The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1896-02-01
AN IMPECUNIOUS ONE.
THE BOLD GAME OF BLUFF NE PLAYED
ON THE CONDUCTOR.

THE BOLD GAME OF BLUFF he PLAYED
ON THE CONDUCTOR.
He Wa Not = Gambler or . Dr~muasr
sst . naah cisrk-Aessrdins 10 sAs
MAJ who Tells the STORY. He Ought ID
H N Aesor-OA. IL Wa wickedi
He sat in hotel smoking room. The
cir was blue. but men were happy
happy and reminiscent. He stretched
out his legs thrust his hands deep into
his pockets. and between the puffs spun
this yarn:
Fur dead cold. icy nerve had al
ways thought we travelling men took the
cake. But the prettiest game Of blur I
ever saw was put up BY man who was
neither a drummer nor q reporter, but
merely an overworked bank clerk who
had applied for leave Of absence and
gone south to recuperate He had drawn
certain sum for the trip and resolved
not to exceed it. Foolishly he had neg
lected to bug an excursion ticket, arsu-
ing that he might want to return by a
different route. And then. as a matter
OF course. he found that he had spent his
money not wisely but too we'll, so that
he was hundreds Of miles from home.
ticketless and friendless and we'll nj oh
penniless. His checkbook was useless,
for no one knew him and he must b.
identified.
"All this learned later ON. Nv oc-
quaintance with him began ON the train
Of one Of the southern roads, when he
asked me to stake him enough to see
him home had already been touched
several times that trip. 50. expressing ev-
cry confidence in his probity, declined
the honor he would do me. He tried
several other passengers with a like re-
suit. Then he gave it up. but made us
all promise not to interfere with any
game he tried to play.
Presently the conductor came along.
The lmpecunious one, his hat cooked
over one eye, WAS peacefully sleeping in
one corner Of his seat, leaning toward
an open window. The conductor shook
him, gently at first, so that he stirred,
and his hat dropped farther over his
eye. but he did not wake Then more
roughly, saying, Come. sir. your ticket,
please
AT that the impecunious one awoks
with big start. His hat dew ont Of the
window, and he few into a great rage.
He swore at the conductor AZ 4 abused
him up aud down, him and his fore
fathers unto the third and fourth gener-
alton What did he mean BY waking
him in that way? Didn't he know that
rest was invaluable to an invalid. That
such sudden, rude awakening might bs
fatal to a weak heart: We're his nerves
Of no account And now be had lost his
hat and would catch cold. Ii was out
rageous.
The conductor bowed before the
storm. and when it had somewhat abat- .
ed offered to replace the hat at the first
stopping place. And now, sir, let me-
see your ticket, please
The impecuniuus one felt in all his
pockets, went through them all again
with bewildered air. Finally he broke
out: Why, you idiot, you. all my tick.
cts, not only on this road, but straight !
through to Chicago. were in the lining
OF my hat, and You knocked it out Of
the window. I'm in a pretty pickle
now. haven't enough with me to buy
fresh set This piece Of idiocy will /
cost you your job. I'll report you to the
company and teach you to lie more care
full how you startle nervous man.
The conductor tried to soothe him.
offered TO take him through to the end .
OF the division. But the impecunioas
one would not be appeased. Much good .
1t would do him to be landed in some
little nearby. one horse southern town .
hundreds Of miles from nowhere. He
wanted to get through TO Chicago He
must get through. He had an appoint
ment there that was worth thousands of
dollars. Finally the conductor, by this
time badly frightened. promised to get
MIN tickets or passes all the way
through, and the impecunious one sub
sided. And to the end Of that road the
having replaced the dear de-
parted hat, maintained an humbly apol-
oget1c tone that would have wrung tears
OF blood from a stone
And it was only blrff all 30 well
carried out that the conductor was
taken in, and the rest Of us
rubbed our eyes and wondered whether
the impecunious ones attempt to touch
rs was not, after al, a dream.
Later on, travelling over that same
road. told the conductor how he had
been worked. And he said he knew it,
for shortly after that trip he had receiv.
ed letter and check, the former con-
Tossing the fraud. the latter paying him
the full price Of the passage. And he
added: That fellow was genius. II he
bad made fuss at first about his tick
cts, I'd have been on to him in a min
ute. but his tickets were forgotten. Il
was his nerves. his health, his heart, his
nat that were Of Importance. And to
think that he had no nerves, or health.
Dr. hat-or heart. Oh, it was wicked,
But that man has missed his vocation
De ought 10 be on the stage "-Chica-
90 Tribune.