New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-07
OUITE A MISTAKE.
What Happened to Il Pair of Confidence
Wen on Pullman Car.
from the Kansas City Times


The other night an elderly and clerica,-
Ionkino individual came aboard Pullman
car at point about two hundred anu
EIGHTY miles east OF here, ana engaged
North for this city. He took the lower bertA
of a section the upper halt OF which had
been engaged by two dapper-looklng lndi-
vidusls. who shortly after the train started,
came back from the smoking car anu TOOK
Scats in their section. The trio soon struct.
nm travelling acquaintance, and. judging
from the pleased expression OF the three
countenances, this acquaintance was M
tuallv agreeable, and, as VIII prcaeutIy be
seen. profitable.
The elderly gentleman. whom, Tor the SAKE
of ilentificatiOn we will call Mr.. Greene,
vas retired merchant from Central New
York. who was on his way to these parts To
invest a few surplus shinplasterS III cOrne-
lots and Kansas lands. He was on" OF those
henionant old suntlowers hose smiles beam
alike upon the just and the unjust, |ho-e
wel-tilled pocket book Is always 1ortAcCl-
ing to change ten or twenty Tor son:
casual companion who doesn't happen t.
have any small bills about him, and whose
worldly goods are but as Legitimate spC..s
for the confidence gentry-that Is 10 say,
iudging from outside appearances. Ills tWJ
COMPANIONS, whom we will call Mess1s.
Sharpe and Ketchum-because their right
full designations are unknown to our inioLI--
aQt-nttu no I4INult t5tilpi4oiA'
By and by the conductor came arounl
70 collect his fare for berths. The elderly
gentleman being the first IN order, pro
duced pocketbook, at once well worn AMI
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 exchange on
New York and Buffalo, had run out o.
currency. Sharpe paid his small bill, but
ketclum ransacked his pocketbo0k and
vest pockets in vain Sharpe very gen ?
ouslv offered to pay his companions bill.
but the latter wouldn't hear VI any such
sacrifices on the part Of his friend. I-E
| would, however. gladly accept casa for
one of his drafts. if Sharpe would be 80
| accept any other favor.
1t TRANSFERRED that Sharpe would be 30
| kind. so Ketchum produced d draft pUr-
| porting to be drawn to his order on the
| Commercial National Bank OF Buffalo,
amounting to Sl51 40. But Sharpe coul1
gentleman be so unutterably gracious as 10
| break fifty for him Of course he would
but lie couldn't. But a happy thought
struck Sharpe. If his companion had >uc-
| delicate scruples about permitting him t"
pay his BILL perhaps the elderly gentleman
would purchase the draft. Certainly he
would do that, but investigation revealed
|
bill. except some desultory change the con
ductor had given him for "a five when -e
paid his bill.
Finally Sharpe and ketchIun laid their
heads and their finances together and SIC
ceeded in making up & purse Of SOB -. IL
Guiding the draft Tor :!57 20 and So IL
| currency. whtreat the elderly gentleman
| gave them Two 500 notes and his = IL
change. they generously Throwing il the
forty cents wherewith ketchum pai,, his
| bill. and the conductor went on his way Ye-
| ioiclng. While the tnancleTs prepared 10 70
tire by having their hunks made AZ.
Morning came and revealed the fact TIA.
| Sharpe and hetchum had found it coLve-
nient to stop oft at some casual station
during the night though the elderly gen
tleman was found in his berth all nj ght.
| The conductor, fearing from indications
| that his passenger had been swindled. a,-
preached him and said: Il am afraid that
the draft you got last night is a fraud.
We'll" was the bland response OF tie
| imperturhabe Greene. Il presume it is, but
| if it's any bigger fraud than the two 800
notes We're, why, then. | amt SJ3 III COOS
money ahead-which | think | am"
The elder gentleman then said thai lie
was not in the habit of passing countertt {
money, but he happened to have them with
INN, and, having taken a somewhat exact
| measure of the TWO chaps who had attempt
ed TO swindle him. he had quietly deter
| mined to beat them at their own game.
1t you want anything more, said he, 10
make this affair all satisfactory l can give
You good references, either in Kansas CItv
or New York, where live"
Oar informant didn't demand the refer.