Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-09-25

YACHT RACE IN NEW YORK
HARBoR.
''Perhaps, after all, the most
successful game one can play the
world over is bluff. said old
Judge Van Snyder the other day,
as he looked up from reading the
arrangements for the coming
yacht race.
Don't catch the idea," said his
old crony Diffcuderfer, waking up
from an after-dinner nap.
II was thinking said the old
judge, retrospectively, "of ia
nous yacht race | attended in
New York harbOr a long time
ago. 1t was between an English
schooner named the Sylph, l
think, and the famous America.
There was large party If young
bloods aboard the judges steam
er, and the betting ran very high.
OF course all New Workers want
ed to back the America
And didn't you" yawned old
Diffenderfer, settling for another
forty winks.
'T'm coming to that. No; as l
just said, we were all anxious to
oct on the home boat, and we'd
have done so If it hadn't been for
the actions of the loud-voiced but
shabby looking sport, who went
around sneering at the Yankee
schooner and claiming a sure vic
tory for the English Sylph"
Couldn't the police put stop
10 it?' growled Offender, open
ing one eye to take aim at q fly on
his nose.
Stop what? Why don't you
pay attention to what l am say
dng? Well, this fellow kept an
noying everybody by his insinua-
tions and vociferations, until at
last / pulled out a handful of gold
and said to him, My friend, you
seem TO do good deal of talking
on small capital. you are so sure
you're right, back your opinion
And everybody chimed in, Yes,
young man. put up or shut up"
ala, ha!' said old d. vaguely.
"Devilish good story, that
"Don't be an ass, Diffenderfer,"
said his chum, testify. eff you
have not the decency to-"
GO on, my dear old boy" said
Diffenderfer, sitting up with great
resignation. Il hear every word
you say"
"Oh, you do, Ell? Where was
/? Well, this feller kinder sneak
ed off at that, but just as we were
offering odds on the America, he
came pushing his way back thro'
the crowd, holding in his hand
big bag that seemed fairly burst
aug with twenties. "Where is
hep" he shouted. "Where is that
young fiat who wanted to bet with
me? Come now-I'll go you a
thousand to hundred the Sylph
wins, and he shook the bag in my
face.'
"Did, eh?" said Difenderfer,
slrowsily.
Eyes, sir, he did. was so
much taken aback that hesitated
oh, you're backing down, are
you?' said the fellow with grin
well, I'll tell you what I'll do,
Mr.. Know-it-all. I'll bet you O
cool thousand to fifty that the
America Ioses.' l was so much
astonished at the man giving such
tremendous odds, and with the
coin right in sight too, that | saw
at once he had sure thing, so /
refused to bet. Put up or shut
up said the man with the bag
III make it tvU thouaand.
"You took him up then ?" said
Diffenderfer, shading his eyes with
bis hand.
"No, Of course l didn't l saw
fhat-we all saw-that something
was up. So l just backed square
down, and went quietly around
hedging and laying any odds they
wanted on the Sylph. Most of
the swell did the same, and we
were surprised and delighted to
find that there was a crowd of
hard looking customers on board
who took our bets, though we had
to give the biggest kind of odds
generally
"Well-and then ?"
*'The upshot OF the whole mat
ter was that the America won by
five miles, and every decent-look-
ing man on the boat was cleaned
out down to a car ticket. The
roughs had won all the money.
AS our party landed at the wharf,
all looking very savage at our
stupidity, the buffer alluded to
winked at the crowd and threw
his bag overheard. To our amaze.
eaent it foated lightly away,
What did you have in that bag p
I asked. oh, nothing in the
world replied the capper, skip.