The Portland daily press., 1883-01-15
The Bunco Men Fooled.
Their Attempt to Rope in the President
of the Third Avenue Railroad.
New York SUM-


Mr.. Lyon laughingly told his story. at
was 10 days or fortnight ago." said he
"when one afternoon, feeling rather unwell,
and having no appetite, thought would try
what good long, aimless walk in the open air
would do me. 1t was a wet, unpleasant day,
and put on an old hat, of very unfashiona-
BILE style, and a rough, well-worn coat that
kept in the office for just such weather. At
Fourteenth street left the car, strolled across
TO Broadway, and turned down town, saunter-
ing along, slowly looking, 1 have no doubt
like a sightseeing countryman. A little be-
low Fourteenth street some handsome pictures
in store. window arrested my attention.
While 1 stood before the window 1 became
conscious of the presence of an over dressed
young man, standing in doorway and eye
ing me sharply 1 knew what he was at
glance, but thought to myself, Now this is
something rather enjoyable, to be picked mp as
aEfat by bunco steerer. 1t may stir my blood
enough to do me little good So looked as
innocent as [ could to encourage him, as 1
turned away from the window, and, as / ex-
pected he would, he came up to me with
demonstration OF real friendship.
"Whyl how do you do?' he said shaking
NY udHQ vigorously duu AdiA ly booAAAh6 NbSAA
me. "Im SO glad to see you"
81 shook just as warmly as he did and tried
to look as if / was glad to see him.
NOW he continued, with an air Of playful
reproach "Id wager that you don't remember
me! Do your
"'Well,'" said, can't say that do posi-
lively. Your face seems familiar, bat lean t
just recall your name. think you used to
trade at my store. I'm sure your family did
Cummings of Chestnut street, Philadelphia,
you know
"'Oh, yes, l knew you at once, Cummings,
| he replied. But you wouldn't be SO likely to
remember me as well as you would remember
| the ladies, whom you saw at your store often
er, and, besides, I've been out to Colorado
since you saw me, All! that's the place to live
and make money. No place like the West
81 sized him up his shiny hat, and lemon
kids, and fancy boots, and the general stamp
| of worthlessness and rascality that was all over
| him, and it made me chuckle to myself to
think how little use they'd have in Colorado
for thing like that. But of course | said
| nothing of that, merely congratulated him on
his fortune, and said how glad was to see
| him back looking SO we'll as he did, and he
| went on addressing me as Cummings and
| talking about business in Philadelphia and
| what nice store l had there, and all that,
| presently he expressed his regret that he had
to leave me to keep a business engagement,
| and we parted. went down town and walked
| slow to give his confederate good chance tc
catch me. When got down by Grace church
i tipped my hat on the back of my head lit
tie, and stared up at the building as if was
admiring it for the first time. Just then the
second young man overlook me. He was just
| as friendly as the other had been, and was in
| full possession of the Cummings and store
| racket, as had innouently given it to the
| other-just to smooth his path and save time
why, Cummings, how do you do?' said he
| ut seems good tos ee a townsman over here
81 looked at him with just little hesitancy
and said: i hope you'll pardon me, but really
/ can't quite place you. I'm such bad hand
| at remembering faces.
"'Ah,' he replied You know my father 9
good deal better than you do me, guess. MY
father keeps the drug store on the corner below
your store
"sOhr L said You don't mean to say
you're son of Mr.. Penn, who keeps the bis
drug store on the corner OF Eleventh street, d.
you@4
"He said he was, and he may be for all
know, for Pm sure I don't know whethe
there's Penn in Philadelphia since William
moved out. Well, Of course ! was very GLAD
ia see hin, some on his fathers account, bu
more on his own, he was such nice youny
man. He asked me if had anything particai
lar to do and said hadn't; that all my bust
ness was done, and was just looking around
Then he proposed little walk, and of course
1 agreed. As we went along inveigbet
against the dirty streets of New York and laud
ed Philadelphia's."
81 YES indeed" said he, you and know
Mr.. Cummings, that there's no place like Phil
adelphia.' We got down as far as the Sinclair
house, and he proposed drink. We went il
to the bar. He ordered some sort of mixed
drink, and l took plain rye whisky. BY tha
time began to think that had been walking
quite far enough down Broadway with fellow
of his kind, so said to him in a loud voic,
that called the attention of everybody in thu
bar-room, Young mani don't you think thi
thing has gone about far enough?' He looke'
sort of startled, seemed to recognize that wa
not talking just as / had BEEN and stammered
'wh-wh-what do you mean?'
I mean that you picked me up for fla
and picked you up for fool, and was tn
only one that was right. played you as lonI
as it amused me, and now I tell you-Cun
mings of Philadelphia tells you-the soone
you get out the healthier it will be for YOU
HE didn't argue the question, but starte
at once, and just as he got to the door he NUT
tered loud enough to be heard, H,
thought I'd seen him somewhere around towI
before From the descriptions / have seen il
the papers of Hungry joe, the eEtrapper 0
Oscar Wilde, I am pretty sure he was tn
man."