Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-11-15
Floor tiling-Mayberry & Watson.
NEW BAIT FOR SUCKERS.

"There's an old buck that's going to be
shorn or / don't know marrowfat peas
from string beans"
This remark was made by quiet-look-
ing man who was To- ering in the space in
front of the iron rainngs or one of Chica-
COS railroad depots. The person ad-
dressed was a mddle-aged man. He car
ried grip and looked as though he
might be a thriving country merchant
and very smart man in his own town.
The "old buck" referred to was attlred
in a brown suit of clothes, wore pictur-
esque set of chin whiskers, carried car
pet-bag and was, in fact, typical repre-
sentative of the tillers of the soil. Walk
ing by his side and talking assiduously in
the farmers ear was smooth-looking
individual in suit of clothes that were
trifle seedy-the accepted type of the
confidence man.
Il wouldn't wonder" remarked the
man with the grip, in response to the out
burst of confidence from the quiet-look-
ing stranger.
Lets follow them and see what that
geezer is going to do with his whiskers."
This from the quiet one.
The man with the grip had half hour
to wait for his train. He had heard of
three card monte, the shell game and
other means of trapping the rural visitor
and didn't mind a little investigation. So
he checked his satchel in the parcel office
and, together with his companion, follow
ca the granger anu the COiIuSiCc Hidhs
They kept well back, so as not to be
noticed. Their journey was not long
one. Around the corner, up side street
and then into an alley. Here the man
In the seedy clothes found an old box and
going down into his pocket, pulled out
three halves of English walnut shells and
a little rubber pellet the size of pea
and began manipulating them in the
good, old-fashioned way. AS his back
was turned toward the entrance to the
,1an oil nHJi n
close.
The farmer began guessing as to which
shell was over the rubber ball and In
nearly every instance was correct. Then
the man in the seedy clothes suggested
betting He made pass with the shells
the farmer was certain he knew which
was the right one and pulled out fat
roll of bills. The man in the seedy
clothes laid twenty on the box and the
farmer covered it with crisp duplicate.
The farmer named the shell, was wrong
and the man in the seedy clothes peck
eted the bill. The granger concluded
he had enough and with bowed head and
contemplatlve mood passed down the al
ley
When he of the seedy clothes pocketed
his paraphernalia and looked up he met
the gaze of the quiet looking man and
the country merchant His face took on
an air of bravado and he. too. started
down the alley.
Hold on there, stranger, called out
the quiet-looking man, in firm voice.
The shell man wavered for a moment, as
though hesitating between q run and a
halt and then stopped.
Were onto you." continued the quiet
looking man. II am an officer, but If
you will hand over that twenty you took
away from his beardlets to my friend
here he will give you a ten, I'll call the
thing square and you can CO."
AT the same time the quiet looking man
gave his newly-made friend a nod to go
ahead. In few moments the exchange
was made and the shell man had disap-
peared.
THAT was pretty good bluff I put up
on that fellow" remarked the quiet-look-
ing man. IT would have liked to have
had him arrested. but we got half his
spoils away from him and that's one good