The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-10-29
Among the MOnte.Men.

Among the Monte.Men.
w 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 quccrest speci-
men OF humanity ever saw. One side
OF the slouchcd hat is pinned up, and by
the lamplight discloses face that is
young and not unhandsome, a pair of
honest blue eyes and good forehead
The beard is unshorn, however, the hair
unkempt, and every lineament of the
countenance bctrays unmistakablc YER
dancy. 1t requires no particular knowl-
edge of character to decide that the fel-
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 cowhidc boot
These, and the wooden shirt, and the di-
lapidatcd vest and coat, render his cos
tune decidedly scedy As if totally OBJ
liviOus of the situation and surroundings
he begins humming in low, musical
Away down South in Dixie,
Away. away
Keeping time to his weird song, he
waltzes with light, shutiling step
the entire length of the car, and in
a twinkling has disappeared. lie 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 humming
song or shuffling dance so much as by
his strange, indescribable tone, manner
and conduct. The boy on the front scat
is convulsed with laughter, the young
miss across the aisle gigglcs with glcc,
broad smiles oversprcad 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. All! that good wife
would scarcely have awakened her
drowsy husband to -" look at that fellow"
had she ina gined for an instant that it
was the terrible 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 a group of laughing fell
lows who are listening to his story. At
,lruckee, he said, Il 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
lsed 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. He told the story
IN such a droll manner that everybody
laughed, even while they pitied the
poor fellows loss. lie seemed to care
but little, however. for he drew from his
pocket large leathern 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 so awk-
wardly that Il child could pick out the
right card.
No man ever saw $4,000 placed con-
within his grasp who was not
cmptcd to covct the lucre. So it was
With the black-visaged man who sprang
eagerly from his seat as soon as the
sreenhorn began losing his money. OF
Ill the men in the car this man was the
most perfect villain if Gods handwrit-
ng in his cOuntenance was not wholly
Carried away with the
'ne idea of stealing the Mis- 7ourian's
money this fellow plankcd down his
lash, his watch, his gold chain and-lost!
All this occupied not over ten minutes,
including the waltz, the game and the
Just as the fellow turned the
wrong card low Whistle from the fur
her end of the car announced the com
ng of the conductor.
Quicker than "scat' the cards disap-
Feared, the cappers and all hands
irOpped into their seats. Slim Jim drew
lis hat down over his eyes, and the vic
i'm, after glazing tiercely around for a
settled back into his seat in
moody silence. The conductor entered
md passed slowly through the car, but
lot single hint did he obtain of the
act that a game had been going on.
Hardly had he left the car before the
misunderstanding victim demanded an
)ther chance to bet. From another
pocket he had drawn twenty dollars, his
asst cent, and eagerly asked for "a
sight" Coolly disregarding his impor-
;unities, Slim Jim said, "No, sir, l don't
want to break YOU In another minute
ne had disappeared through the door,
lancing and humming Away, away"
A quarter of an hour later we found
Slim Jim and his best capper, Mr.. Nc
Jlellan, seated in the forward passenger
,oach operating ON an old Oregon farmer
| he man cOnscientiously believed that
Slim Jim was half-witted fellow, who
lad in some wayfbecomc possessed of
$4,000. He further believed the poor
elbow had been tlecccd by the monte
harps, and was bunglingly attempting
o initiate the game. He saw the cappcr
win three or four hundred dollars, and
lad even turned the card once or twice
hat won Il hundred dollars. At last
Slim Jim refused to let the capper bet
my more because he was too lucky, and
land, which he bet, won, and instantly
eturned to the capper. After this he
vas too honest to bet. Il know could
vim your money, young man. hut will
lot burden my conscience with such a
u INV. OhSC AO UoOh Out pOChCG-
,ook and showed check for a thousand
dollars and several gold coins, yet he
would not bet a dollar. He was going |
Jack to visit his old home after many
'ears of absence, and his family sat near |
Tim. Perhaps the pure, upturned face
# his sleeping little girl, or perhaps the |
rusting look of his dear old wife, helped
0 restrain him; but, at all events, his |
conscience would not let him rob half |
vitted fool, and thereby, all unawares,
le saved cool thousand. believe the |
mans sterling integrity touched the
monte mems hearts, for they made no |
urther effort to play until they reached |
Reno. |
Here we met the WESTERN bound pas
'enger, and l had an excellent opportunl-
y of watching the entire working-up"
process. Slim Jim and his three cappers
appeared to be total strangers. They
never met, spoke, or even looked at each
other. Strolling leisurely through the
rain, each "spotted" his man that in his
opinion was most "gullible," and sat
Town by him. The cappers are genial,