The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-05-23
ADVENTURE OF A CLERGY
NAN.
He spends q Pleasant Afternoon
with the Bunko Fraternity.

necktie. whom they SO kindly intro
duced to their haunts for the purpose
of selling him q valuable edition OF
TennvsOn's poems, is q greater
"sharp" than the smartest memper
of their own d~electable fraternity.
The gentleman referred to is a dls-
tinguished clergyman from the west.
ern part of this state. BY some OF
the peculiar methods in vogue among
bunko men they bad possessed them
selves of his name and address, ana
while he was leisurely strolling
18th street he was approached by q
well dressed and gentlemanly young
man who called him by name and
stated that he was the publisher OF a
new and elegant edition of Tenny-
sons works, which he was selling at
ridiculously low prices, and invited
the CLERGYMAN to 20 with him and in
spect the book.
The minister, though now a resi-
dent of the bucolic districts. was
brought up in the city of New York;
and, in fact, has often preached in
the church mentioned above. Though
a simple-hearted and good man, he
is thoroughly conversant with the
tricks and devices of the ungodly,
and while his newly-made friend
was still speaking to him the ad-
ventures of Charles Francis Adams
and Oscar Wilde flashed across his
mind. What happened he yester-
day related to the Truth. He deter
mined to see the matter through,
however, and agreed to accompany
the younz man. Upon their arrival
at the place named a number OF
good-lookiRg and gentlemanly-ap-
pearing men were found discussing
the topics of the day. A copy of the
new edition of Tennyson was pro-
duced. It was elegantly bound and
illustrated, and the clergyman soon
became deeply interested in its con-
tents.
He was aroused from his abstrac-
ton by hearing one of the gentle
manly party exclaim in a loud tone,
"Well, you've won a clear $1,000.
Will you try your luck again ?'
Looking up he saw his friends" as
sembled around what is popularity
known as the LAYOUT" and upon
the board lay a huge roll of green
backs. Seeing his attention had
been attracted the dealer addressed
him and invited him to JOIN the
game. "This gentleman" said he,
pointing to one of the number, "has
just won 81, 900, and you may be just
as lucky"
"When he said this" continued
the old gentleman, 'it brought to my
mind an incident which happened a
good many years ago. I was in AL
bany, on my way to my home in
Western New York, in company
with an old Quaker, when we were
approached by a dapper young man
who wished to sell us accident insur-
ance tickets for $1,000, for which he
would only charge us q quarter of a
dollar. Art thou connected with
this road?' inquired my Quaker
friend. I am replied the young
the ticket. If there were going to be
any accident thee would not desire
to insure me so cheaply.'
Remembering this incident, I
turned to the man who had asked
me to try my luck, and said: Il am a
stranger to you, and you have no
reason to care anything. about me;
why are you so anxious that I should
win a thousand dollars of your
money!"
"This rather nonplussed him, but
after a little hesitation he said: But,
don't you see, I stand a chance of
winning a thousand from your No,
you don't, for 1 hav'nt got a thou
sand dollars about me- THAT don't
make any difference he replied,
we'll take your note if you lose.'"
II thanked them for their kind
ness, but said they would have to ex-
cuse me, and prepared to take my
departure. Before I left the young
man who had first met me expressed
a hope that I did not bear them any
malice. To which I replied that on
the contrary l was greatly pleased to
meet gentlemen who were so benev-
olent,and generous as to be willing to
let a total stranger win a thousand
dollars of their money. They whis-
pered among themselves, and ap-
peared to be considerably perplexed,
but offered no opposition to my de-
partufe; but when / reached the
street they came to the door and
watched me until I boarded q down.
town car"
"This adventure" continued the
old gentleman, with a chuckle, ire
minds me of an incident that hap
pened to a member of the Legislature
from my county several years ago.
He was approached in the same way,
and concluded to see the fun out.
He told the men that he was a men,
Der of a prominent st. Louis whole
sale house, but had very little ready
money in his pocket. He would play
if they would accept drafts on his
house. TO this they agreed, and he
kept losing and drawing drafts until
his Ostensible losses were more than
$4,000, when he got up and told
them he thought he had not been
fairly dealt with, and said he intend
ed to telegraph to the firm and have
the drafts stopped. The gamblers
told him he should not leave the
house until the drafts had been sent
forward and accepted. He then pulled
out his card, and handed it to the
leader of the gang, saying: Boys,
you probably have had lots of fun,
and L know [ have. I don't happen
to be a member of any St. Louis firm,
but I've had so much entertainment
In your society that Pm willing to
open a bottle of wine with you, and
wish you better luck next time.'"
1.-The gamblers looked very crest
fallen at seeing their golden visions
dlsslpated in this manner, but they
gracefully yielded to the inevitable.
and my friend departed in triumph"
-NeW York Truth.
A Mystifed Traveller.