There was a feller here once by the name of Jim Smiley in the winter of '49- or my be it was the spring of '50 - I don't recollect exactly, somehow, though that makes me think it was one or the other is because I remember the big flume wasn't finished when he first came to camp; but anyway, he
was the curiosest 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.
Anyway that suited the other man would sult him -- anyway 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 any side you please, as I was just telling you. If there was a horserace, you'd find him flush, or you'd find him busted at end of it; If there
was dogfight, 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 sitting 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 seen a straddle-bug start to go anywhere's, he would bet
you how long it would take him to get wherever he was going to, and if you took him up, he would foller that straddle-bug to Mexico, but what he
6
Select the correct answer.
Which of the following statements is most accurate of Jim Smiley's character in this passage?
O A. Jim Smiley was lucky.
OB. Jim Smiley was always getting into trouble.
OC. Jim Smiley was rich.
OD. Jim Smiley was always ready to bet on anything,