Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-08-31

cited. He pulled out bis money to cover
his tickets, and askel me to do the game. 1
told him would not put another dollar on
the table, and advised him to take up his
money and let the tickets 20. But Charley
could not be persuaded and the Lottery man
explained again:
'There is" says he, 'sonly two more
draws TO complete the scheme. You can't
possibly lose the money that you have al
ready won that is not at stake, only the
tickets and the money with which You cover
them. This time you must put up twelve
dollars. You may draw another prize. If
you draw blank, then, for the last draw
you will have to cover your stakes with
twenty -four dollrrs. II you draw prize
you will tase il with the prize already drawn;
If you draw blank, then you will take
down your present winnings and we take
the tickets and their covers, which il our
per centsge in the scheme"
Perhaps If had not been SO suspicious
| might have been tempted by the good
luck had already had, TO finish the draw
ing of a scheme by which, according to the
lottery mans explanation, could not be
loser, and as the game then stood was GER
tain to be winner of the difference be-
tween the money put up and the hundred
dollars already won-sixty four dollars; but
| begun to smell rat very strong, and
wanted Charley to quit, / finally told him
that would have nothing more to Go with
the drawing, and told him II be would 60
on, he must do so by himself, and that he
was welcome to my winnings This he
proposed to do, but the lottery man object
ed. He said that both must finish the
drawing. This objection looked still more
suspicious.
Just in this stage Of the game the man
who had sat at tire desk in the corner all
the time, came up with money In his hands
and proposed to take my place, saying that
If the gentleman was unwilling or did not
have the money to finish the game, and as
his winnings would be forfeited If the draw
ing was not completed, he would put up
the money and finish it. But the lottery
man again objected. 1t was, he said, con-
trary to the rules Ct the Lottery Company
which be represented and which he was
bound 10 carry out. Unless l went on with
the drawing he would have to claim the for
felt of the prize money of both Charley and
myself. Theu Charley became eloquent in
his appeals, begging me not to make him
lose all had won for him.
Things begun to look more and more sus-
picious. For the first time begun 10 sus-
pect that all was not right with my young
frien! Charley. Was L sure that he was
Mayor Anderson's son? In moment the
whole cheat flashed upon me. But how
was to get out of the scrape? L thought |
that discretion, in such case, was the bet
Ter part of valor, and when the lottery man
said to Charley that if his friend desired to
60 to the hotel to get money, be would keep |
the scheme open for half an hour, quietly |
got in reach of the door, when | informed |
them thai l would go to the hotel and re-
turn within half an hoar-perhaps.
When got into the street drew good |
long breath, and laughed out; not so much |
at my fortunate escape as at the idea of my |
permitting myself to be so completely i'm
posed upon.
On my return to the hotel L met Col. An
derson.
"Colonel," says 1, ''Your son just now
got me into mighty nice scrape."
"My son?" says the Colonel.
eyes," says L.
"What sop" says he.
"Why, your son Charley"
"My son Charley! l have no son Char
ley"
"Tee thunder you hain't," saysI. "Why,
he is staying here in the hotel with you |
now. He told me SO himself, not fifteen |
minutes sgO.
Sin this hotel? He told you so himself?"
said the Colonel beginning to look little
serious, as if be thought there was some
imposition beiog prsctic d upon him by
some one.
"Yes, Colonel" says /, 81 have just left |
a young gentleman who calls himself your
son Char y. BE is very smart fellow,
and If he would turn bis talents to some |
honest pursuit you Woul have no need to |
be ashamed of him."
Seeing that the Colonel was becoming
mystifed, told him the whole story Of my |
adventure with his son Charley at the Lot
terry Office, at which he enjoyed a good |
laugh, and which afforded him source of |
amusement, at my expense, all the way on
the voyage home. The fact is, expect he
will never let me besr the last of it, and it |
is for the double purpose of forestalling bis
and other exaggerated accounts of the way
L vas humbugged, and as 3 warning to
others, as self confident as myself, who may |
visit New York, that give this true ac-
count of the affair to you.
Msny will think that they would have had |
better sense than to be fooled as l was, but
they will agree with me that Charley An
derson is monstrous sharp fellow, and for
ways thst are dark ard tricks that are vain,
New York is peculiar.
Yours It'll death, Jos. JONES.