, 1874-02-07
rHE ART OF Rop1Na IN.

But that which must perplex tile roadcr, iB
how these victims, the country farmers, or city
boys, these retired parsons, or men about town,
get al1urcd into these piacos, They themselves
do not know where they are situated. and they
mover notice any Of tho pooplo who manage
thcm How is 1t. then, that strangers, whose
Typographical knowledge ia 30 undoyelopod,
manage to find their way to thoso hRunts and
hidden places "remote from the sum-" Tho
way in which they arc enticed thither Is ono Of
the moat interesting parts Of the subject. It is
the chaBo and not tho capture, which is often
the most thrilling. It is for that reason TINT 30
much Ia said concerning the devices resorted to
by these fishers after men, In order to secure
their prey.
THE SLANG OF TIE TRADE.
Tue records Of the Police Courts havo in Il
measure familiarized the non-gamblinG and nom
tlangy members Of tho community with the
technology at he gaming Fraternity Thus ,t' tho
ut large nautical porson in waterproof coat,
souch hat, short clay ppe, md roled-up pants,
standing III an attitude Of raro discomfort at q
wheel. No, mol Anybody Of average capacity,
"etceror " is. So also with d "roper." He IL
not Il apinnor Of yarn or o gymnast. neither is
ho q Sheriff nor hapgman. In his habits ho is
a"stcoro1," A ..capper" il never confonnded
III anomaly because urbanity is the principal
attribute Of tho 'capper." Allied to tile "cap-
per-" by aomo extraordinary freak Of BLUM ety-
inology, is the "bonnet," tlio English cousin OF
tho t.s american lean "eappsf' IT, Perhaps M the name
these people With empty leads perhaps not.
FUNCTIONS or THE HrEERER.
nq aa pe es o9S athsr
drama Of "nefarlo,ls money-making." which
holds the boards Of lifo with Il tonncty Of at
tractiyeneBB to which the credultty, groed and
nelf-eBteom Of mankind contribute perretually.
Your '4Rtoorcr" ia sort Of human pilot-lah
Iiko his Bca1y prototype. lie ie person Of vivid
Llie aud smooth exterior. He swims in tho
jaws Of tue sharks With inlpuuity, and gels bis
living from tho refuno thrown him by ilis greedy
master. Tie stoerer il not as rarely met with
in this latitude M his prototype and not q per-
SOD who patiently reads this nrticlo but has seen
him. Ho hangs around the large hotels, boards
Mt the commercial hostelrleB, fraquenta the bill
tho lecturc-room, happens outside the sanctu-
nry. Ho is nuInerously represented animal
1Io looks like u loafor, or Some other
iiiped whose monosyllabio name would not
grace these pages If it wore given.
Perhaps he combines the trade Of ''stcsrer"
with tho lower occupation We haye hintoI ut;
supplements bis earnings at the faro-tank by
thu dollars thrown him from the brothel. This
ing. His object is to "piok up tlat" III
gambling phraHooogy; in tue vornacnlal, to
ensnaro a stranger into tho granddaughter, or
into the ol,--genolally both. Tho moaus
operalldi yarloB With tho person to DO worked
upon. Let III giyo tts reader M example, which
is furnished by actual observation.
MI. WALTERS rERrLEx1T1Ea.
A fow days ago q gentleman With heavy sldo-
Sherman House, and WIS waiting ieisuroly down
Clark street, admring the buildings which line
the Court House square, whom aatTangor stopped
Lin. "arifitL, my dcar boy" said tile stranger.
~ haven't soon you! for sn ago; whep did You
leave Morrlson? It's good for soro oyos to SEQ
YOU again. How'a your wife? Bless my aoul,
wlly, didn't you write aud tell me you were COM
ing to town."
iii this was said with rapidity aud heartineea
tl!at would hayo touched tho heart OF brick.
Tho speaker accompanied each quory with q
Hhake Of the hand tl.at wus honesty itsclf.
Pardon me-. said tue stranger " there is
same mistake here. NY name ia Walters. l
move, was in Morrison, having just arrived here
from Yokohama, via San Francisco"
No." said tho hcarty person, ''it can't be.
You are joking, old follow"
mot at all, "sad tle Englishmau, for such he
waa. Hore ia my card"
spray excuse me. hopo haven't ofrendod.
You resemble lawyer of my acquaintance in
Morrison, mud ,mistook you; wouldn't like
to have made euoh q mistake"
Not ut all, not ut ALL" said the Engialman,
We ayo all llable to mistakes."
Won't you take drinkfn' said tho stranger.
THE NEXT STEP.
Now, to an ordinary person. this little rencon-
tro would heyo appeared NJ unworthy sucontl
thought. 10 ono loo!ser-o,, however, every
word was Of vast importance. MIR. Walters
moved OH, and the persop who Aad addressed
him met tic Interested observer, handed him a
card alrropsitiouBy. told him tho man waB
heavy taio, fresh from China, loads OF money,
worth working UP. Tho next thing seau waa tic
Interested on-loolor OIL the other side of the