Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-04-24
ONLY A GREENHORN.
A S.ene Between Two Rival Bunco-Steer-
ers in Chicago.
New York SIM

New York Sun.
It's a curious feature in human nature
that while man will peril his life to as
sist a stranger who is being forcibly rob-
bed, he will turn about and delight in
seeing that same man taken in and done
for by skin game or a bunco man.
On the next bench to us in Lincoln Park
Chicago, one day last fall, sat long, lean
lank stranger who had hayseed and onion
toys scattered all over him to prove his
hailing place, and he gave himself away in
every move he made. Pretty soon a slick
young man approached him and extended
his hand and exclaimed:
We'll, well, but how are you, Stew
ens?"
How ar YEP" replied the man, as he
looked up In a puzzled way.
What! Don't you know me?'
why, your face looks kinder familiar,
but can t place We.
Can t place me! | am William Scott,
nephew of the judge Of probate in Grass
vile. | saw you hundreds of times in the
two years lived with my uncle"
"Oh, yes. thought | had seen you be-
fore. And you knew me right otf?'
The minute | sot eyes on you"
''How's everybody down there?'
''All tolerable You live here?'
Yes. | look after about fifty houses
and stores here for capitalists.
Gosh! You must get good wages"
"Oh, hundred week"
you do? By gum! but you are smart
er than fox traps Mebbe you kin help me
to a job?'
u think SO. Indeed, l was going to
make you an offer"
We were on to him from the start as a
bunco man, but had no thought of inter-
fering. ''Hayseed'' should take the pa
pers and keep posted.
How would you like to come here and
assist me at a salary of 5000 per month? %
queried bunco after a bit.
''Je whitaker! But you don't mean
it?''
Il do"
Give us yer hand on it. Say, I'll work
all day and sit up all night for them
wages. Say, will ye bind the bargain
right now?"
Il will That is, l.
mo hunking out now. I've got hun
dred dollar bill here, and I'll give We fifty
to bind the bargain. Yes, by gosh! III
give We sixty
Il was going to say that [ ought to see
my employer first, but | know it will be all
right. I'll take your $50, but only for a
day or two, as happen to be a little short
just now. You know where the Palmer
house is, of course?''
That ALFRED big stone tavern?'
"1es, Meet me there in one hour
from now to sign contract and begin
work.
IN be thar and I'll work like boss.
Gin me $40 out of this bill
He handed out bill and the young man
scarcely glanced at it, so great was his
hurry to return the forty and get away.
think he mistrusted us. although we pre-
tended not to see or hear anything.
When he was out of sight ''Hayseed''
came over to us with grin on his face and
queried:
How did it act, boys?'
"What?"
my young man from the turnip fields. y
but you--you-
I'm from Cincinnati. do little bus
mess with the three cards and the shells
when home. Thought I'd see what they
were made of in Chicago"
But you gave him a hundred dollar
bill"
Exactly one of the counterfeits of
iCtt- ull ulleeu O1 THEM once. L N
just $40 ahead. I'm going now. If he
should return before you leave tell him that
Stevens has gone to meet him at Mr..
Palmer's big stone tavern. Two hundred
month! Wake snakes, but hain't | list
struck golconda with big c.
The fortress of Toul, it would appear
from the details given by the Gaulois is
to be made the chief place 'armes on the
French frontier. New iron-cased tdrret
forts are being constructed there, and as
Ioul commands the roads the railways
from Metz to the northeast, and from
Strasbourg to the east, the Importance at
tached to it by the French military author
tiles seems justified.