The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-04-27

Ieh Ile Colonf bi the water with MhiCh
the edges ct the four kings, or
knaNes we're tinsed, in the sunpositi-
ons we have made. in order the
moro clearly To explain ourselves.
lie now only required, for the com
pletion Of his purpose. tn form a
gaming house 10 use some packs OF
cards, of which. some one of them
should have been touched with the
water. In this manner he who held
tho cards in his hand was a certain
victim, since tho microscope specta.
cles changed the colour of the water,
increased the siZs of tho cards, and
discovered their respective position.
Let IN suppose that tho edges of thu
kings had been touched by the
chymical water. The taions Of the
cards at Phoro. that is to say. a
small portion Of the pack of cards,
comes out of tho hands Of the Chief
On Jcp. and that small portion is
more than sufficient for the discove
ry. tsupPose that the first king
which would come out. is the 18th
card. The spectacIes which in
crease tho cards, allo. the player to
count with great facility all the
numbers. The edges Of the 10th
card offer besides to tho spectaclrs.
It's edges of different colour. Since
the 12th card of the pack is necessa
rily and certainly one OF the 1 kings.
and in placing bank note, and If We
please. all the money OF the India
Company. one is as sure to win and
despoil the holder of the cards OF
him who presides. The young stran-
ger thought that the probity, OF the
fear of a gaming house keeper, would
net have allowed him easily to Join
in this scheme, and thus all the adj
vantage OF these physics, optics, and
CHEMISTRY would have been lost.
How then obviate this lncony enience,
and provide for all these wants and
necessitirs i? IN order 10 be more
free, 4 execute by himself the whole
of the operation. he instructed him
self in all the tricks of slight of hand
by which in few months he learn.
ed from an excellent master the com.
pIete art of sharping. By this means
he thought he could prepare at his
own house the packs of cards with
the chymical waters. By means oil
his slight of hand it would be very
easy for him to change some pack
on tho table, and the evenings and
the nights are so long, with little
patience he would make these chan.
ges, with dexterity which would de-
ceiVe the eye of the most experien-
ced observer. The magic specta,
cles completed tho operation, and in.
surcd fortune to the young gentle
man, who thus commenced this bril-
liant career.
Full Of these ideas. fortified by the
necessary Instruments, our young
/ stranger set out for the Continent,
where he set in motion the fruits OF
his studies and his mcdItation4. He
frequented the gaming houses, but
discovered his skill to no one. He
took care to hayetw species of spec
tacies, tho one common and tho 9TH
er artificial. If any curious or in-
discreet person requested his spec
taCfes, our young gentleman presen-
ted him the common ones, and re-
tanned the others. The slight of hand
and Juggling, enabled him to fulfil
this character with politeness and
the greatest sagacity. Moreover,
he had always at his command seve-
raj of those abandoned men who a.
bound IN cities, and who seek for
victims. These individuals are
known by the lovers of play under
the title of duphin who decoy at
ter them the other smaller fish des-
tined to be dcvourcd by other more
artfn animals; was acquainted with
several ladies OF distinction, who
served him as safeguard for any
great stroke, without its appearing
too paIpable. The integrity, to
which he attached great Importance,
was that Of profting by the moment,
in order to gain small sums every
day, without the appearance of vo-
racity, which fatisues the unfortn-
nate victims, and which occasions
complaints, declarations, and differ
enccs, and always causes dangerous
suspicious. By this prudent con-
IL l. L,