Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-07-23

every dollar he possessed, and the
F" drunken foOl' was wearing his gold
watch and diamond ring.
! Old Californians seem to be the most
gullible. Their experience, instead of
protecting them, is a positive injury. The
rules that apply in draw poker, or in
Fighting the tiger" have nothing to do
with three-card monte. In those games
there seems to be about equal chances in
favor of the two sides; but in this one all
the chances are apparently against the
poor simpletOn who deals The railway
officials do all in their power to prevent
! passengers from being teeced. The con-
ductOrs invariable 90 through the cars and
warn everybody against the danger of
betting. Frequently their kind admoni-
tiOns are met with scOrn and insult. % Do
YOU think we have lived in California
twenty-five years for nothlng?" asked one
man with a sheer. The conductor passed
| through the car half an hour later and
the old fOrtv-niner was minus his watch
and sixty dollars.
One OF the saddest cases in the history
of the business is that of a young clergy
man who was sent from one of the
| Western States to attend to the affairs of
a deceased man. He came to California
collected the accounts, disposed of the
property, and was carrying back the pro-
ceeds to the bereaved wife and children.
Slim jim entered the car and commenced
to spell out the words of the WARNING :"
which is posted up on all the cars of the
Central Pacific Company. In a loud.
| drawing tone of voice, and with much
| hesitation, he read: Beware! Beware
| of t-h-r-e-e-c-a-r-d- Them's the very
| fellows that robbed me,n he exclaimed
| With well-feigned Indignation he told the
story of his woes to the preacher, taking
particular pains to show that he had
plenty of money left. Before he arose
| from the seat he had explained so fully
that the preacher concluded to take care
of Slim Jim's surplus cash in order to
| prevent the mOnte-men from robbing him
again He so far failed, however, as to
| part with every cent Of the poor widows
money, and to be compelled to pursue
his Journey dead broke.
| These monte sharps base their chances
of success wholly upon the doctrine of
total depravity. They act SO stupidity,
so ignorantly, so utterly unacquainted
with their business, that people feel GER
tain of winning their money. No man
was ever yet beaten of cent who did
not deliberately attempt to rob the
| NlCdlCl 1uCl lOOh cG l4lC SIlNl Ou GIl6
| sly, put marks on its back and
sometimes even tear off corner in
order to swindle the foolish country
clown out of his gold. How the dealer
| manages to substitute another card for
the marked one, and how he completely
eludes detection, and defies the closest
scrutiny, is past finding out. He invari-
ably succeeds, but further deponent
knoweth not.
Into the smoking car, near Winnemuc-
ca, one time stumbled a drunken miner.
| ANY one who has ever seen the blue
shirt, slouched hat, muddy boots, I'M
kempt hair, and unshorn beard of the
"honest miner" would at once recognize
the man as coming direct from the gold
region. He makes a staggering attempt
at walking, but, catching his foot against
something, StumbleS heavily against a
| German passenger. AS he falls, his purse
slides from his pocket, and the man is
! fairly deluged with shower of gold.
! The Teuton makes no attempt at resent
ing the insult, but helps pick up the
| coins and assists the miner to a seat be-
! side him. He pays the utmost attention
| to his new-fOund friend The miner sew
eral times attempted to go out on the
! platform, but the man quickly restrained
| him. Mine Colt! mine friendr he
would say, you goes out dere you falls
| right away off," and, casting longing
glance at the pocket containing the purse,
! he would put his arms around the miner
and carry him back to his seat At the
| Humboldt House they took dinner, the
| German inducing the drunken man to
agree to settle therefor. Prior to eating
| they walked up to the bar to take drink.
The miner placed a five-dollar gold piece
on the counter in payment. The other
watched his opportunity, slipped the
| gold piece into his pocket, and placed
| lfdollar in its stead. The drunken man
took no notice of the transaction. In
deed, he was so far gone that he could
not sit down without assistance from
| the accommodating Bavarian. After
supper another Y was laid
soon disappeared into the same pocket,
and silver half dollar took its place
| The drunken fellow seemed blissfully OBJ
| livious of the audacious robbery of
which he was being made the victim. In
the car he went to sleep. The German
made three several attempts to take
| away the plethoric purse which projected
| provoklngly from the miners inner coat
| pocket. The pressure of the mans folded
arms accidentally prevented. After en-
! Toying good nap the fellow took out
three cards, and in slow, bungling man
ner shuft1ed them about in his lap. A
flnely,dressed stranger, passing by, in
CURED the name of the game and the
rule by which it was governed. "Three-
card ante" was the reply. ANTE (hic)
all the time; this card hic) wins, these
two chaps lose" Dealing away to an
imaginary opponent he turned up card
and fairly shouted with glee to find that
1t was the right one The stranger of
fered to take a hand and try it $50
worth. -" Wen, no (hic); got plenty
money (hlc); don't want no more" After
considerable parley, however, he relent-
ed and 500 was put up on side. The
stranger won and pocketed the cash.
The IeutOn was frantic Evidently the
miner was going to lose all his treasures.
Mein Got! mein friend" he whispered,
you playsh nit desc bad fellars, and
dey shust rObS you like anyoiukS," and
putting his finger alongside his nose and
Winking knowingly he added: "Bimeby
we has Won leetle game all by ourselves
| Thus urged, the miner declined further
| bets.
Twenty minutes later he and the Ger
man were sitting fiat on the floor at the
END OF the car, having Won leetle game"
The cards were spread, and the latter, to
make assurance double sure, picked up
the card while the miners head was
turned, saw that it was the right one, and
then went down into his pocket for all
the money he could raise. The miner