The Washington critic., 1889-04-05
A CLOSE CALL.


A certain well.knowu Lieutenant OF this
city went over to New York recently, and,
although he Is a man OF the world and
pretty well acquainted with the devices
commonly employed to beguile the unwary
stranger, he fell into the hands OF the
'bunco" men. His experience shows how
even the sophisticated may be taken of
their guard. He had Just left the ferry at
Desbrosses street, and was hurrylug up to
the elevated road station, when man came
up and accostej him with great cordiality.
"Why, how are you, Mr.. Brown he ex-
claimed, "when did you get In P'
"Excuse me-" the Lieutenant returned,
tiny name is not Brown. Pm Lieutenant
Iindbolm from Washington
"Oh, excuse me. thought you were my
old friend Brown from Elmira. It's won.
derful resemblance" aud the sharp, with
many apologies, turned away.
Not much further up the street the Lieu
tenant found himself greeted by another
man who called his name aud wanted to
know how things were in Washington.
The Lieutenant didn't know the man from
Adam, but presumed that II was some one
he had met here, and as he Is naturally
very polite he didn't intimate his ignorance.
lie therefore responded civilly and ended
by accepting an invitation to dine with the
stranger.
~ am real glad met some one from
Washington. One likes to see some one
from ones old home. You remember my
place tbereY Well, things were dull and
had TO sell out and come over to New York.
l have very fair bushes here. Come up
to my hotel and take dinner with me- Cad,
] am glad met YOU"
AS the Lieutenant did not particularly
care which hotel he went TO, he decided TO
20 with the other, and they tramped away
together. Presently the Lieutenant's friend
said that he wished TO stop at his Office on
the way up, and asked the Lieutenant to
accompany him. They entered a disrepu-
table-looking place In Elizabeth street.
which struck the Lieutenant as rather pc
culiar for man who was doing a
good business, but no suspicion entered his
mind The other hustled around, gave
numerous orders to the Office boy and
asked as many questions, until at length q
tall, powerful-lool<ing man entered the
Office. He was greeted cordially by the pro-
prietor, who inquired, "What luckr'
'Good," returned the newcomer. ''I've
sold all my cattle, and am going home to-
night. A clean three thousand!n He pulled
out wad of bills and flung II down on the
counter.
The Lieutenant remarked that IL was
rather dangerous to be carrying SO much
money around when there were sharpers
and buncU men lying around everywhere.
| "0h, l guess l can look out. BY the
way, some fellows down the street did win
little of the pile. They were playing
some sort Of game with cards, and before
/ dropped lost considerable. However, I
let 'cm have 1t, one right and two left,
and got away. Igot three cards, though.
| The game was to pick out q certain card
out of these three. Here, take 'em this
way and lay 'em on the table. Now, bet
| you fifty dollars you can't pick 1t out.'
"Oh, don't want TO bet," the Lieuten-
ant replied.
"Oh, you haven't the money!
"Yes, have; plenty Of it" (the sharpers
exchanged glances), "but don't care to
bet."
swell, I'll bet,' said the proprietor, and
he planked down fifty dollars. He tried II
and lost. He tried It several times and
lost. The Lieutenant became Interested.
"Say, I'll 60 you," he cried. The dealer
shuffied the cards, apparently. In such Al
awkward way that the Lieutenant had NJ
doubt which was his card when they were
laid. This very awkwarlness aroused all
his suspicion. He saw the game. 1t was
intended that he should win. They meant
| to draw him on. The wad OF money was
counterfeit. The cattle men and. the pro
| pnetor were confederates. He was being
buncoed.
"Well, which one do you pick"
(which one do pick? you d. scoundrel
this is the one l pick" and he pulled his
pistol, and, covering the two, backed u
the door, and, before the astonishel gamh
lers recovered, he had reached the stree
and was making lively tracks from thu
place. He related his experience to the
first policeman, who assured, him that b,
had had o narrow escape.
e"Yes," concluded the lieutenant, as b,
related the story, ~ believe those mel
would have murdered me before they'd 10
me go with my pile"