Mexico weekly ledger., 1881-12-22


Three Card Monte.
There are innumerable methods of
playing this interesting game, and
nearly every man in the country pre-
tends to know all about it. Our sim
pie description of n way in which
it is manipulated is only for the pc
rusal of those who have the moral
courage to confess q sublime ignor-
ance of its deception. Those who
know all about it have, doubtless.
paid dearly for their wisdom.
Like the strap game, lost pocket
book, mysterious tobacco-box and
nickel dodge, Three Card MoGte
depends for success on the sublime
confidence which poor humanity
places in other specimens of poor
humanity. Without this confidence,
this child-like trust, Three Card
Monte would prove a dismal failure.
A professional gambler opens the
game to a crowd Of bystanders at a
fair, picnic, or in a smoking car on
. railroad, all supposed TO be utter
strangers to himself, by spreading
three cards, slightly bent, upon a ia
BILE before him. These cards are
usually two aces and a queen. The
queen, the fippant gambler speaks
dis~respectfnlly of as the ''lady card"
He rapidly throws them about on the
table, or board, face downward, af-
ter exhibiting them to the crowd to
prove hat the ''lady card' is in real
ity among them.
"Gentlemen, he says, "remem-
Der the lady card wins for you; the
aces for me. / will be honest with
you, gentlemen, I will be honest. 1
have two chances to your one, and
bet nv money on the aces. Any
gentleman who can pick up the lady
card can take my money, for I'll be
honest with you. Now here she
goes, (throws down the queen), and
here the aces, (throws them DOWN.
Now any gentleman Who a pick up
the lady card shall have a dollar
With quite q show of embarrass-
ment a green looking youth lifts the
queen which has not been moved since
thrown down.
"Bnlly for you, young man. And
here's your dollar. Now l bet any
gentleman twenty dollars that he can
not pick up the lady card"
Throws them as before.
"I-v will bet any gentleman fifty dol
lars-twenty dollars-ten dollars
five dollars that he cannot pick up
the lady card. Come, pick it up for
fun, some of yeu-here she goes
again. There's the lady card and
here are the aces. l will be honest
with you, gentlemen, 1 will be hon
est"
A stranger picks up the queen and
looks foolishly around.
"There, you see, you might have
had my money. Now, again.
will bet any man fifty dollars he can
not pick up the lady card.'
Throws them again.
"Got a match! My cigars out
wait until l get a light"
The gambler goes to the farther
end of the room, or car, and while.
ostensihly, getting into q converse
ton with another man, remains away
several minutes. During his absence
the. cards are examined curiously, ant
a happy though seems to strike the
foolish looking fellow. He take:
the stub of lead pencil out of hi;
pocket and makes a mark in u cor
ner of the lady card, which he re
places on the table. The gambler re
turns and resumes his work.
"Gentleman, now you see 1t, ant
there she goes. l will bet one hun
bred dollars that not a soul among
you-not a soul among you can picl
up the lady card"
He now proceeds to throw then
more rapidly, in order to confuse hi
audience.
81 will bet a hundred dollars,
hundred dollars, gentleman, that nj
man-that no "a can pick up tn
lady card"
All eyes are turned on the fooiis|
looking chap who had marked tn
card. He draws out bis wallet ant
empties it of some bills and loos
change.
'sT've got nine dollars to bet that
can pick it up,' he says, grinniDg a
the now thoroughly excited crowd.
Cant do it, young man; can
take no nine dollar bets-beside
you might loose, and you mothe
would lick you"
A loud laugh is directed at th
foolish looking fellow at this pleasan
sally of wit, and the crowd consul
ogether. Suddenly a man step
nervously forward and takes out
roll of bills. He has stood a pressur
of many thousand pounds to tn
square incl. Then, also, he is a
avericious chap who is anxious
win the gamblers money. He count
out fifty dollars, and hesltates.
''If l lift the queen it is my NOR
eye"
..Yes, sir. Let me explain fairly
for | will be honest with you. Ii 20
I'LL tue queen w" hh"J " -,
dred dollars" Here the gamble
takes out a corpulent roll of bill
Once more the man looks at the pr
vate mark on the card made by I'll
foolish looking fellow. Then
counts out another fifty dollars. Ill
two hundred dollars are placed viii
n third party, and with his hant
trembling like q leaf, the poor, dupe
idiot lifts-an ace!
At a late hour when the gent
twilight spreads her veil over the tai
of nature, the keen gambler and Il
foolish looking fellow can be o.
served consulting together. Furth'
comment is unnecessary.
The Men Who Succeed.
The rroot diHoranop among me