Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-12-29
Quite a Mistake.

THE other night an elderly and clerical
looking individual came aboard Pull
man car at a point about two hundred
and eighty miles east of here, and en-
gagged berth for this city. He took the
lower berth of a section, the upper half
of which had been engaged by two dap
per looking individuals, who, shortly af.
ter the train started came back from the
smoking car and took seats in their Sec
ton. The trio soon struck up a travel
ing acquaintance, and judging from the
pleased expression Of the three counte-
nances, this acquaintance was mutually
agreeable-and, as will presently be seen,
profitable.
The elderly gentleman, whom, for the
sake of identification, we will call Mr.
Greene, was IL retired merchant from Cen
trail New York, who was on his way to
these parts 10 invest few surplus shin
plasters in corner lots and Kansas lands.
He was one of those benignant old sun
flowers whose smiles beam alike upon the
just and the unjust, whose well-fillcd
pocket-book is always forthcoming to
/ change ten or twenty for some casual
companion who doesn't happen to have
any small bills about him, and whose
worldly goods are but as legitimate spoils
for the confidence gentry-that is to saw,
judging from outside appearances. His
two companions, whom we will call
Messrs. Sharpe and Ketchum-because
their rightful designations are unknown
to our informant-need no minute descrip-
ton.
By and by the conductor of p. p G.
came around to collect his fare for berths.
The elderly gentleman, being first in or
der, produced pOcket-bOok at once, well
worn and well filed, 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 eX-
change on New York and Buffalo, had run
out of currency. Sharpe paid his small
bill, but Ketchum ransacked his pocket
book and vest pockets in vain Sharpe
very generously offered to pay his com.
panion's BILL but the latter would not hear
of any such sacrifices on the part of his
friend. He would, however, gladly ac,
cept cash for one of his drafts, if Sharpe
would be so kind but unders no circum
| stances would he accept any other favor.
1t transpired that Sharpe would be SO
kind. So Ketchum produced draft pur
porting to he drawn to his order, on the
Commercial National Bank" of Buffalo,
amounting to $157.40. But Sharpe could
not make the change. Would the elderly
| gentleman be so unutterably gracious as
to break a fifty for him? OF course lie
would-but he couldn't. But happy
/ thought struck Sharpe. If his companion
| had such delicate scruples about permit
ting him to pay his bill, perhaps the elder
| ly gentleman would purchase the draft,
Certainly he would do that, but invcstiga
tion revealed that he had nothing smaller
/ than one hundred-dollar bill, except some
desultory change the conductor had
| given him for Il five when he paid
his bill. Finally Sharpe and Ketchum
laid their heads and their finances to-
gether and succeeded in making up a
purse of $203. 40 including the draft for
$157.40 and SAG currency, whereat the
elderly gentleman gave them two one-hun-
dred-dollar notes and his SO in change
they generously Throwing in" the 40
cents-wherewith Ketchum paid his bill,
and the conductor went on his way re-
ioicing, while the fnanciers prepared to
retire by having their hunks ''made up
Morning came and revealed the fact that
Sharpe and Ketchum had found it con
yenient to stop off at some casual station
during the night, though the elderly gen
tleman was found in his berth all right
The conductor, fearing from indications
that his passenger had been swiHdled, ap-
preached him and said, 81 am afraid
that that draft you got last night is a
| fraud"
"Well,' was the bland response of the
imperturbable Greene, presume it is,
but if it's any bigger fraud than the two
500 notes were, why, then, amt $4l
in good money ahead-which
/ think l am" The elderly gentle
I man then said that he was not in
the habit of passing counterfeit money
but he happened to have them with him
and, having taken a somewhat exact meas
ure of the two chaps who had attempted
to swindle him, lac had quietly deter
mined TO beat them at their own game.
"lf you want anything more" said he
"to make this affair all satisfactory, | car
give you good references, either in Kansas
City or New York, where liyen Our in
formant didn't demand tho references .-
Kansas Cfy Times.
Utah may have its plural wives, oh