Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-02

| thoroughly. I also knew about all the dew
| ilment that was going on-and that is say
| ing good deal, for the boats before the war
were worked by all kinds of games. There
were two monte sharps that picked up
| good deal Of money on our boat, and used
to watch that little game with more interest
| than anything else. l had saved up about
$50 during the year and carried my fathers
gold watch and chain. One day 1 told the
monte man-Ruggles his name was-that l
could pick out the right card every time.
He said try it., and tried it. Every time
saw him tried it, and every time I tried it
called the turn.
"'You've got this down flne,' said Rug
giles. You would be bad young man to
play against. But take my advice, boy
never gamble
"It struck me as very inconsistent for
Ruggles to be winning money off OF every
body and telling me not to gamble For he
always did counsel me against it. thought
Ruggle was afraid of me, and so 1 limited.
"I am said Ruggles. Got any money!,
81 told him had a modest purse, but ld
go the whole that could pick out the right
card. He Immediately sought quiet corner
of the boat and shuf1ed the cards. drew
forth my buckskin purse and threw 1t down
with chink.
".Hold on said Ruggles, my limit is s., 900
HOW much have you got in there?' told
him and he threw down two $40 gold pieces
II won. Breathlessly placed the sinners
in my purse and then laid down the whole
won again. Again put down the double
stakes. Again won.
"I'm afraid you have got on to this game
said Ruggles. Better quit now
" I'll bet anything I've got can name
it, said confidently.
"'That's very nice watch you've got,'
said Ruggles; worth an hundred
-" She goes in with the rest said I, sat that
figure And I stripped off the watch and
million.
you've got nerve,' said Ruggles, as he
turned the cards.
"That was all did have, too, for lost and
Ruggles coolly swept in the whole Quilt ana
sauntered away. A years savings and my
fathers watch! Inever squealed, but knew
dared not face my father at st. Louis with
out watch. 1 saw Ruggles now and then
going up, but he never seemed to notice me
much. Finally, on the day we were in sight
of st. Louis he took me one side and, says he:
MY boy; III give you back your watch and
your purse and will add your first innings to
1t if you'll give me your solemn promise
never to touch game again You bet L
promised. More, I've kept that promise to
this day"
Favorites of the Long Ago.
THERE is queer little shop uptown, near
the big theaters where the photographs of
t'old theatrical celebrities" are on sale.
Charlotte Cushman, Mary Taylor, Adelina
Patti, "as she first appeared Mrs. G. c. Tay-
lor, the original Topsey, Tom Thumb, as he
was when Barnum first exhibited him; j.
Wilkes Booth, Forrest, Edwin Adams, Laura
Keene, and host of old d-timers-some repro
duced from old aguerrotypes-confront
the occasional collector. A sight of them is
enough to arouse the dead spirit of the past.
Picking Up Peanut.
IF you will notice the face of a peanut
vender when a man comes along and picks
a nut from the stand you will see manifes-
tation of subtle human emotion. 1t is the
smallest trifie, to be sure, but when hun
dreds of thoughtless men, women and chill
dren come along and take one or two pea
nuts each, 1t makes a hole in the profits.
Worse-ft makes a hole in the peanut mer-
chants temper. Yet this is exactly what is
going on every day all over town. No won
der the italian fruit seller occasionally takes
a notion to carve up the community of pee
ulators. CHARLES THEODORE MURRAY.