Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-23

The other night an elderly and clerical look
luz individual came aboard Pulman car AT Il
point about two hundred and eighty miles east
Of here, and engaged berth for this city He
took the lower berth of n section, the upper
half Of which had been engaged by two dapper
looking individuals, who, shortly after the train
started, came hack from the smokng-car and
took seals in their section The trio soon struck
up travelling acquaintance, and judging from
the pleased expression of the three c0uuten-
ances was mutually agreeabe-and, as will pres
emily he seen. profitable. The elderly gentle
man, whom, for the sake OF Identification, we
will call Mr. Greene, was il retired merchant.
from Central New York, who was on his way to
these parts TO invest in corner lots and Kansas
lands. His two companions, whom we will call
Messrs Sharpe and ketchum, need 10 minute
description.
By-and-bg the conductor of p. F. c. came
around to collect his fare for berths. The elder
IL gentleman being first in order, produced
pocket book, at once well worn and well filled,
and paid his little fare, and then came the turn
OF the other two. Now, Sharpe had plenty of
money, while Ketchum, though laden with cN-
change ON New York and Buffalo, had run our
OF currency. Sharpe paid his small bill, but
ketchum ransackcd his pocket book and vest
pockets IN vain. Sharpe very generously offered
to pay his companions bill, but the latter
wouldn't hear OF any such sacrifice on the part
Of bis friend. He would, however, gladly ac-
ccpt cash for one of his drafts, if Sharpe would
lie so kind, but under no circumstances would
he accept any other favor. II tranSpirCd that
Sharpe would be so kind So Kctchum pro-
duced draft purporting to be drawn to his order
on the Commercial National hank of Buffalo,
amounting TO S157 40. But Sharpe could not
make the change. Would he elderly gentleman
be SO unutterably gracious as TO break fifty for
him. OF course he would-but he couldn't.
But happy thought struck Sharpe If his
companion had such delicate ScrupleS about per-
hitting him TO pay his bill, perhaps the elderly
gentleman would purchase the draft. Certainly
he would do that, but investigation revealed
that he had nothing smaller than a 500 bill,
except some desultory change the conductor had
given him for five when he paid his bill Fin
ally Sharpe and ketcham laid their heads and
their finance together and succeeded in making
mp purse of S203.40, including the draft for
S157.40 and $40 currency, whereat the elderly
gentleman gave them two one hundred dollar
notes and bis three dollars in change-they gen
erously Throwing in" the forty centS-where-
with Ketchum paid his BILL aud the conductor
went on his way rejoicing, while the iinancierS
prepared to retire by having their hunks "made
up" Morning came and revealed the fact that
Sharpe and Ketchum had found it convenient to
stop of AT some casual station during the night,
though the elderly gentleman was found in his
berth all right. The conductor, fearing from
the indications that his passenger had been
swnded, approached him and said, 81 am afraid
that that draft you got last night is a fraud"
well, was the bland response OF the imper-
tnrbable Greene, 81 presume il is, but if it's any
bigger fraud than the two hundred-dollar notes
were, why then | amt forty-three dollars in
good money ahead-which think | am" The
elderly gentleman then said that he was not in
The habit of passing counterfeit money, but he
happened to have them with him, and, having
taken somewhat exact measure OF the two
chaps who had attempted to swmdle HIM, he
had quietly determined to beat them ut their
own game.-hdnSGS city Times.