The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1874-07-23

/
Between Truckee and Ogde,
there are Eve regularly organized
bands Of "three card monte men,
Not one person in . thousand has the
slightest idea Of the magnitude oI
their business, the number of passen.
gers they fleece, or the amount oI
money they win. Their operations
are confined exclusively to the smok.
ing car and freight caboose, hence
many who travel the road never get q
glimpse Of them. Those who lose
BY the game feel so mortified and
chargrined to think they have been
guilty of betting that they seldom
make any complaint. Hence, though
these men have infested the road for
over two years, little attention has
been paid to their movements.
The monotony Of the long ride
across the continent is admirably
adapted to ft mems minds for the APP
probation of anything that is droll or
laughable. At Elko, Toano, Winne-
mucca or Battle Mountain, just as the
passengers begin to find the hours te.
dious,the most comical figure imagin-
able steps aboard the stage. An old
threadbare coat with the largest Of
brass buttons and the largest Of swal-
low-tails, pair of pantaloons that
sport ample patches Of diverse colors,
one leg of which is stuffed into =
heavy cowhide boot and the other
torn square of At the knee, q fashy
red shirt, an oldfashioned viewed vest,
and broad d-brimmed hat whose sides
are fastened up by means Of guys,
complete the costume. In his hand
is long blacksnake whip, and attach
ed to his boots is q pair of heavy
Spanish spurs. His long, black, mat
ted hair and bristling beard, his awk-
ward, stumbling gait, the jingling
bells on his spurs-but, above oil,
the ridiculous, self-satis6ed grin
which overspreads his oountenance--
attract the attention Of al.
He has evidently been running to
catch the train, and % he pulls red
bandanna handkerchieffr from his pock-
ct to wipe the perspiration from his
brow . dozen twenty dollar pieces
roll upon the floor. Picking them up,
he puts them into leather bag on
purpose full foot long, that is liter
ally crammed with glittering gold
pices. He giggles and laughs over
the mishap, and informs the astonish-
ed bystanders that he had ''lots more
money than that when he first sold
his cattle. "He lost q right smart
sum bettin' agin . game Of keerds, !"
but he didn't mind the loss because
the fellows showed him how to do it,
and when he got back to Texas he
could win all the money he wanted,
and he chuckled and grinned over the
way he was going to nip those Texas
boys. Just BY way of illustrating the
trick he takes three greasy cards from
his pocket and commences to throw
them clumsily backward and forward
on the corner of his coat tail, which
he has laid across his lap. His nom
sensical clack never ceases for an in
stant. He explains that the jack
of diamonds is the wining card, and
that the jack of clubs and spades lose.
"Here, now, you jest bet; jest bet in
fun" he says to well dressed pas
senger near him. The man willingly
complies, and turns up the right card.
The greenhorn laughs and giggles
harder than ever, rand protests that its
accidental, or at least that little
more practice would enable him to do
better. Again they try for fun, and
again the passenger wins. Some one
else now tries the experiment, and
likewise turns up the jack of dia-
monds. Jusn then gentleman steps
up who has "through check" stuck
in his hat, and offers to bet ten dol
lars. Oh, no, the greeny couldn't
think of it. He had Just learned the
game, and must practice it some yet,
but he "reckoned" he would be ready
for the boys by the time he got to
Texas. The stranger wanted to bet
the cigars, and finally the follow con-
sented, and Of course, lost.
He took out that wonderful purse
to pay the boy who brought the ci-
gars, and in looking for a quarter
turned out nine thousand dollars in
golden eagle, double eagle and gold
dollars into his lap. Attracted by the
musical clinking Of the coin every
man in the car is standing around
The passenger who won the cigars, is
exceedingly anxious to bet. He urges
that even if the greenhorn loses he
will have enough money left. AT last
fifty dollars side is put up, and the
stranger wins! A hundred dollars,
and he wins again! The cards are
shuffled go awkwardly that no one
could possibly make mistake. The
greeney refuses to bet any more be-
cause he has no luck. The first pas
senger now wants to bet, but the
grsenhorn win not except i wager Of
less than one hundred and fifty dol
lars, because he wonts . chance to win
back his money. They money is plac-
ed upon the card, and, when the lat
ter is turned up,the stranger has won.
Two hundred dollars q side is now
wagered, and, while something at
the back part ofthe car attracts the
poor greeney's attention, the passen.
ger lifts up the care, shows the crowd
that it is the jack of diamonds, and
for future reference pinches the corn.
er. The unsuspecting dealer lose'
the bet and hands over the money
but bars out this man too, as being
like the former one, too lucky.
Somebody else, ,lured by the tempt
ing success of his fellow-passengers
offers to try his luck. No bets viii
be taken of less than Eve hundred dol
lars. II is such . dead sure thine
that the man planks down the money
OF course he puts it upon the cart
with the corner dented and turnet
i - Tia s,n,~r;r< IS <ho pocsornnr'