Middletown transcript., 1875-05-22


staked, the cards turned. the queer
identified and Texas lost his money
He said he didn't care about his loss
and offered another bet of the same kint
which be lost. The same stranger thel
offered to bet him one hundred dollars
but Texas remarked with his habitua
gleeful chuckle, mo! you have bea
me twice and | won't bet with you any
more" The third stranger then made
bet with Texas, and wen the money
as he did also in second bet. All tht
while Texas conducted himself in 8
manner that led one to believe he wal
a most innocent, untutored, and simple.
minded countryman He then declined
to make any more wagers with the
strangers above named. He, however,
seemed desirous that the writer of this
article should try his luck with bis
cards, which he continued to turn, and
to urge the writer to make bet.
remarked that l wouldn't bet, but that
could identify the proper card "every
time" which | did on each occasion of
bis turning them. The two strangers
seemed very anxious to bet with Texas,
and with their hands full of green
backs made many propositions offering
to bet any sum. from ten dollars to a
hundred. But Texas with his invari-
able chuckle answered them that they
had beat him twice and he would not
bet with them any more. He was will
ing, however, to bet with me, and the
two strangers urged me to bet saying
there was certainty of winning; and
offered to loan me the money to bet
with. | remarked I did not want the
money of Texas whereupon be said
with his same gleeful chuckle, '.You
need not stand back on my account if
you win my money you are just as well
come to it as if you worked for it and
earned it; and. he added, I've got
plenty of it; more than fifteen thousand
dollars about me at this time" But,
there seemed to me, hollow echo in
the words eff you win it." However,
l did not make bet, but young man
in neighboring seat proposed to stake
five dollars on the certainty of picking
out the right card Texas declined bis
on the ground that the bet
was too small, but remarked that if be
would make it twenty-five, be would
take the bet. l reached out my foot
and touching the young man, gave him
a sign not to make the bet, and he de-
clined to have anything to do with the
business. Texas seemed anxious that
| should take bet | told him that
did not wish to bet; but that | was
sure | could take up the queen every
time he turned down the cards. He |
declared l could not succeed in SO
1oing. and he threw down the cards a
number of times and at each successive
throw / reached out my hand and lifted
up the queen card as easily and GER
ainly as if the fsce of it had been visi-
ole At each of these times Texas
made me an offer to bet i; and every
ime | declined he then undertook to
lggravate me up to the betting point
md tauntingly said "You're afraid to
'et." Eyes" said I, II am afraid"
: Hal" said be, you've no back bone"
That's so" said 1. "You permitted
ne to back you down" said he. ''That's
fact" said 1. During this time the
We other strangers made several offers
o bet, but Texas each time declined.
hey then finding he would not take
heir bets seemed anxious that [ should
et him, and urged me again and again
D bet him as there was dead certainty
{ winning the money: and once when
'exas turned his head while the cards
~ before him. one of these strangers
cached forth his hand and slyly turned
D the queen and showed me how easily
could win the money All this time
le card with the queen on it was turn.
up at one of the corners so that none
ut blind man could fail to see it, and
ct Texas seemed oolivious to the fact,
nd did not even notice or apparently
erceive the action of the young stranger ,
hen he reached forth his hand and
yly lifted the card so much as to en- :
Die me to see the queen on the under :
de. I told them I did not wish to
in the money Of such simple-hearted
ranger. They said, ''go ahead ,
bet him" "take his money" ""if he is
lch simple fool he ought to lose his
ohey." insisted, however, that l ;
d not want his money; and then one
them said, "Well! bet him any way
show him you can win his money, =
I'd then return it to him." and show =
IN what fool he is," and they urged 6
e very strenuously and became so =
'rsistent that at last I said to them
at I had seen and heard of this :
Three Card Monte" business before
at day, and didn't propose to 90