curiousest man about always betting on anything that turned up you ever

see, if he could get anybody to bet on the other side; and if he couldn't

he'd change sides. Any way that suited the other man would suit HIM--any

way just so's he got a bet, he was satisfied. But still he was lucky,

uncommon lucky; he most always come out winner. He was always ready and

laying for a chance; there couldn't be no solit'ry thing mentioned but

that feller'd offer to bet on it, and take ary side you please, as I was

just telling you. If there was a horse-race, you'd find him flush or

you'd find him busted at the end of it; if there was a dog-fight, he'd

bet on it; if there was a cat-fight, he'd bet on it; if there was a

chicken-fight, he'd bet on it; why, if there was two birds setting on a

fence, he would bet you which one would fly first; or if there was a

camp-meeting, he would be there reg'lar to bet on Parson Walker, which he

judged to be the best exhorter about here, and so he was too, and a good

man. If he even see a straddle-bug start to go anywheres, he would bet

you how long it would take him to get to--to wherever he was going to,

and if you took him up, he would foller that straddle-bug to Mexico but

what he would find out where he was bound for and how long he was on the

road. Lots of the boys here has seen that Smiley, and can tell you about

him. Why, it never made no difference to him--he'd bet on any thing--the

dangdest feller. Parson Walker's wife laid very sick once, for a good

while, and it seemed as if they warn't going to save her; but one morning

he come in, and Smiley up and asked him how she was, and he said she was

considerable better--thank the Lord for his inf'nite mercy--and coming on

so smart that with the blessing of Prov'dence she'd get well yet; and

Smiley, before he thought, says, 'Well, I'll resk two-and-a-half she

Sketches New and Old