The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-11-05
her purse was missing. She had asked

MN fOr &4U, ana nau plomlseu " PaJ
him when she got aboard the train. he
let her have the money. and now had
gone .'clesn through the cars without
finding her. He told the story in such
a droll manner that everybody laughed.
even while they pitied the poor fellow S
loss. He seemed to care but little,
however, for he drew from his pocket a
large leathern bag, fully eighteen inches
IN length, that was half full of shining
gold pieces. He told how he was swim
died out of his money by the fellows
called ''rnonte sharps,: and proceeded
to illustrate the manner in which they
fooled him. Believing that he had
thoroughly learned the game from the
rascals, he offered to bet that no one
could tell the ace Of diamonds, and in
| less than five minutes he lost $40O to
we'll. dressed gentlemen who stood
around. His hands moved SO awk-
wardly that child could pick out the
right card.
No man ever saw $3.50 placed con-
veniently within his grasp who was not
tempted to covet the lucre. So it " as
with the black visaged man, who sprang
eagerly from his seat as soon as the
greenhorn began losing his money. Of
all the men in tho car this man was the
mos: perfect villain, if Gods hand
writing in his countenance was not
wholly unintelligible. Carried away
with the one idea of stealing the Mis-
sourian g money, this fellow planked
down his cash, his watch. his gold
chain, and--lost! All this occupied
not over ten minutes, including the
waltz, the game and the winning. Just
as the fellow turned the wrong card. a
low whistle from the further end of the
car announced the coming Of the con-
ductor.
Quicker than ''scat' the cards disap-
peared, the cappers and all hands drop
ped into their seats. Slim Jim drew
his hat down over his eyes, and the
victim, after glaring tiercely around for
a moment, settled back into his seat in
moody silence. The conductor en-
tered and passed slowly through
the car, but not single hint did he OBJ
tain of the fact that game had been
going on. Hardly had he left the car
before the villainous looking victim de-
manded another chance to bet. From
another pocket he had eagerly drawn
twenty dollars, his last cent, and asked
for sight Coolly disregarding his
opportunities Slim Jim said, mo, sir, |
don't want to break YOU. In another
minute be had disappeared through the
door, dancing and hummirg Away,
away.
AN HONEST MAN.
A quarter of an hour later We found
Slim Jim and his best capper, Mr.. Nc
Clellan, seated in the forward passen-
ger coach operating on an old Oregon
farmer. The man conscientiously be-
lieved that Slim Jim was half-witted
fellow, who had in some way become
possessed Of $4,000. He further be-
liesed that the poor fellow had been
tieeccd by the monte sharps, and was
bunglingly attempting to initiate the
game. lie saw the capper win three
or four hundred dollars and had even
turned the card over twice
, that won hundred dollars. At last
Slim Jim refused to let the capper bet
any more because he was too lucky,
and the latter slipped $3.50 into the old
man hand, which he bet, won and in
stantly returned to the capper. After
this he was too honest to bet. 81 know
could win your money, young
man, but | will not burden my con-
science with such a crime. Once he
took out his pocket-book end showed a
check for thousand dollars and sever
al gold coins, yet he would not bet a
dollar. He was going back TO visit his
old home after many years Of absence,
and his family sat near him. Perhaps
the pure. upturned face of his sleeping
little girl. or perhaps the trusting look
of his dear old wife, helped to restrain
him; but, at all events, his conscience
would not let him rob half-witted
fool. and thereby, all unawares. he
saved cool thousand. believe the
mans sterling integrity touched the
monte men hearts, for they made no
further efforts to play until they reach
ed Reno.