The Princeton union., 1892-05-12
HAD FUN WITH "a CIRCUS.
THE TICKET SELLER WORKED
THE FLIM-FLAM GAME.
And When the Countryman Objected FIRE.
Arms Were Called Into Use--Fun
III for Some, But Not So Funny
for Others.

i s#8 AOA oOAlcFbs 4
have ! seen you fellows since
was IN Maricopap" asked Mccormick
as he lighted cigar. Mccormick
sells firearms in Arizona New Mexi-
co and Colorado
Il got to Gila City. and heard
there was circus at Maricopa, and
thought I'd take it in. for wanted to
sell bill at Stanwix, and might do
something in Maricopa, too. I don't
know as you fellows ever saw circus
In the Southwest. You wouldn't know
it. Every man in the shows a walk
Ing arsenal-has to be in that country.
And the man in the ticket-wagon has
guns on all sides of him. It's merely
a matter OF preponderance OF shoot
Ing weapons which survives after cir
Gus time-the show or the populace.
This show had been in Maricopa
ten days, and there hadn't been any
trouble to speak Of One man from
the hills had been killed at the ticket
wagon in a dispute over the right
change but he'd been warned if he
asked for that flyer again he'd get
plugged He did ask. with his gun,
but he missed and he was plugged.
well, you see. there's always a
mob around the ticket wagon. and
holding up their hands, fourishing
bills and gold pieces and bowling for
tlckets-greasers. 1njuns, cow boys.
miners ranchers gamblers. every
kind you can think of. The ticket
seller-the grafter-has few one
dollar bills wound around his middle
finger, so that the ends come together,
and it looks as though he had twice as
many bills as he has. A granger
comes up for a ticket hands over a
hve-dollar bill. the CRATER slaps down
the ticket, thumbs over the ends of
four bills, in plain sight of the farmer,
whips them out from under his finger.
rolls them, and hands them down.
Nine times out o. ten the hayseed
grabs the money, stuffs it in his pocket
and elbows out of the crowd before
trying to count the change. Then he
finds out that he has only two one
dollar bills. when he thought he saw
the ticket-seller count him out four
Well he goes back with fire in his
eye. but it doesn't do him any good.
Anyhow it didn't seem to the day
was up to Marlcopa- was just get
ting near the ticket wagon myself,
when one O. these rustics thatd had
the flimfiam game played on him came
rushing up and squeezed through the
| Won for, NJ th;of1 -
the CRATER; :gi'me my money, will
you?'
"The ticket man just looked at him
out o the corner of his eye. and went
on selling until the sucker began to
/ yell robbers and things. when he
! shouted. Get out O, here! You can't
play that game with this succus.
. But blast your carcass. I gave
you tenner and here's only $4 back
Cuss me if III pay more'n 81 for any
succus'
You're crazy old man; move
along now out O. the crowd or you'll
get hurt
| That seemed to annoy the farmer
for quicker'n scat he put three bullets
through the wagon window to ease
his mind, and the CRATER began to
pepper back. rather regardless of the
promiscuous crowd. skipped on to
the gold chariot at one side, got be.
hind a big wooden angel on one
corner of it, and stayed there where
could look out with little danger OF
getting a pellet. But they stopped
shooting pretty soon. You see the
CRATER had two men in the wagon
who grabbed their guns the minute
the fuss began. and blazed away at
the old man, while the CRATER had
settled down to selling tickets again.
The rustic saw the odds were against
him and he lit out swearing ven.
geance. He had only scratch on the
shoulder, but stout copper colored
old lady from over the border mad
vertently got between him and one of
the slugs from the ticket wagon and
didn't live to see the show. Her hus-
band was disposed to find fault but
the CRATER apologized and passed him
in free, so he made up his mind to lei
bygones be bygones. H
Il think it was just after the big
bareback act that every body in the
tent suddenly heard guns popping on
the outside. But the clown was lust
coming into the ring. and we didn't
pay much attention to the matter un
til casual bullets began to interfere
with the comfort of the audience and
when the clown himself was bowled
over and had to be carried out on a
banner. a good many people became
SO interested in the proceedings out
|slde that they paid little attention to
the performance. Then all at once
there was commotion near the dress
ing tent entrance and pack of thir-
ty mounted cowboys galloped into the
ring. The old hayseed was at the
head of them and every man had his
fireworks out and ready for business
las you fellows know I've travelled
| for q firearms house for twenty years
and have handled weapons by the
thousands but when it comes to a
front view OF shooting machines in the
paws Of crowd OF earnest citizens
I'm disposed to retire from business
u was afraid the visitors meant
| ico ohiof r .l a.