The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-07-30
A Cunning Sleeper.

n OuhiiAh6 SANNPN
The following very ndroit trick was re-
Gently played in one of the public inns OF
england. A gentleman, gentecly drcsscd,
walked in and protested to be tired. Hav-
ing taken relreshmeni, he said he would
take nap for an hour. To sleep he went,
IN very business-likc style. in his chair,
md long nap he appeared 10 eojoy Be-
fore it expired, the usual smoke pipe CEN,
pnny began 10 drop in, & among others two
strangers made their appearance. One o!
The company remarked that il was unpcas.
ant 10 havca man sleeping in a public room
with valuable property about him, such as
The sleeper, who had fine looking gold
guard chain displayed on his waist coat,
and apparently connected with watch in
one OF his pockets
To this remark one of the strangers re.
plicd," pooh Iha's no gentleman, I'm sure;
he's more like one Nv them ERE swcll mob
as'is always taking Of people in. dare
FAY he has no watch at all ;hut III soon soe."
Suiting the action TO The word, the strang.
er softly drew forth out of the sleeping
mans rocketa piece of wood, round, and
about the size Of watch. 81 thought
So" sold he, there's pretty watch for
you," holding it up, that the company might
see III and then returned it to the owners
pocket. BY and by the sleeper nwoke,
md called briskly for glass Of brandy and
water. He assumed quite paironizng
air TO the farmers, which soon raised de.
sire 10 put him down,
Accordingly one Of the seniors required
iobc Informed Of the time orday. why
said the man, "the truth is, had n drop to
much last night, and forgot 10 wind up my
watch "Just so p circulated t he senior.
"you forgot 10 wind it up, did you' You'd
be puzzcld 10 do that, should say, wouldn't
you, now ~" Well, sir. you seem to take
more notice Of such tri1e than there is
any call for; but the truth is, have not a
watch>key about me, and mino i. rather Il
peculiar watch"
Here burst Of laughter ensued, and q
number Of j,kes were passed about the
peculiar style Of the watch. AT last one
Of the company loudly told him that he had
no watch at all about him; whereupou
the amazed individual hastily clapped hi.
hand 10 his waisicoat pocket, having pre-.
viously declared that unless the watch had
been stolen since he had been in the room
he had one. Satisfied, apparently, by the
external application to his pocket, he SAID
d" lis all right. my watch is here though
you had been playing a trick upon me-
"Pll bet you E5 you've no watch" bawIel
on. one Of his lormentors another Offered
TO bet him c 10; and one Of the stranger,
said he hadn't G5, but there were two
sovercigns which he should like to doubl,
by betting in the same way. The awaken
cd sleeper looked al them with astonrh
ment, and asked if they were serious
They all stuck TO it that he had no watch
and then he took out his purse and produc
ed five and Ten pound notes 10 the amour
OF the bets offered against him. The siake
were posted; and then the thoroughly a
Weakened sleeper coo!ly pulled ont the pec'
Of wood, at which horse laugh arcs,
against him; but the laughter was sooI
on the other side, when, touching spring
in the Bit of wood it flew open, and display
ed a very handsome gold watch snusl,
encased within il. The gentleman CAV
plausible reason for preierring so od
looking case Tor his watch, with which
his dupes might either feel satisfied or not
He had received their money 10 the exlen
oil f4o; and they had bought a knowedg
of "the time Of day" Ofeosrse the yer.
suggestive strangers lost nothing by III
Business in fact, they were the accom-
pliccs Of this clever sharper