The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-09
EpistIes 10 St. Paul.
Were you ever flim-fiammed?

Were you ever fim-fammed?
That is to say, did the merry state fair
swindler ever give you the short end of it on
breaking a bill or a silver dollar2
1t Is some time since the Philistine came
off the prairies of Dakota to live in the city.
but he was handed the game yesterday, and
with facility which took his breath away
when he discovered 1t.
He was on his way to the fair, was the
Philistine, when he met the little David with
his cash-register slung-shot and winning ways
winning Is cents. 1t was just at the corner
of Eighth and Wabasha streets-there's re-
fectory right there in the parting Of the
roads, where it is reported former book
keeper stole $4,000 in as many years.
They must have been trying to get that
back yesterday when the Philistine and an
other rural friend who holds down a position
at the state capitol dropped in to wait for a
fair grounds car. Reveling in the seductive
red pop and things, the Philistine was in debt
20 cents when the came around the curve,
and he planked down a dollar.
He got what might have looked like eighty
cents once But he did not examine it, grab
bling it off to chase the car Five cents OF
it was good money. The conductor going out
took that. The larger Of the remaining two
pieces was a Mexican coin purporting on its
face to be worth so centavos. The other
might be worth, for aught that appears on it's
diverse or reverse, eight million rupees
in Himalayan silver, or 1t might be a tin
state fair souvenir that had been run over
by a coal train. 1t has lost every vestige OF
the die, and there is no clue to where the
die was cast. either. Still 1t might have
been worse. There was Ave cents of modern
American money in the change.
They had been to the fair.
There were four Of them.
The women evidently lived here. The men
seemed to be strangers. Both of them looked
the traveller although not necessarily the
drummer.
The older one was rather blase. A Philis-
tinic summary Of his points made half IN
consciously while the car was winding
through Como park epitomized him in the
mental size-up as a fellow who would lose
SIS playing selling platers at Roby without
turning a hair. but who would begrudge d
quarter for farm show if it included every
type of vegetable product from the glacial
edelweiss to the tropical ICON pone." This
was wrong.
Estate fairs are all alike" remarked one
Of the women, with sigh. Same old show
year after year"
''Ye-e-s" replied the blase-looking indi-
vidual, somewhat deliberately. "But haven't
missed one for years. There's little ro-
younger l had an attachment for a young
lady in Philadelphia, but had been some
what estranged. I happened to be passing
through that city and I took a notion I'd
like to see her. I did not care to call on her
at her house, and 1 did not know where to
meet her outside. I looked through the pa
pers and there wasn't a thing going on in
the town except horticultural exhibition.
dropped her a line asking if she would go to
H. Icbk
out.
my wife and I always go to farm and fruit
exhibits whenever we get chance"
In front of the union depot there is
sign that is attracting attention. The depot
is to be supplied with artesan water and a
we'll drilling concern is driving a we'll in
front of the building. By way Of advertising
the business the concern had put up sign
alongside of the engine, that is engaged In
the drilling. The sign reads:
"St Paul Artason Well Company"