The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-01-23
swINDLED BY THEIR OWN sHREwD-
NESS.

1.-THE 'night-hawk' eabmen of tbi'
city who have helped me home on thost
rare occasions when / have found my
self embarrassed at a late hour by VOL
luminous and complicated Jag" said
the son of a wealthy banker the other
day, "have often imposed on my peace
owing nature by demanding bigger
fares than they were entitled too, be-
fore they would assist me and the jay
out of their cabs and up the steps of my
fathers 'palatial mansion Once OF
twice | have tried to demonstrate with
hem against this extortion, but the re
suit has never justified the exertion.
So on the last sad occasion on which ]
was obliged to have recourse to the aid
of one of these gentry, ] employed lit
lie harmless guile that worked to a
charm,
"Here's your house. boss," said my
driver as he opened the door, 1.-TWO
fifty's the fare"
1.-Two dollars and half for a ten
minutes rideP" said l. That's pretty
steep, but If you'll give me your arm up
the steps won't kick about it.
Certainly, boss said he, but you
pay before you get out
so fell to tumbling in my pockets,
pullirg on keys. poker chips, a cord or
two, and lot of other useless odds and
ends that will somehow ccumula'e in
he pockets of man who has been hay
ing an unu ually good time; but my
search produced no money. 'Oh, blank
it. l have dropped my a t coin on the
bot ON of your cao, 1t is a five-do lar
gold piece. Strike match so can find
it; it's as dark as Egypt
'Aain't got no match, sir, says cab
by, cheerfully.'
Then bring one of the cab lamps
here | said testify.
Fixed solid to the keb, sir, is the
answer
"'Well, then help me up the steps and
I'll get lamp in the house. said |.
"'All right, sir says the willy Jehu,
with grin. Careful, now-there's
the step2easy nowhere you are
now take hold of the railing on that side
and lean on me-where s your latch
key? No, that amt it, that's your cigar
case. Now here you are in the vesti-
bule-you can open the inside door
yourself and get the lamp while / look
after tn horse-he won't stand. Whoa
there! you brute, he shouted. as he ran
nimbly down the step7, slammed the
cab door, mounted the box, gave his
horse sharp cut and started off at a
gallop.
"'Hold on there shouted, you
thief, you've got my five dollar gold
piece. I'll have you arrest
But cabby heard not, paused n OF.
He dashed away into the darkness, and
| believe | would have parted with my
beautiful jag to had the pleasure of see
ing him kick himself as he searched in
vain for that S. piece"
that's not half-bad story" said a
listener. 1T reminds me of an expert
ence that happened to bartender in an
uptown cafe not long ago. He was an
expert drink-mixer, but not any loC
honest, and had quite a fancy for his
own shrewdness. Several of us were
watching him in the practice of his ART
one day, when a quiet-looking stranger
who was standing by the edge of the
counter, almost within the bar in fact,
stopped down suddenly with an excla-
nation of surprise. and came up again
with a $40 bill in his hand. The bill
was crumpled up small and had some
of the damp sawdust of the fl or stick
ing to it. The man smoothed it out,
announced the fact that he had found an
X, and asked if any of us had dropped
IL. None of us had. we were sure"
Hold on, said the barkeeper, be-
ginning to slaD his pockets and &C
| through his clothes. was it crumpled
up small when you found itg'
Yes, it was, said the stranger in 9
| snrely tome. 'You saw that when
picked it up
mo didn't said the barkeeper
but find have lost $40 bill that
tackled away in little wad in my wais
coat pocket, and now l find a hole il
the pocket And he rammed his thumb
down into his pocket, and was sure
heard he lining tear as the thumb pro
truded and he showed it by throwing
open his waistcoat.
"'Oh. come now, said the stranger
you'll find it hard work to make people
believe that. Anyway, most men would
have put the bill in their pocket anC
said nothing about it. Tell you wha
ri do. I'll divvy with you
"'All right said the fly barkeeper
sooner than have any trouble about i
we'll divvy.'
"He went TO the money drawer, tool
out two fves gave one 70 the stranger
put the other in his pocket that appar
emily had no hole in it, and tossed tn
newly found X into this till, Tn
stranger went out, the sly barkeepe
winked at us, and in the flush of con
scious merit set 'em no for the crowd
Hardly an hour had passed before tn
proprietor of the cafe came around L
reckon up his profits.
What dod-gasted fool, he shouted
anprily, has taken in this miserable
counterfeit of Sl0-noteP
1T vas too truel Poor barkeeper
The loss came out Of his salary, or hi