Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-11-22
PLAYING THE PEAS.
The American Style of an Old Game
-Thimblerig and How the Gang
Work the People.
The Well-DreSsed Stranger and the
EXcitabie Aged Man.

|
for you. Now, I'll bet you any sum from
SIS to 500 yoE can't pick the shell the
| pea is under"
These words, or others to the same
| purpose, issue from dapper little fellow
who presides over small table, wherein
rests three walnut shellc and an India
rubber ball, which is known as the pea.
He is TO be seen near any of the resorts
where sporting men are TO be found, and
when the GLOBE man saw him last he was
operating near one of the race tracks.
| Accepting the invitation to come up,
but totally neglecting any ailusion TO
trying luck, the scribe joined the crowd
round the table and watched the slick
| young gambler.
| snow every one look" said he, as he
deftly manipulated the shells, now NOV
ing two of them round, while the pea
peeped lnnocently end seductively from
beneath the remaining cover. ~ move
them round pretty. quick and try and de-
ce1ve your eye. Now who will bet me ten
he can pick the winner?"
"I'li go you ten,'' says well dressed,
shary looking fellow on one side of the
gathering and putting a bill in the hands
Of the owner OF the board he lifts one of
the pea.
"Thgt's the time you skin me Just like
an ell" good humoredly says the victim,
and he again begins his manipulations.
"Once more, gentlemen, can't always
win, and if you can beat me, Bll right, for
Pm trying to beat you" This is candor,
for that is precisely his mission: but the
game is young and the crowd only treat
this as joke in the face of his recent
loss. That it is not loss. The Globe
need not tell its readers, for the we'll
dressed gentleman is what is known to
the fraternity as ''caper," and his bus:-
ness Is to work up the crowd for his part
| ner.
"Come again, gentlemen, sportsmen,
play fair with me and I'll play fair with
you. Here they are. Now who can pick
it OFT for $40 or $40.
II can," says clerical looking old man,
as with shaking hands and form, evident
~ trembling with excitement he selects a
$40 bill and throwing it on the table lifts
one of the shells and there again, mira
bile dicto, in the pea.'
I'm in hard luck" says the pea shufler
as he pays over the money. Sad as it is
to say 1t, the elderly gentleman's eager
ness is all simulated, and he is another of
the gang.
"Now [ want to give away fortune Or
make one, and this time I'll move them
pretty quick and will bet any one SO or
| $50 they can't pick out the pea"
"Bet you five" says man in the crowd,
rendering bill.
The pea man sees that it is ten, and
Immediately Eputs in, "IIl go you ten.''
mo five," rejoins the stranger.
III go you ten," said voice coming
from the first capper.
Unwilling to lose the chance to make
ten, the stranger agrees to bet ten, and
lifting one of the shells is disgusted to
find he has lost.
"That's the time beat you" says the
pea manit being the first Sucker" caught.
Now, it is necessary to soothe the
strangers feelings and oapper loses
Eve and 'sgets the laugh" from the crowd
- which he winks and says, 'I'm five
ahead anyway"
The crowd by this time impressed with
the idea that sharp man can beat the
| game, and hands are soon lingering ner-
vousiy in pockets where the money is
carried. Ali these signs the thimblerig
worker notes carefully and he and his
cappers go to work with a will.
| "Once more make them, and now no
one can tell where it is for $40 or $40"
otis under the centre one," softly whis-
pared one of the cappers to a man who
is evidently getting very much inter
ested.
| An incredulous smile comes over the
face of the gentleman addressed, but the
clerical friend bends over, and while the
pea man pretends to turn his face to shove
back the crowd, the further shell is lifted
and nothing being under either of the
other two. The capper who gives the
advice bets $40 and wins his money, and
| then whispers to the man he addresses,
ST told you So"
But SO the game goes on. The cappers
and the pea man worked the crowd, and
any luckless outsider that bets cannot
win. Hundreds of lodges are tried and
| ''buisness" must be very bad when $50
or $50 at least does not reward the labors
| (?) of the gang.
The reader who thinks this is simple
swindle and that no sane nan wonld at
tempt to beat it, is mistaken. It is the
most open faced fraud in the world, for
no man on the first acquaintance would
suspect of it's being impossible to beat it.
But such is the case, for no man can win
a dollar of the man that runs il. Tt is
the greatest game in existence to catch
smart youngsters or men Who knows it
all. No one can see it for he first tin g
and not be impressed with fhe idea that
he can beat it. II is not good schemeto
! catch greenhorns, for it i rarely they
will bite quick enough or b.s inclined to
wager five or ten dollars at crack on the
game. u is mainly for intelligent young
fellows, half educated in sporting matters
who have lots of money to spend and not
caring very much how they let it go.
The writer has seen many crowds
around the board on different occasions,
and il the throng has noted many men of
position. The cappers are of all kinds,
and in their ranks are men who must
have been in better walks of life at some
stage of their existence. Broken down
sports and used-up pugDists are there,
and especially the latter, for now and
then the skinned ones snake q holler''
and then tho pea man and his associates
have to stand their ground, bluff or run.
A precarious life has the party, but, all
things considered, they get of pretty
easy, and unless some other kind of rob
berry ends their career. for the tine be-
ing the thimblerig is seldom broken up.
ORIGINAL AND ELOQUENT.
The Marriage Ceremony Performed by Geor-
gia Physician.
| Capt. Bsyd's store recently was the
scene of sudden blooming of orange
blossoms, for pair of young, dusty, and
dusky lovers, says the Leary (Ga.) Couri-