Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-04-06
He TRIED THE WRONG MAN.

A tall, red-haired young map with an in.
nocent face and black necktie sat alone in
a car seat on one of the swift-fying trains Of
the Pennsylvania Railroad bound for Wash
ington. He had just begun to read copy
of the Christian Adoocate, when q benevo.
lent looking, middle-aged man entered and
sat down beside him. For an hour the young
man read his paper and the old man watch
ed the telegraph poles 60 by. Becoming
tired of this amusement the stranger tished
a half dozen little pill-boxes out of a deep
pocket in his overcoat and placed them in
his lap The young man put away his pa,
per and eyed his neighbor who, pulling out
a roll of bills from his vest pocket, selected
a note and placed it in one ofthe pill-boxes.
"Do YOU suppose you could select the box
containing the bill ?" he asked of the young
man, with q smile and look that seemed to
say, "Let us be sociable."
Don't think could" laconically replied
the latter, pulling his mustache.
The stranger himself picked out the box,
took out the bill and put SO note in its
place. This time, however, a corner Of the
bill was left sticking out after the cover had
been put on the box.
'Now do you think you could pick it
out ?" he said, showing his teeth.
"Ofcourse could" replied the young
man.
"Well, ifyou will give me dollar | will
let you try"
"Oh, no, wouldn't do that. You're
not sharp at all. You've left a corner of
that bill sticking out of the box SO any fool
could pick it out.
"Why, of course" said the sharper, ap.
parently confused by the discovery. "How
could I make such blunder?" Thereupon
he took out the $40 bill and put in its place
a bright, new 500 note. The corner of the
bill stuck out as before, but the man pre-
tended pot to notice it.
"Now will you try it?" he continued,
wiping his forehead with red handker.
chief 'Give me dollar and take your
pick. You've got chance to make Sl9 in
clean money"
The young mans face did not show the
least animation at this declaration. If there
was the beg inning of a smile hidden under
his mustache it did not reveal itself when
he answered:
"You are stranger to me. l don't want
to take $40 out of you; it wouldn't be gen.
tlemanly in me to do 30. If we were old
friends the case would be different. But I
see plainly you are not used to the wicked
ways of the world. You are not sharp.
You have left the corner of that 500 note
sticking out of the cover just as you did the
other. You ought to go and work op farm
awhile, you ought"
The perspiration poured from the sharp
er's forehead. He had caught a Tartar and
had had hard time of it. The red headed
young man took the boxes out Of his neigh
boris hand, and, after returning the note,
said
Perhaps you would like to try your hand at
picking out the lucky box? I'll put this $50 bill
in this one and SO note in this box. Give me
$5 and you shall try your luck"
The man reluctantly paid over the money, and
after the young man had shaken up tho boxes in
his hat, took up one from which the green corner
of note appeared. When he had pulled of the
cover he found it contained only piece of a
revenue stamp. His face fell at the discovery.
'"rry it again." said his tormentor.
He tried again. but with no better luck.
Take the lot," laughed the young man pour
ing them out into his neighbours lap.
The swindler opened every box, but not sign
of bill appeared.
"Here are the bills, safe in my pocket" said the
bright young fellow, producing the notes from
his vest pocket and shaking them in his neigh
bors face. "The next time you want to try your
game on stranger don't pick out man who is
in the same business as yourself Ia! ta!'
The red-haired youth was an expert confidence
man from 'Frisco.-N. \. Nail and Erpress.