The Portland daily press., 1898-09-14
WITH THE SAME LITTLE SHELLS.
Boston Man Failed to Beat Crook at His
Own Game.

After the RiZby races were over yester-
day. and the sports and spectators had all
assembled at the railroad platform, wait
ing for the 'scoot'' train to take them
back to Portland, she'll game Was
started within plain view of every body'
The man who operated the llt6ie sliei1S
and pea was one of the chaps VINO was
driven out of the grounds the thlro oaS
Of the New England fair. AROUND MS
little table gathered half a dozen others
whose faces became so familiar 10 peopie
who watched the "skiE games" played IN
the Midway in the early part OF fair week.
They were campers They watched his
manipuIations of the shells as lntentiy as
II thew had never seen or heard OF the
game before.
After they had looked on a few minutes
thew began to haul out rolls of bills and
het that they could name the she'll under
which the elusive bit of rubber reposed-
They won fives, tens and twentles with
apparent ease Half the people who looked
on from the brow of the little hill were
in smiles; they were taking in the situa-
ton and wondering if there would be
anybody foolish enough to get caught IN
so rusty and Anticipated trap.
Along came man who had struck good
luck in the pool box, and was looking for
a chance to increase his winnings. He
was not from the back woods but was
from Boston and looked like young
man of more than average shrewdness.
He had heard of the game, but after he
had looked on few minutes he became
nossessed of the delusion that he could
win ten dollars just as easily as turning
over his hand.
He picked shell under which he had
seen the ball deposited, took it for ten
dollars, accepted the OPERATORS suggestion
to make it twenty, and finally raised his
bet to fifty. While he was getting out
his money the shells were shuff1ed again
and when he picked up his shell it was
empty.
The crowd roared with laughter. Still
he looked on and saw the cappers win
with ease The operator, out of the kind
ness of his big heart, offered to give the
Boston man chance to ''get even." He
thought he, saw an opportunity to get
back his fifty. Ae picked the right she'll,
without the slightest doubt, but 1t took
him some time to count out his second
fifty, for his hand was trembling like an
aspen leaf. The hands Of the operator
and three or four Of his pals lowered over
the shell, and after the deposit had been
gathered in the chosen she'll was lifted
and found to be empty.
The Bostonian who had proved such an
easy prey left the throng and went up to
the station platform, to mop his feyered
brow. Some of his friends who had heard
of his encounter with the smooth tongued
swindlers advised him to hunt up ar
officer and have the whole gang arrested
His brother finally came along an6
labored with him on the sans lines
Meanwhile the big fellow with the she'll
had seen storm brewing, and had tor
saken his table and started with {
Hebrew friend toward the restaur op
posite the park entrance. -
The ieeoed victim and his brother
backed up by four or five other men
started after the retreating shell man
but did not overtake him till after he hai
got inside the restaurant. A lengthy an
heated interview was in progress on th
restaurant steps when the train move'
off. Word was afterward brought to the
city that the big fellow with the she'll
denied having heeced the Boston man
and turned his pocket Innings inside on
to prove that he had no Ill gotten fund.-
about him.
Some new pupil will learn the lessor
every day, unless the officers put stop h
the she'll game, which isn't at all likely
as it has been worked out there every day
that there has been'racing at Rigby this
fall.