Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-08-23


their host was some gambling opera
tion.
Our two friends were not accus-
toned to gambling. They declined to
play at three-card monte or roulette
and were not inclined to dwell upon
the subject of betting with the bolas
They found, however, that nothing
else would interest the Mexican and
they were finally led into several pc
culiar wagers with him, in which
Yankee shrewdness was curiously
matched against Mexican trickery.
1t may not be known to all readers
that every Mexican is named from the
saint in the calendar whose day
chances to be his birthday. For ex-
ample, if boy is born on the 18th OF
January he is named Antonio, that be-
ing the day of the saint of that name
So that if you hear a Mexican lad
addressed as Antonio you may know
that his birthday is the 18th of JAN
uary.
Brett had incidentally learned this
usuage since he came to Mexico; but
Forney knew nothing of it.
AS they talked the Mexican asked
them their names, and they showed
him their surnames in their passports
merely pointing them out to him,
but not allowing him to see anything
else.
He then asked whether their ages
and the dates of their births were SET
down in the passports. They told him
they were. He then turned to Forney
and said
al bet you dollar to dollar (aposto
peso peso) that I can guess your
birthday"
1t came out afterward, through the
poems, that, in their furry when they
paid the two hundred dollars, they had
unwittingly dropped an old envelope
with Forney's name-Gerald Son it.
The Mexican had picked it up, and
supposing that christening usage was
the same in the United States as in
Mexico, he was ready to lay his wager
on that.
Forney was staggered; he was sure
the Mexican had not seen the date in
the passports. But Brett guessed the
game, aid saw the mistake the fellow
had fallen into. He nodded to Forney
to take it up.
Accordingly, Forney said. "Cincu-
enta pesos " (fifty dollars) J, unhesitat-
ingly, and not having the money he
took off his watch and laid it on the
table.
The Mexican glanced at the watch,
and opening a drawer took out fifty
silver dollars and laid them beside it.
"Very good" said he. "You were
born on September 30.'
Without a word Forney opened his
passport and showed the actual date
July Is.
The Mexican looked astonished but
seeing that he had lost, indisputably,
he pushed the silver across very courte-
ously. Being an acute fellow, too, he
at once jumped to two conclusions
that custom was not the same in the
United States, and that these two
Americans probably did not know the
Mexican usage. But to be sure he
presently asked, innocently enough:
Do you know my given name?'
"No," said Forney, which was quite
true; and he gave no indication Of un-
derstanding the drift Of the question.
But Brett had heard one of the
women in the rancho address the Mexi-
can as Benito when they were there
in the morning. Again he OWNED the
game and by quick effort of memory
he placed the day, from connecting it
with the birthday of Juarez, the Mexi-
can statesman. But Forney remained
quite in the dark.
Perceiving Forney's unmistakable
blank and innocent face the Mexican
sad: 81 lost. Bueno. But bet you
four (cuatro) to one you cannot guess
my birthday
Again Brett gave the nod, and
Forney, after a moment of discreet
doubt, said:
Done" and put down the fifty dol
lars which he had just won.
"Bueno !" exclaimed their host, who
was beginning to get excited. Not
having two hundred In the table
drawer he went to chest at the other
side of the room for the balance.
Meantime Brett scribbled date on the
table under his hand with his pencil,
on which Forney's eye presumably fell;
for as soon as the cash was piled he
said, quietly:
Viente y uno de Mario" March
21).
The Mexican jumped from his chair
and made a half movement to seize
the silver. "Nol no y he shouted.
But several Of the poems standing
around, all vastly interested in the
play, had unwittingly cried out
/" Buenoi ST. Sir (Rightl Yesl
yes }.
Seeing 1t was useless to deny it, the
y l.