The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-06-12
PLAYED sTRiPPeRs ON HIM.
A Card sharper Suffers for Trying an Old
Trick on a New York Drummer.

.sNo. siree.n exclaimed my friend
Buck" who is II travelling salesman
fer large Broadway importing house;
'syou don't often catch us drumme.s
asleep. We're wide awake to the
tricks of most all trades, can tell
you"
The last time sharper tried 10
down me was at Cleveland. o., few
weeks ago. He tried to work the
stripper racket on me. / was seated
in my room early one evening. when a
little terrier dog rau in through the
open door and began smiling about
Pretty soon well-dressed young fell
low appeared at the door. and. apollo
gizing for the intrusion. asked if / had
seen stray dog anywhere around.
...Ah there you are said he. espy-
ing the canine. always running away
from me into other peoples rooms. he
exclaimed. As might be expected,
one word led to another. and very
soon we were engaged in general
conversation. The talk drifted to
cards. and then the stranger produced
a pack. He had just learned a new
trick which he would show me.
Now take a. card and look at it. +"
said he. l did as directed. selecting
the ace of clubs Now put it back.
he said. handing me the pack. BE
then requested me to shuttle the cards
we'll which 1 did. He then took the
pack.
There is your card he said at
once. producing the ace of clubs.
Very good. said l. but 1 don't think
you could do it again l then called
his attention to picture in the room,
while l hurriedly examined the pack.
No. said /, 1 don't think you could
do it again; not for 800
".Pll see you.' said he, producing
the money. All right said 1. and the
bet was made. l then selected a card
the ace of spades. He handed me
the pack. requesting me to replace the
card and shuttle them as much as !
pleased.
Now, 1 can handle the pasteboards
myself. so while l was shuff1ing I Just
fixed the cards on the sharper SO that
he couldn't tell one card from another.
There, said /, handing him the pack,
where's my cardp'
He took the pack with smile of
confidence and began to run his fingers
over the edges. Then he began to
look a trifie nervous. Come said |.
produce the card or l take your
money
We'll, sir, after he had fumbled
over the pack for few minutes L just
pocketed his $40. Now, see here 1
said to him. you've been trying to
play strippers on me. haven't youp"
He never said word for about
two minutes. He then rose to leave
the room. Say said he, as he was
about to leave, you're a New York
drummer for another twenty I'm
not making any more bets,' said 1. I
knew it, he remarked as he left the
room.
''StrippersP Why. that's a pack of
cards made slightly narrower on one
end than the other-an almost imper-
ceptible difference. yet enough to be
distinguished by the touch.
When you select a card the sharper
hands you the pack SO that you replace
it upside down, the broad end among
the narrow ones-seeP He can then
snake it out without any trouble. It's
a neat trick and hard to detect unless
you have been initiated.
'Of course | knew what he was up
to when he handed me the pack. I
put the card in as he wanted it. and
then. while I was shuffiing. l quietly
turned it around SO that the ends were
all alike.
did it cost me anything to learn
that trickP WelI-bnt I'm not giving
myself away. got 500 out of it back,
at any rate. IN Y. Herald.