Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-02-14
THE KING OF BUNcO.
"Kid" Miller as Figure and schem-
or on Busy Broadway.

There is q figure on Broadway, New
| York, that interests me, because the
young man is distinct bit of character
in his way, bad as possible, but never.
| theless picturesque and remarkable. He
has been on the street now for several
years, has been kicked off time and
again, thrashed, arrested, sent to the
island, in fact handled as unceremonious-
ly as it is possible to imagine, but at this
moment there he is again, as alert, as IN
defatigable as ever. The gentleman is
Mr.. "Kid" Miller, and his game is
bunco.
The bunco man Inns been repeatedly
described in rather fulsome terms.
While there are undoubtedly ceItlin ex-
amples OF his tribe that are elegant OF
attire, refined and sometimes venerable
of appearance, / don't believe the
straight out type has any representative
to compare with Mr.. Miller, who is not
gorgeous, venerable or entirely reassur-
ing. In colloquial phrase "Kid' has to
"hustle" for living. He has chased
many sim ple-looking old gentlemen
down Broadway ere this with the hope
of tempting them into n "cnppers den,
but that manner OF doing things is
pretty much playel out.
MIR. Miller's present game consists OF
more or less graceful posing. AT about
four o'clock he can be seen every after
noon stfnding in doorway on Broad
way, near Iwenty-sixth street, and he
makes queer figure. His face is ut
terly devoid of color and is swoolen by
the dis6guremcnts of heavy designations,
the effct of the opium pipe being espe-
cially apparent. He IS smooth-shaven,
and his features, except for soddenn
look that tellsits story tot an experienced
observer, have not unintelligent cast.
His eyes are deadly dull but shifting
and scrutinizing. His nose is straight,
his mouth thin, and shrt with intense
firmness. His high six has is covered
from brim to crown with black cloth
baud which gives the impression that he
has Just lost his worshipped wife, but
which really means that the hat IS four
years Old aud can't be ironed into decent
shape. His overcoat is too thin for the
weather aud OF an uncertain mouse color |
In tho lapel is stuck bunch OF imita-
ton violets which have done service for
several months. In his hand is his gold
hea led cane, which he never pawns, and
as rule he carries q single glove as
though it were pair.
And Mr.. Miller is watching the crowd
He sees every one and when n gentle
man whom he would term ''sucker !
goes by he knowsit He gets the whole
town in his memory. If you are wide
awake he detects the fact and let's you
alone. But when n stupid fellow gets
into his orbit, one of these men that
imagine low round of pleasures means
"seeing" Metropolitan life, he is apt to
find in a convenient dive some night a |
slim young man in q mourning band 4
hat, mouse colored overeoat, and with /
a glove and gold-beaded cane.
He will be bland and accommodating, /
will ioin his new friend in little game \
and will talk TO him about the friends he /
has seen him come up Broadway with, (
claiming them MS dear old chums of his /
own aud commenting freely on their
delightful peculiarities. In these mod
ern times the game OF bunco is rs sweet /
and delicate as this 1t is q longer, more
careful pursuit than it used to be, and
is evidently safer for Mr.. Miller, for he
has not been on the island now for over
n year. Now that Hungry Joe" has
been sent up there for the long term the
"kid" can fairly lay claim to the form
er's title of king. But Mr.. Miller has
made no pretpnsions thus far in this
respect and / suppose that he feels that
a potentate who can't get enough out of
the treasury 10 buy real violets had bet
ter leave his crown at home and stick to
his old hat. P,ttsbHrg Post.