The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-22
FALLEN AMONG THIEVES.
MOhammed Ben Airs Experience
With the Bunco Men of Gotham.
From Puck

From Puck.
Mhaommed Ben Ali to Ismail Mustapha.
love that dieUh not aud greetings of great
joY.
Behold, the wisdom of the land of sand
and promegranates hath stood me in great
stead this day, whereof, now sit me down
to write unto thee the true and touching
story. To-day was walking in the street
called Broadway, because it is so narrow
and overcrowded, near the street called
Canal, because it hath no canal near
it, when a benevolent-looking stranger,
with long, white beard. accosted me, say
ing:
Hello! Sheik Abdallah, how are your
81 am not the Sheik Abdallah," said l,
land marvel that thou didst ever hear of
him. | am simply Mohammed Ben Ali,
merchant of Bagdad."
81 beg your pardon" he said, "but you
look just like the Sheik Abdallah, who used
TO travel with Barnum."
passed on and had gone but few yards
when another Notwithstanding stranger,
wearing large black mustache and great
diamond, accosted me, saying:
"Why, am sure this must be Mohammed
Ben Ali of Bagdad.
THAT is true" said /, 'but how didst
thou know itg'
my friend, Boswell Poor, Travelled in the
east and met you in Bagdad. If you will
come around to my office III send for him."
Now, Son of the Nightingale, my memory
recalled no such man, but | thought it best
to go. He took me through many streets,
and at last to a small, poorly-lighted room,
where he found another man sitting.
where's Boswell?' asked this man.
II don't know" said my new friend9 ''let
us send for him."
So saying he went to the door and called
into the hallway.
John, go and tell Mr.. Poor to come
around at one."
and when he had called he closed the door
and locked it. l was now suspicious and l
obtained possession of the key by means
which thou knowest. My new friend sat
down and whistled. Suddenly he said to
the man at the table,"
Say, Jim, what's the matter with having
little game while we wait for Boswellg'
"Pll go you," said the other.
Then he produced some cards, and select
ing three, one of which was an ace, by a
dextrous movement of the hands spread
them out, face downward, on the table,
Ny friend bet dollar he could pick out the
ace, and he promptly did so. This was
repeated several times and then, seeing
that it was what they desired, |
offered to bet. The man with the cards
distributed them clumsily, SO that could
easily see which was the ace and | won
This was repeated thrice. Then the man
with the cards appeared to lose his temper,
and bet me s. that l could not do it the
next time. Now, 0 Nephew of the Pome-
granatel did l, as we are in the habit of
saying in the mosque, scent the rodent; but
knowing that I possessed all the magic
OF our people. | smiled and took
up the bet This time the man dis
tributed the cards very skillfully.
Truly, he must have studied this foolish
art with long labor. | permitted him to
win. Then bet him that / could do it the
next time And | did. He seemed a trife
Disconnected and he laughed with difficulty.
| was still 81 ahead of the game. Ones
more [ bet him and this time permitted him
to win. The next time l won. This went
on for a qnarter of an hour, and [ was still
81 ahead. The man with the cards began
TO perspire. We tried it once more. 1
pointed out the card at the left as tine ace.
Wrong" said the man, sits here"
And he turned up the card at the right
But it was king. Then ne turned up the
one at the left and it was the ace | see
thee smile as thou readest of nv doing this
old, old trick. But the IN n did not smile.
There's some trick here" he said
Surely" said l, with great innocence,
OOLO COu4u suSp6CL JIlChSEy III place e.
l was now SO ahead, but my manner re-
assured my friend, and we went at 1t again
! This time-I see thee smile again-no ace
! could be found at all.
"You duffer,n said the man who took me
there, you've dropped it,"
| They searched on the floor, but could not
find it. When they lifted their heads again
they behold the ace standing on end on the
| table and dancing. Brother of the Pvra-
DnidC | IN fall thn t,oA 7 i
this aged trick on these unsus, Getting
strangers, but [ was anxious to measure
! their ignorance. They sprung to their fee
| and turned pale.
What alarms you, friepds?n said: "there
| is draught from the window which blows
the cards about. Let us close it." That re-
assured them and they closed the window.
Then we began again. Once more the ace
| was missing. While they searched on the
floor again determined now to bring to
my aid our true art. The room began to
| grow dark. On the wall luminous spot
| appeared. | babe them look at it, and as
| they did so | caused large image of the
ace to appear The two men turned deadly
| pale Then caused aces 10 appear all over
the room, dancing and glowing.
Holy herringm exclaimed one of the
men; Twelve buncoed Old Nickm
With that they made a rush for the door.
But had the key. The room began to fiji
with sulphurous smoke. The two mer
could not breathe. With a wild yell they
hurled themselves through the windoE
into the street, and, bleeding from many
cuts, fed for their lives.
As for me, put out the sulphur fire which
l had kindled behind a chair, removed the
wet handkerchief from my mouth. gath
cred up my cards and my mirrors and de.
parted in peace, Sl4 ahead of the game.
Verify, Descendent of the Prophet, wher
thou goest abroad always carry the appa
ratus Of our eastern art with thee.
Children's Shoes cheap as ever at Nichols
12S Rr0u chiffon