Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-11-03
TRICKS OF THE FAKIRs.
The Cane Racket, the Shell Game.
and the Vanishing Pea

4
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| Try your hand, sir; purely a game
of science and Skill said the young
man, running what is known in fakir
slang as ''the cane racket" A hundred
and fifty canes, more or less, were in a
rack, and for monetary consideration
the customer is furnished a certain
number of rings to throw at them If
he rings" a cane he gets it.
| The lookers-On intimated that ''the
cane racket was a mild form of gamb-
ling; that the ringing of a cane was
a matter of chance, and that skill did
not enter in the game at all.
'1'l show you as to that" said the
young man, and selecting a particular
cane he very deftly put three out of five
rings he threw over the cane. 1t had
crooked handle at that. Il can do
better than that said the operator,
''but YOU see it isn't gambling at ALL
Every now and then we have a cuStO-
mer who can come ringer nearly every
throw. We don't care for that, because
| it induces Others to throw who can t
make ringer once in fifty times. The
best thrOwers are QUOT pitchers.
Baseball men are not more expert than
the ordinary run of throwers.
"We'ye not made any money this
season. We have been going to picnicS
and old settlers meetings, but can't
catch on. 1t NAV be better when the
country fairs come on. The old settler.
when he pays his nickel, pitches seven
rings and doesn't get cane
! feels that he has been swindled, and
cholera mOrbus couldn'. make him groan
worse. The shell racket is catching on
better tins summer than anything else.
| sometimes think | would like to take
the shells and give it to 'em raw"
The shells are three half shells of the
English walnut. and the old game of
thlmble rig or "Now-you-See-lt-and-
nOw-you-dOn't'' is played with them.
The little black pea or 'jOker was for
merly made of blackened cork. 1t is
now made of composition.
indianapolis" continued the cane
man, ''has some Of the trickiest boys on
the road. Windy Frank is one of
the best shell men to be found any
where, but 'Sheeny Joe IS still better
Joe can make $1,000 a season. OF
course the shell man has to have about
three people with him, capperS, to help
run the game and encourage the suck
ers to put up money. The other day
an old settler squealed because his >
cents hadn't brought him u cane.
\ few minutes later L see him
watching the shell man who
had his board up next to me. The lit
tie joker was plainly in sight, peeping
out from under the edge of one of the
shells. Any gentleman want to bet a
dollar he can pick out the shell that has
the Joker under it?'' inquired the shell
man
1.-The old settler saw the pea rs plain
as winking. 1t was a soft snap, and
he could take it in. IN bet S5,
says he.
- III go you ten YOU can't, says old
Shell, and then appealed to the boys, if
they knew, not to tell.
- III go you twenty says the old
setter.
% Il go forty, says my friend, who
saw the roll of bills in his hand and
sized 'em up. 1t seems there were
$50 in the pile, and the venerable sucker
put it all on sure thing. The shell
was lifted. The little joker wasn't
there.
lie was the most surprised man you
ever saw. As he looked up, l caught
his eye and remarked, You'll squeal
on five cents again, will you: Now
you've got Il dose that'll do You some
good. Go home and tell the story to
your grandchildren