The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1896-09-24

] t@'l AANNiHE'
Curious CTeduhtY
The constantly recuul Z tales Of golt
buck swindles, huuoo games and the
like hardly parallel for curious credulitl
some instances which have been recorded
OF people whose gree ness was remarks
| bic.
A tale told Of thutty farmer OF Noril
ern New England Is case 10 point, TIM
old farmer and bis wife, sho bad by their
long labor ana oommendable thrift laid
by eoodly sum in gold to keep them
10 IN il declining years, their saV
ines in their home, having lost faith 10 The
banks.
By some mysterious method An old trsv
cling gypsy Oman discovered their sec
ret, called A. on them, and took consider
able pains to persuade them that If they
deposited their money in a deserted nest
10 wood near by and preserved u discreet
silence for three days and rights without
approaching the nest the gold would be
multiplied foriold,
For the advice the dusky prCphetess
demanded fee OF So. Strange to say, the
credulous couple believed her absurd state
meLt, obeyed her directions implicitly
aud, as may be suppofed, saw neither her
nor their money again. Their incredl
bic credulity landed them IN the poor
house.
There lives in Northern Michigan an
old man who received very little education
in his youth, bat who rose from poverty to
be very rich, and he was recently ylctmi
z,d in marvellous manner.
One day well dressed stranger called
10 see him, and after oonversing for u few
minutes. produced piece OF stone from
Li4 pocket. and seriously affirmed that it
was piece OF the North Pole.
he stated that be was traveller, and
had personally ascertsiued that the alb
stracton of the stone from the Pole had
done 1t 80 much injury that unless 1t was
speedily repaired collapse would occur,
with awful consequences to the entire
globe,
He said he was collecting funds for a
proposed expedition to the pole to repair
the damage, and to this he invited contri
buttons, He received 800 on the strength
Of this preposterous islIscy. and vanished
with 90 aacrily calculated to land him at
the north pole long since.
On one occasion while q well known op
era company was performing in New
York an announcement appeared in pap
er to the feet that any person sending
few stamps to q certain address would
receive 10 return free ticket for the
opera.
During the following day or two more
than 500 applications were sent in re
eronse TO this generous offer, bnt the tick
cts were not forthcoming, and the police
authorities investigated the matter. only
to fad that the suthor Cf the advertise
meut WAS an enterprsng swindler, who
thrived on the joint product OF bis owo
subtle wit aud the guileless confidence Of
creduIous public.
The story OF the man who cold fine
steel engraving OF GeLeral Grant for 10
cents seems TOO old to mention After q
large number Of people had paid ten cents
for two cent postaRe stamp the post
olIioe Authorities suppressed this sohem
er.
When the imperial mint Of Belgium was
to be removed from it's ancient and made
qnlte environment TO the splendid pile Of
buildings it toF occupies Que Of the news
papers Of Brussels publicly Intima,ed that
oil Of the FIVE franc pieces made on The
lsst day in the old mint would be cod to
the public at q discount about bali their
actual value.
This notification created general inter
e,t, and myriads OF excited citizens be
s.rg 3 the gates of The mint very early on
he morning Of the day named ouIy to be
Informed however, by the sstorlshed an
thorilies that the announcement vas moth
lng bu, hesrtless hoax