The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-03-08
Three-Oard Monta Men,

one, however smart, not to put much
confidence in his own smartness, will be
seen further on.
Yesterday had to wait several hours
at Monmouth, H., station on the Chi
cago, Burlington & Quincy road. Mon
mouth has been frequented by three
card monte men for years. l have al
ways known it, have often seen them
there, and have often written about
them.
Well, yesterday they were there again.
One of them with Canada-Bill dialect,
wanted to show me some strange 'keerds'
that he got up in Chicago.
"What were you doing up there?" l
asked, knowing that he was three-card
monte man and feeling an interest in his
modes.
''Me and pap" he said, ''took up
some hogs. We took up pile on 'em,
an made heap; but pap he got swim
died by a three-keerd monte man.
Got near ruined. But grabbed the
keerds, and I'll show you how they done
it."
"Never mind, boys,'' I said, 81 know
all about it, / know the whole racket
Now I'll keep quiet, mind my own bus
mess, and letyo try your monte game
on some one little more fresh"
The monte boy saw at once that / was
posted, and soon turned his attention to
good-looking, jolly, young, and inno-
| cent clergyman in the depot. In few
moments 1 saw that the innocent clergy
man had become deeply interested. His
interest grew as he watched the cards.
There were three ordinary business-cardA
like these:
JOHN OSBORN & Sons,
Piper-H
ROYAL BAKING POWDER,
New York.
WEBER's PIANOS,
New York.
"I believe 1 can tell which card has
Weber's pianos on it, said the innocent
clergyman.
"A1l right-try it, said the monte
man, Topping them about.
There. that one!'' said the clergy.
man, smiling.
Sure enough he was right.
81 don't see how your poor father
could lose all his money at such simple
game as that" said the Clergyman
"Why, your eyes can see the cards all
the time.'
Suppose you bet s5 that you can
tell,' suggested the monte man.
'.All right I'll risk it, said the clergy
man, though don't like to win money
that way.
The cards were turned, and of course
the poor unsuspecting clergyman lost.
Again he tried it, hoping to get his S5
back, but lost again. Then he put up
his last dollar, and lost that. Then,
seeming to realize his situation, he put
his hand to his head and walked out OF
the depot.
''To Think he said, "that I, clergy.
man, should get caught at this game
Why, might have known it was three
card monte. I've no respect for my.
SELF" and he wiped his eyes like man
who felt the most acute condemnation.
''Why don'tyou complain of the scoun,
drel?'' l said.
81 would, but I'm clergyman and il
they should hear of my sin and foolish.
ness in Peoria, would be relieved My
family, would suffer for my sins.''
''Then I'd keep quiet about it, y said
"but let it be a lesson to you never to
know more than other people,"
''But they've got my last dollar, and
want to go to Peoria. | must be there
to preach on Sunday" said the innocent.
suffering, man.
Cant you borrow of some onep" ]
asked.
''No one knows me, and don't like
to tell my name here aiuer this occur
renee" said the poor man, half cry.
ing.
''Very well,'' said, ''hand me yom
card and 1 will let you have $5, ano
you can send it to me at the Palmer
House, Chicago, when you get to Peo
ria," and I handed the poor man the
money.
| A moment afterwards I spoke to the
agent at the depot about the wickedness
of those monte-men, and told him how
had to lend the poor clergyman $5 t.
get home.
'sAnd you lent him five dollars?'
eyes, Ilent the poor man the money"
"Well, by the great guns!'' and then
he swung his hat and yelled to the oper-
ator:
''Bill you know that ministerial-look-
ing man around here?''
''You mean the capper for three-card
monte men, don't youp-Bill Keys
Missouri BILL
yes"
''Well, by the great guns, he's the
best man in the whole gang; he's just
stuck old Eli Perkins for. SIS. 1t does
beat me what blankety-blank fools them
literary fellers aren'-Eh Perkins iss
Chicago Tribune.