dies when put in gear

this is my landlords truck:)85-b2000

k....landlord drove it to work no problem like 50 miles then on the way home it dies when she steps on the gas or puts in gear i messed around with the carb...then ended up puting my hand over the carb when she acelerated and it worked fine...ended up puting the end of a water bottle over the carb with a couple holes it it just so she could get it back to work <getto i know....smokeing and shooting flames for about a mile at 20mph:)> but hey its the only think to get it to move!

any thoughts? could really use some info becouse she is getting a new truck in a couple months and i wana buy this from her:P "cheap lol"

::i think the mileage is at like 200k?

thanx
timmylc