next to an impossibility: to tell when he was looking at a person, and whoever stole anything could not tell with any degree of certainty for; a week or two afterwards whether Sam had observed' him or not. One' day, when business waß rather brisker, than usual, and Sam Was busily employed in waiting upon the 'different customers,; BUI Spinks thought it would bo an excellent opportunity to slip something unperceived into bis pocket. "Wiatching his opportunity, he sidled up to where several ipairs of socks were lying loose upon the counter. He slipped a pair of these into his pocket, and just was ,starting out,when Sam, who had, at this particular time, been watching from 'the first; sung out—" Hold on, Spinks ! Yer ain't going .outen this shanty afore ye plank down for them socks, my sweet topknot." " What socks yer talking about, Sam?" said Spiuks, taken all aback. "I hain't got no socks/ "Why; ithem yer jest put .into yer pocket. .1 seed yer, so just fork over." "Look ahere, Sam," replied Spinks, "Ye said yer seed me; are yer looking at me right now ? " " Lookin' at ye," rejoined ; Sam Davis, with his head turned from Spinks at an angle of at least :45d%., ''.Yer pail' bet your boltpm dollar I'm doin'jtbat very thing, and mean to keep on doiu^.so whjje yer around." " Sam, I cave if yer Jookin' at me now. Here : 's yer socks," and with that Spiuks sneaked out of the store amid the jeers and laughter of the : spectators. He is now hunting for a- place where there are no cross-eyed people.—-Danbury NeWS. -■"'■• ■ : . •-::.--. • :.:••■.•...:■■:;.:':.::-;:•.•