Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-07-25
i. 60 Can. eu, y wouldo,t Work.

|
Last Thursday two well-dresseo
strangers paid visit to Mr.. Joseph
Randall, an aged and well-known
farmer living about four miles west
of Shepherdstown. They wanted to
buy a farm, they said. One OF the
persons said he was from Hagerstown,
| while the other was a doctor from
California. The farm was wanted
for the doctors sister, who was worth
q million or so. After looking over
the farm and getting Mr.. Randalrs
price. the strangers departed, promls'
ing to return next day. Sure enough,
on Friday morning they again made
their appearance, anxious TO close
the bargain. They again went over
the place, and had gotten to the ex-
treme edge, at piece OF woodland,
when a third stranger appeared on
the scene. He was a silly looking
fellow, wearing a long linen buster.
He was very sociable, and soon struck
mn a conversation. He told how he
had been i'm New York with a lot OF
mules that he had sold, and how the
sharpers up there had swindled him.
But they hadn't gotten quite all OF
his money, and he reached down into
his pocket and pulled out couple OF
rolls of money that made the eyes OF
the party fairly bulge. He said the
New Workers had learned him little
trick with cards, and he produced
three small cards and explained the
game. He apparently was a tritle
green about the way they were to be
handled. however, and Mr.. Randall s
two friends soon laid bet with the
stranger. They won six hundred dol
lars the first round, and here was Mr..
Randalls opportunity. The strangers
insisted that he bet and win some
money too. for it was dead sure
thing. But Mr. Randall is not quite
so rustic as his appearance would IN
dictate, and he remarked that while
in his younger days he was not averse
to picking up few dollars on good
bet, he felt that he was now little
too old for that sort of thing. He re-
sisted all efforts to entrap him into
betting, and the sharpers could not
induce him to part with any money.
But Mr.. Randall has such an inno-
cent look and such child-like man
ner that the sharpers couldn't let him
go. The doctor persuaded him to go
70 Martinsburg with him, on the plea
that he wanted to look after the title
of the farm and get some more money.
They left the card man and the doc
tors friend together, and when they
returned from Martinsburg the two
were still there. The doctor had got
ten lot of his sisters money-so he
said-and he again began to bet on
the cards. This time he did not win,
and soon he found he had lost all OF
his sisters money. He was very much
distressed, and wanted Mr.. Randall
to loan him money enough to conceal
his imprudence from his dear sister.
1t would be all right, for were they
not going to buy the farm 1t could
easily be arranged the next day. Mr..
Randall would confer Il great favor
by making the loan temporarily, and
at the same time should not lose a
cent. But Mr.. Randall didn't feel
well enough acquainted yet to loan
money, and begged to be excused.
The three fellows used all their en-
deavors to get haul from him, bue
the old gentleman was too sharp for
them He headed them off at all
points, and the disappointed rascals
were finally Obliged to leave without
his money.
The same fellows were in Shepherds
town, but when it became known
what their business was they pulled
up stakes and left for greener pas
lures
The rich California lady has not
vet bought Mr.. Randall's farm.