Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-09-04

another young man walking about twenty
yards before them, who took out his peck.
ct handkerchief, and in doing so, let a
small box fall from bis pocket, apparently
without perceiving il, which be left behind
him, and walked on. As soon as Desbro
and his companion reached the spot where
the box was lying, the latter took it up,
opened it. and examined what il contain
ed, which was seemingly nothing but one
lottery ticket, which he handed Desbro.
and told him to hold until they came up
with the man who dropped it. They ac-
cordingly hailed him. and on coming TO
him, asked if he had lost any thing The
man at first replied in the negative: bu,
on carefully examining all his pockets, said
that he had lost small box with lotte-
ry ticket in it, Then this cannot be your
box said Desbro's companion. holding up
the box-'for it contains nothing
That is my box, said the man who drop
ped it, and it does contain a lottery ticket.
No such thing said the other.
Il will bet you fifty dollars said the
the owner Of the box, that there is lot
terry ticket in it
Desbro thought this good opportunity
of adding to the profits of his lumber, and
Immediately said that be would bet SIS
that the box contained no lottery ticket.
Dome said the owner of the box.
Done said Desbre.
But them asked the owner Of the box !,
in whose hands shall deposit my money!
as don't know either Of you
Oh said Desbro, pointing to his COM
panion, Il think we may safely deposit our
money In this gentleman's hands,
Desbro and the owner of the box ac-
cordingly placed rs dollars each in tho
hands Of the young gentleman whom
Desbro met at the fight, and the young
gentleman then opened the box, and to
Desbro's utter astonishment. he beheld a
lottery ticket in the box, which appeared
only the moment before entirely empty.
The owner of the box instantly snapped
the money outof the stake holders hands,
which the latter seemed very willing to
part with, and then addressing Desbro,
told him that there had been two valuable
lottery tickets iu the box, and that he sus-
pected Desbro OF having stolen one of
them, and would Immediately run off for
an officer and have him arrested He
accordingly went off, leaving Desbro
dumb founded with establishment, and his
kind acquaintance seemingly in the same
situation. In a few minutes their powers
Of speech returned, and Desbro's compan-
ion began to condole with him on the loss
Of his money, and express his astonish.
ment how there could have been two lot
terry tickets in the box, when he had taken
out and given Desbro the only one that
seemed to have been in it. Desbro how
ever by this time began TO suspect what
was Of course the fact, that the box had
two covers, with partition in the middle
of it, and that he had been duped by his
new acquaintance, and the owner Of the
lottery tickets, who were confederates
Before, however, he had time to make
any observation to his companion, the lat
ter addressed him in pretended alarm, and
said, my dear fellow, it will never do for
you and TO remain here any longer toge-
Their; an officer will be after US immediate
ly, about the lottery ticket | gave you.
Do you run that way, and will run this:'
and suiting the action to the word, Des-
bros acquaintance from Syracuse, ran
away as fast as be could, and left Desbro
to mediate on the perfdy of man, and
the loss of his lumber profits. He imme-
diately proceeded TO the police office, and
gave information of his loss, but as he was
totally ignorant of the swindlers names,
and could only give very vague descrip-
ton of their persons, there is but little
chance of his ever seeing his money again.