Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-10-29
Among the M0nte-Men.

Among the M0nte-Men.
We are gliding through the canyon of
the Truckee River, at night, nine out of
ten of the passengers are doing, when
suddenly the door opens, and in with
the cold night comes the queerest speci
men of humanity ever saw. One side
of the slouched hat is pinned up, and by
the lamplight discloses face that is
young and not unhandsome, pair of
honest blue eyes and a good forehead
The beard is unshorn, however, the hair
unkempt and every lineament of the
countenance bctrays unmistakable YER
dancy. 1t requires no particular knowl-
edge of character TO decide that the fell
low is green Missourian, fresh from
the primitive precincts of Pike County.
One leg of the corduroy pants is stuffed
into the top of an old cowhide boot.
These, and the wooden shirt, and the d.
lapidated vest and coat, render his cos.
tune decidedly seedy. As il totally OBJ
livious of the situation and surroundings
he begins humming in low, musical
voice
Away down South in Dixie,
Away, away"
Keeping time TO his weird song, he
waltzes with light, shuttling step
the entire length of the car, and in
IA twinkling has disappeared He has
molested no one, noticed no one, and
yet everybody is awake and talk
ing about this strange parsonage. He
had not awakened them by his hummlng
song or shutiling dance so much as by
his strange, indescribable tone, manner
and conduct, The boy on the front seat
is convulsed with laughter, the young
miss across the aisle giggles with glee,
broad smiles overspread the faces of men
and matrons, and the more serious NUT
ter Poor fellow he is crazy" They
are unconscious of the person
age at whom they have been look
ing as of the scenery through which they
have been gliding. Ali that good wife
would scarcely have awakened her
drowsy husband to look at that fellow"
had she imagined for an instant that it
was the "tcrrible Slim JIM" chief of the
monte sharps. In little time he re-
turns, and with the same distracted air
proceeds to walk through the car. I'M
PEELED by curiosity, several of us fol-
low him into the smoking-car. He is
surrounded by group of laughing fell
lows who are listening to his story. At
Truckee, he said, lady had stepped up
to the ticket office to buy her ticket, and
found that her purse was missing. She
had asked him for forty dollars, and prom
Used to pay when she got aboard the
train. He let her have the money, and
now had gone "clcan through" the cars
without finding her. lie told the story
in such droll manner that everybody
laughed, even while they piticd the
poor fellows loss. He seemed to care
but little, however, for he drew from his
pocket large leathcrn bag, fully eight
cen inches in length, that was half full
of shining gold pieces. He told how he
had been swindled out of some Of his
money by the fellows called "monte
sharps," and proceeded to illustrate the
manner in which they fooled him. BE.
lieving that he had thoroughly learned
the game from the rascals, he offered to
bet that no one could tell the ace Of dia-
monds, and in less than five minutes he
lost $500 to well dressed gentlemen who
stood around. His hands moved 80 awk-
wardly that child could pick out the
right card.
No man ever saw $4,000 placed con-
veniently within his grasp who was not
tempted TO covet the lucre. So 1T was
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 the car this man was the
most perfect villain II Gods handwrit-
ing in his countenance was not wholly
unintelligible. Carried away with the
one idea of stealing the Missourian's
money this fellow plaDked 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 low whistle from the fur
ther end of the car announced the com
ing Of the conductor.
Quicker than "scat" the cards disap-
peared, the cappers and all hands
dropped into their seats. Slim Jim drew
his hat down over his eyes, and the vic
tim, after glaring fiercely around for
moment, settled back into his seat In
moody silence. The conductor entered
and passed slowly through the car, but
not single hint did he obtain OF the
fact that a game had been going on.
Hardly had he left the car before the
villainous- looking victim demanded an
other chance to bet. From another
pocket he had drawn twenty dollars, his
last cent, and eagerly asked for "a
sight" Coolly disregarding his impor-
tunities, Slim Jim said, "No, sir, don't
want to break you" In another minute
he had disappeared through the door,
dancing and humming Away, away"
A quarter of an hour later we found
Slim Jim and his best capper, Mr. Nc
Clellan, seated in the forward passenger
coach operating on an old Oregon farmer.
The man conscientiously believed that
Slim Jim was half-witted fellow, who
had in some way.become possessed OF
$4,000. He further believed the poor
fellow had been feeced by the monte
sharps, and was bunglingly attempting
to initiate the game. He saw the capper
win three or four hundred dollars, and
had even turned the card once or twice
49,. ..,no a h,,rdrcd tlnllara At last