The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-08-05
A NEW TRICK.
SHOWING A COIN WORTH FIVE TIMES ITS
FACE VALUE.

A pleasant faced. gentlemanly
young stranger walked into one of
the most swell of Kearney Streets
magnificent drinking palaces and cali
ed for punch, says the San Francisco
Alta. When the connection was Com
pleted. he raised it to his lips, at the
same time that he tossed a dollar on
the bar IN payment The coin fell
like the hunk of lead that it was, and
the sound produced by its contact
with the bar was as fiat as the ker-
chug of frog in striking the water.
The sound attracted the attention of
two or three of the young mans
neighbors. and they eyed him with
some curiosity, as if wondering what
sort of verdant he was to attempt TO
pass such a coin. The barkeeper sim
ply glanced at it and smiled, and
waited for the stranger to produce a
substitute. The dollar piece did look
disreputable, and no mistake. Il was
battered and bruised, had plug in
one corner, and the milling abo2t the
edges was in d state of sad decay,
while added to all this was color
that betokened it to be lead from
Leadviile. and no mistake. 'What is
the matter?' asked the patron OF the
house and proprietor of the queer
piece of bogus.
The crowd laughed, and the bar
keeper suggested that another coin be
substituted for the bad dollar.
''Oh, that's it, is it?'' responded the
gentlemanly young man, pretending
to examine the date on his unsavory
prefer well don't you know that [
am glad You refused it; that dollar is
worth five times It's face value to any
body who has got common sense
Two or three Of the party grabbed
a look at the date and then laughed
again.
"Why, you are foolish, young man."
said one of them pityingly. AS
money, bushel-basketful Of these
things would not be worth one dime
[ thought at first it might have an old
date, but if it was coined while Noah
was afloat III the ark, it would not be
worth more than it is which is simply
nothing"
With this the barkeeper felt impell-
ed to give the young man some kind
advice to the effect that he had better
not make any more attempts to pass
the dizzy thing, or he would be liable
to arrest for showing the queer.
That's all right, gentlemen; I'll bet
any OF you so that that coin is worth
five times iu5 ldce value, just to show
you that [ know what [ am about"
''Oh, we don't want your money!
put in the barkeeper; lust pay for
that drink and say nothing more
about it."
Every well, sir, I'll pay you for the
drink with any sort OF money you like,
but when you grow wiser you will be
sorry that you did not take your pay
ment out Of that worthy, misused
COIN" and with this the owner of the
violation of the law against counter
feits produced wallet fairly bursting
with its hoard of bills and gold, and
passed over a half eagle for the punch.
The sight of this wealth caught the
crowd at once, and two of them i'm
mediately offered to accept the bet he
had proposed a few seconds before
The young fellow pretended to hest
tate and then insinuated that they
should give him oddsson the wager
Very well, since you are SO clever d
numismatist, l will give you chance
for your money. | viii bet you $50 to !
so that that coin is not worth S. to |
anyone except to yourself. Ofcourse,
you cannot be the judge OF its worth,
as you are betting on it."
well, that is far, although would |
prefer to appraise the value Of my own |
goods [ Will take your wager, and |
leave it to any common sense man that |
you may select"
Done"
Bet me, too, on the same terms?'
asked another of the party, and an
other, and still another
The young man accepted all the |
offers, and then offered to wager the |
drinks for the party on the result
The drink mixer accepted, and piled
so on top of the liquids Arespecta-
bic old gentleman was called from the |
other end of the bar to hold stakes
and act as referee. The money once
deposited, and the terms of the bet
explained, the half-tipsy air that the
young fellow had carried, suddenly |
disappeared, and with his penknife he
carefully pried the dollar apart. The
two halves split like the case of a
watch, and in the center was a little
excavation containing a splendidly |
genuine gold piece. The referee pass
ed over the stakes without a word. |
The bar1eeper made bluff at a smile,
but it seemed more of a counterfeit
than the poor old dollar. The three
young men who bet fled in search of |
fresh air. The man quickly folded up
his dollar, took his drink, remarked |
that it was a pleasant day, and went
out, leaving a trial of thick, black
gloom behind him.
DELAvAN, Wis, July 24-The Rev.
S. D. Peet, editor of the American
Antiquarian, has been in this vicinity |
for the DaSt two DAVIS inyecti patin0 |