The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-05-07
rSWINDLED.

1uoEe WeT6 lUltr Ill bn6 pdTJy--a Da0k
manager from St. Paul., two tEnglishmen 60
ing out on the plains to hunt, and myself
and we occupied a section iii a car on the
train bound for Glyndon, in the Red River
Valley, That was as far as the train went in
those days. We had been discussing the
strange. things that happened, occasionally
out in the Western, world, and our converse
tion received the silent attention OF two 9TH
en- people beside ourselves. Zone listener
was q. tall man,, in ordinary dress, with a
clean shaven face, excepting in so far as that
he wore what the Americans sometimes call
sf ehn shade r hed o eyer WAS sa
elderly man., whose dress and general APP
pearance stamped him as being frontiers
man. The tall man sat in the section ahead
I ofus, on the next seat to US, as If for the
purpose of better hearing our conversation.
Not in an offensive way, but as men listen to
a general conversational a public place. The
little man sat on the opposite side OF the car,
leaning out Of his seat across the passage in
our direction ni-li pi Iljq. ed tf.t.
swell, yes" said the bank manager, in
answer to question put by one Of the hunt
ers, " once was. 1t was during the week
. OF the State Fair at St. Paul. At that time
all the farmers, or grangers, as we call them
sometimes, are in the city. The State Fair
is good deal like yollr agricultural shows;
guess it's the same thing under another
name; anyhow, it fills the city with agricul-
turists of every kind and every kind of BUSH
ness man that has to do with them. On
the Thursday afternoon, just before the
bank was going to close, l was stand
ing inside the counter, near the teller's
drawer, when in walked regular
old prairie hay-seed. The town was half
full Of them, and this fellow was a type of a
certain class of Them He had on an old
pair of trousers tucked into pair of boots
that probably had never seen backing since
they were bought, and a buffalo coat thrown
back, exposing flannel shirt without any
collar, but set off with a bran new green
satin tie. He had, Isupposed, bought this,
and the new hat he wore, to fix himself up
q little for the fair. He wanted polishing up
badly enough. He wore also a pair of large
spectacles with broad horn rims. 70 look at
him you would see at once that he was one
of those everlasting bores that talk you to
death about crops, and argue all night about
the merits of rival mowers. He lounged up
to the teller, and said in a voice that sounded
like clap of thunder in a yinegar-j Jar,
Say, mister! are you running this yere
bank? @ '.i'E rI fL.a4 Itt t.'.i +
"'What is't you want?' asked the teller,
CURLY, who was about to check his cash and
get away. Er., .3I. .t.Is.
'"Waal, I'll tell you how it is and then
he turned and addressed his conversation to
me. You see, Squire, I've got some animals
down to the fair here. There's two on 'em
is the finest steers out of the hull crowd, and
Their; but Phi be goldoned if you or any
square man won't say as my two steers
mind you, Pm speaking of the two red steers
amt the best in the hull lot. They are,
Squire, and you'd better believe it.
Well, haven't got anything to do with
awarding the prizes l ssid impatiently;
'and we're going to close the bank now:
office hours are about up . H
"'You amt got nothing to do with them,
know, Squire, know that well enough: but
ma + 4
them steers, and six more, to Chicago buy
er, for matter Of $3.50. It's dirt cheap,
Squire, and you'd say it if you saw them
steers of mine. Mabbe you've been down
to the fair"
"'Yes, yes,' said, anxious to get rid of
him. Il saw the steers, and the cows.
too - .C z
''Why, them amt cows; them's Durham
calves,' he began, when l struck in and
said: ''r'''' ,|1 ""- tN4
"'Look here, 1 don't know anything about
your steers or your animals, anyhow; what's
your business with meY ' .tF
swell, Squire, hearn you was the handi-
est chap at your business on the hull street,
and want you to go slow bit. for l amt
much up to your business folks ways, and
pll tell you what Pm a-running for.' He
pulled out long, greasy looking pocket
book from the depths of an inside pocket,
and began to unite the Irvine that fastened
it up. This yere Chicago man has given
me this yere check. Now, l amt much on
the count myself, and want to know if this
is square deal. He says that's the same
thing as 500 in greenbacks, Now, want to
know if that's so, for no man amt going to
take away them steers if there's any shenana-
CHIN about this yere check; you can bet
your sweet life on that, Squire.'
81 examined the check, which was drawn
on the First National Bank, Chicago, and
signed W. r. Gritty. It appeared to be in
due form; but though had heard the draw
, er's name did not know him, and SO told
my granger friend.
2n "Waal, don't know a heap about him,
myself he said. Il sold him some cattle
last fair time, and he paid me part in cash
and part In one OF them checks, and I got the
D money albright; but the checks worn't the
same color as this yere one, and didn't say
nothing about no National bank on to it. It
had two mems name on it, and one of their
pictures in the corner, so as folks could know
him, guess, II he didn't act square up to
g the handle with them.'|e qrn s-ani. u
81 A different bank, that's all. You saw the
check he gave you was paid?' i' 'f2'i777
ie" Yes, yes, it were paid o X; and If you
say this yere's all right, why, guess I'll let
him take them steers away on Monday. ''n
n 'sC'I don't know thatt is all right; / only
> suppose So ! can't cash it for you, il that's
go slow, Squire, L amt asking
n you to do, nothing that amt regular; but
mebbe you could do something with this we're
othingin'h day or so, if Ileave it with YOU, as
d would fetch the dollars and cents out of it,
Ell, Squire? How's that?' 07T
10" III send it to Chicago for collection il
you like;' and l couldn't help laughing OF
the scared look he put on at the proposition,
it to Chicago! Held up there,
Is Squire. j don't suppose but you know, your
business; but have heard they're mighty
Il slick lot down to Chicago fidi lgbEiifN :
.ed'tsQ o., that will be all right, you needn't be
afraid I said; for he evidently thought the
. people Of Chicago were on the lookout for
WAL, Squire, II, you're satisfied, I am;
bit be mighty keerfil them beats down TO
Chicago, don't swipdle us both out of them
FIVE hundred and fifty dollars. It would
come mighty hard on me just now, for I'm
; going tolput up "a new house on my place
down to Kandiyohi County, and the old wo-
mans on the build, too, for her cheese fix
ihgs.iNnuS 40 iFiiI-nii HiuryIvp
"Thep he. invited me to come down to the
fair next day to look at his two red steers,
and offered TO stand the drinks there and
then il / would come out; and then he went
off I may tell you that when told him to
endorse his check, he first wanted me
to do it because 1t wasn't much in his way,
and he'd had to get q neighbor to do it last
year; but finally he wrote 'Sedl Bird, Kan
diyOhi County, Minnesota across the back
Of the check, making one line Of each small
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