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Show HOW A COUNTRYMAN OUTWITTED OUT-WITTED A CaRD SHARPER. A gentleman "was witncHS, a few days ago, to a sharp trick cards on a passenger train of one of our west ern railroadB notod lor the favor in which three card monte men and other card sharps hold it. A well dressed cltrical-looking gentleman had attracted a crowd of gaping passengers pas-sengers around him by a uumbur of ingenious and tkillfully executed tricks with a pft'-k of plajiDg cards, and at last shuttling the cards several times ai.d slapping ihwn dowu on hid knee, he said, ''I'll hot Dy man in tbe crowd thai I can cut the Jack of diamonds iu the first attempt." Kvery one hung back suspiciously, until a green, gawky.looking individual, indivi-dual, with hay-seed in his hair, pushed his way forward. "Mister," he questioned, "may I take a squint at lliem keerds?" "Certainly, replied re-plied the prolectiional, as he handed them over. Ttie countryman in spected them suspiciously, and then, apprantly satisfied, returned them, but did not take the bet. "The cards are all right, aro't ihey?" the pro-ttfsaional pro-ttfsaional asked. ' Ya'ss, I guaa.-4 they'd unit me," lhs countryman said, hesitatingly. "Why don't you takr my bet, then?'' ' aal, I dou'l know; I aiu't much ot a betting man." The professional saw that the man was more then half inclined to take him up, aud to make sure of his game he -taid: "Come, I'll bet $10 to $5. $16, 20to$ol" ''Durnril if I don't take ye," exclaimed the countryman, alter 4 moruent'a hesitation, and, diving into his pockei he drew out a strip of calico (apparently a sample to show liis girl), some confectionery, a plug of lobiicco, several horse-shoe nail 1 and, lastly, a dyspetic looking leather wallet, from which he extracted a greasy five dollar greenback, which he placed in the hands of a bystander. The professional Bpeedily covered the deposit with a twenty fresh from, Uucle Sam' b printing bureau, and , then thoroughly Bhuflling the cards' an a prelude, he grasped the pack firmly in one hand, and producing a sharp pocket knife he actually "cut every card in the pack in two. "There," he exclaimed triumphantly, "haven't I cut the Jack ol diamond?" "I'll ho eternally swallowed il you have," replied the countryman, producing pro-ducing thai veritable card from bis slueve, whither he had dexterously conveyed it while pretending to examine ex-amine the cards. Tbe countryman quietly pocketed the stakes, and the professional slunk off into another car. Chicago Tribune. |