Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-08-26

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finish the rest. This went on every
weekday morning in the year, and both
he and his donkey were models OF sober
demeanor.
Another donkey know used 70 draw
little milk cart or rather large milk
can on wheels. The man would ell the
smaller can he carried in his hand, and
the donkey would then go all by itself
up the street. stop at the houses of the
customers quite correctly. and, stepping
with its fore-legs upon the door-steps,
would take the knocker in its teeth and
give postman's "rattat." The pretty
sight considerably increased that man.
trade.
AMERICANS PLgEcED IN LONDON.
The fleeing OF the American abroad
goes merriy ON. The bait that always
catches the man from the States is the
heavy swell. II rs not to be wondered
at that the shrewdest OF Americans are
deceived by London and Partisan gam
b'ers when one reflects that the most
acute OF native judges are easily taken
IN by them. / recall an instance which
serves TO show how the London sharps
work in the year OF grace, 1883.
/ was standing in front Of the Victoria
Hotel one afternoon with the younger son
OF one OF the richest men in Milwaukee
whom Victoria drove up to elbow gen.
tleman known as Edwardes Potter Esq.,,
TO alight. give his name because heis
one OF the best-known gamblers in Lon
1nF, 4hc.s, oh he n hAxuI,,.,, srron
he is rather consumptive in appearance,
but looks an sristocrat from the toes up.
His carriage was perfectly appointed,
the horses easily worth 81, 900. and both Of
the men on the box the perfection OF good
form. He wore white kid gloves with
heavy black stitching. Aside from this
he was perfectly dressed--a tall, languid
man, with dropping moustache, single
glass, and an air OF undeniable distinc-
ton.
POTTER THE PROFESSIONAL.
] had seen him about London q good
deal, learned that he frequented the
hotels where Americans stopped, and
that he was gambler. Afterwards l
had seen him at the Smith Kilrain fight,
so that when the son of one of the rich
est men in Milwaukee rushed forward
and grasped bis hand / thought that
something would come OF il He was a
clever little chsp-my friend from Mil
waukee-hsd spent good many of his
twenty-eight years OF life in roaming
about, and was very well known in New
York.
suppose" said, "that you know
that that man is professional gam
bier ?"
Nonsense q" said the only son.
"He's one OF the best-known men,
about-town in London-charming fellow
in every way. He has Just bought q
new gig. and he's going to take me along
to test the springs"
"BosT TWENTY PUNs."
Half an hour later Dir. Edwardes Pot
ter whirled up to the door OF the Victo-
ria, and beautiful ash cart, with a
chestnut cob, whose shiny coat was EN-
bellished by white collar and russell
leather harness. The pair went off TO a
pigeon-shoot, and the only son came
back in the evening misty, but happy.
"Lost twenty puns," he said foggily,
as he went on his way to dinner. "An'
your frien', Edwardes Potter, loaned it
TO me. That's tn kin of gambler he is.
Good enough for me, I'll tell you that
much"
A couple OF hours later, while I was
at the Savoy Theatre, the only son
drifted into the box with an invitation to
supper and small game of poker after
wards.
81 heard you were here" he said,
"snd wanted TO catch you before you
went ont"
who'll be there ?" asked.
"All friends of ours" he said.
"We're just going to play ten shillings
limit"
When We returned to the hotel at mid
night supper was laid.
GAME THAT DIDN'T WORK.
There were four or five men-among
them Edwardes Potter and a Man Who
Spoiled-It-All. He was a sleek, suave,
and pallid-faced American gambler
the sort OF a man whom the ave-
rage American can spot at q glance.
The only man u knew in the
crowd-an Irish lesder-winked know
ingly at me before the supper
was finished. It was a very agreea-
bic party, but not the sort that one
would care to meet at card-table. For
tunately the only son got three sheets in
the wind and becSme helpless from VINE
before the supper was finished, and this
was the excuse for breaking up the party.
We took him to his room, where his SER
want put him to bed, and then we went
back, smoked cigar with the gamblers,
and retired for the night.
HOW THEY TRAPPED HIM.
We left Mr.. Edwardes Potter and one
of his English cronies in the smoking
room. Ten minutes later they assembled
to the third story of the hotel, though
they did not live there, entered the room
of the drowsy youpgster from Milwaukee,
rallied and joked with him for awhile,
got HIM TO sit up in bed and match coins,
and when they left half an hour later
they had won" So, 800 from hin. OF
this something over 5000 was cash, the
rest an inebriated /. o. u.
The following day there was great
stir about it. 1t is only fair to say that
the manager of the hotel did ell in his
power to get the money back, but fail
ing in this, he cleared the smoking-room
of as magnificent collection of gam
blers as London cculd show. He had
not known before that they we're there.
Nevertheless l noticed that when l re-
turned to London again Mr.. Edwardes
Potter was still one of the most distin-
guished and apparently popular visitors
to that and other hotels where Ameri
cans congregate. / was told by good
English authority that his business in
1eecing Americans amounted to about
thirty thousand dollars year. There is
no risk either. They don't shoot in
London.
Waiting for Accidents.
(Chicago NALL
ado YOU know" asked IaSalle