The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-12-09

Confidential.

hoauer, were yUu eYeT cOuuucnCcQ
out ofyour pocket-book, your boots,
and your self respect? Not? Nor l,
But I'll tell you how it was DONE
Take your scat beside me in the Ex-
press train for Cincinnati on the M.
& G. r. r. Here, Conductor, my tick
OF is for Cincinnati but l wish to stop
at the junction of the Dayton Road ;
does your train stop there? Certain
ly. Observe that decent looktAs :
rather plain young-like man in the
seat in front of us. He asks me the
time of day which / tell him after
looking at Wife's gold watch which
l happen to be carrying Notice tho
wooden box he has with him, some-
thing larger than q half bushel, and
as he opens it, in carefully, careless
way, you sec inside what appears to
be the model of some complicated
machinery. Observe him open the
car window, and as we pass q little
town he throws out some printed
posters. Well call this man No. 1.
Observe that elderly smooth-shaved
well-dressed gentleman, slightly cor
pulent, hair little gray, who comes
back and speaks to No. l, and then as
he resumes his seat, he eyes us very
closely. l first think that he must
know mo for he looks at me with so
much interest. But he seems to be
saying to himself "That fellow will
do. He's got an unsophisticated face
on him and he must have money"
mot much1.
An hour later No. ! asks inquiring-
ly"You stop at tho Junction." and
being answered in the affirmative, hc
adds "I'm going to Dayton myself,
and had thought Of going on to the
city, though l telieve l might us well
stop of at the Junction along ,cith
yoa. AT the junction No. l leaves
the car at the side furthest from the
Railroad Station, and having noticed
No. 2 get off another car Of the
same train, 1 tnrned into tn,
waiting room. accompanied by
my good friend No. l. Having p ro-
cured our tickets for Dayton, No. l
retired from the room, re-appearing
in moment however with q propos-
al that as we had an hour to wait,
we stake a walk up the hill." "Not
much" I said to myself and declined
the invitation.
Following, moment after he left
the door, l saw him making signals
with his handkerchief telling No. 2
suppose, that it was "no CO."
One more effo. t they made before
giving me up. Seating themselves
just outside the door, they entered
into friendly frank conversation,
manitestly designed for my ear. No.
2 was sedate, religious old New
Englander glad to meet this enter
prising young man. engaged in bu
siness so honorable and so sure
Was panied to see so many young
men that were recklessi and in
haste to be rich. Had told young
man who asked his advice just before
leaving New England, not to be anx-
ious about n big salary at the start.
Begin with an humble position and
on. small pay, and oork up. Strict
honesty and honorable conduct
,coe4ld 0la in the long run.
Good advice between q couple of
rascally ltinerant swindlers |! 1 find
out that the hypecrites are not all
preachers
They did not succeed in drawing
me into any inquiries about their bu-
siness---did not exhibit their bogus
machine-did not get u bet out of
me-nor borrow money OF me--nor
finger my watch--nor get me to
drink drugged whiskey. We got
aboard the train with mutual disgust
To my great grief | could find Meth.
er policeman nor detective either at
the station or on the train. To a
gentlemanly policeman at Dayton, I
furnished a written description of
the two eonfederatos, who promised
to give attention to them.
J. Nj. NJ.