The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-06-16
Seeing the Giftolgia.
The Experiences Of the Visitor and me Snowman
in chatham Street Museum.


sHere.are the dissolving Views said
the Snowman, with bland bow, as he
met the visitor just inside the door of the
museum, Chatham street, New York,
and guided him to row of peep-holes.
A glance through bad lens alta picture
which needed no distortion to make its
lines wildly improbable. satisfied all
curiosity as to that branch of the ex-
hihition. The visitor started for the fur
ther end of the long. dingy hall, where
a gibbering idiot was labeled ssThe What
is Itp'' a 300-pound fat woman was try
ing to look Ike 600 by sitting far for
ward in a stuffed chair, some young al
Ggators were crawling in cage, pref
ty young woman had her hair. stuck out
all ways straight, and a young fellow
was performing sleight-of-hand tricks
before an assembly of seventeen per-
sons.
s'Step this way" said the Snowman,
taking the visitor by the arm. land see
the Giftolgia:'
''The what?n
1.-The Giftolgia, sir. This way, if you
please
The visitor let himself be led into a
small room, which had been partitioned
off in a corner There was a glass case
! on a counter, holding lot of brass
jewelry, several watches, some opera
glasses, reyolvers and other articles,
each numbered. The Snowman stepped
behind the counter, and fellow who
looked like countryman entered, clos
ing the door behind him. The Giftolgia
was the gift envelope swindle, and it was
worked in the familiar old way. The
rascal behind the case put out box of
envelopes, which he said contained
numbers corresponding with those on
tho articles in the case, and offered a
choice for half a dollar. Then he let
the visitor draw once as an expert
ment, and the prize proved to be a
watch. Next the confederate rascal, in
the guise of countryman, bought a
chance and requested the visitor to draw
for him. The prize was an opera glass,
which, after some hagghng, was bought
back for 81.
''By heavens, SIR" said the Snowman
to the visitor, this must be your lucky
Saturday. Try it for yourself
t.No.''
80, yes. It's osly half dollar"
The visitor laid down the coin, and
the Snowman protfered the box of en-
velopes.
mo, / won't draw said the visitor.
ssFve given YOU that half dollar because
/ think I've had the worth of it. sup
pose I've seen this game worked q hum
bred times. Now, of course these en-
velopes contain only the numbers cali
ing for worthless prizes. What bias
heretofore puzzled me was how You
managed to substitute the watch or OPP
era glass card when drew for fun, or
for your stool pigeon. TO know that is
worth half dollar eta'
The Snowman was silent The visitor
reached over the glass case, and lifted an
envelope from a tiny hook. which held
it fiat against the back of the drop door.
The trick had been to deity and quick
ly slide the drawn envelope behind the
case, and unlock one of those contain
ing the ticket for a valuable prize; and
this was done so neatly by the show
man that it hardly seemed that the first
envelope had been out of sight at all.
The Snowman pocketed the coin, but
said nothing. He seemed dazed. The
visitor left him with his Giftolgia- -Neso
York San.