The San Francisco call., 1899-07-28
THE MAIDEN
AND THE
PRESTIDIGITATEUR.

ling with the silken swish of her skirts.
Stopping, she looked down, and there at
her feet was a bright new dollar ghSten-
ing up at her from the place on the SIDE
walk where it lay. A smile OF satlsfac-
tiCn at her good fortune spread itself over
the girls face and she stopped TO pick
the coin up. Just as her fingers were
about to close on il. she was arrested
by a rather husky voice. which said;
Pardon me, young lady, but will you
be kind enough to leave that piece OF
money where l placed it?
The girl Strengthened up like flash,
her face suffused with confusion and gaz-
ing in the direction whence the voice
came perceived that it belonged to an
individual whose appearance suggested
that he had but few pieces of money to
leave around sidewalks.
Raising his hat with the air of a Ches-
terfeld the seedy appearing one said:
Now be good enough to move a few feet
to the left and I will show you trick"
The girl obeyed him as though she was
in hypnotic trance. AS soon as she had
moved little to one side the fellow. taxi
ing the place she had vacated, continued:
You see. l stoop over this coin and ex-
tending my hand grasp it firmly between
the thumb and foreinger. Then
straighten quickly TO an unright position
and place it in my left vest pocket. The
next thing TO do is to convert this bit
of silver into distilled liquor, but that
part of the performance calls for the as
sistance of an attendant. Therefore, 1
beg you will excuse me while | consult
with him inside yOnder booth And the
rascal again bowling, walked across the
street and vanished within the nearest
saloon.
The girl watched him until he faded
from sight. then, gasping once o. twice,
woke up and hurried into the hotel.
Thomas o. Toland of the State Board of
Equalization is a guest at the Lick. He
is registered from Ventura.
P P Soto. a mining man of Phoenix,
and ]. D. Bradley, merchant of Merced,
are among the late arrivals at the Grand.
7. B. Hickey. a wealthy banker of Car
son. New, is at the Palace, where he ar
rived yesterday on a short business trip to
the city.
DR.. F. Wesley Carpenter of knights
Ferry and Dr. H: W. Bassett of Chicago
arrived in the city yesterday and went to
the Grand.
R. F. Del Vale, one of the foremost at
torneys of Los Angeles, is at the Palace
on a short business and pleasure trip to
the city
DR.. C. P. Mcconnell and wife of Chicago
have returned from little pleasure jaunt
they have been making through the inte-
rior and are again registered at the Grand.
w. F. Johnson. lucky miner from the
KIondike, returned to San Francisco yes
terday and is registered at the Palace
with several members of his family. He
takes a most optimistic view of the great
future that is in store for Alaska. and
bases his judgment on a residence of sew
en- years in that country.
General Manager Julius Kruttschnitt
of the Southern Pacific Company has left
on his vacat tion, accompanied by his wife
He will go by rail from this city to Seat
tie. whence he will take the regular ex-
cursion steamer as far as Juneau, Alaska
William Mahl, comptroller and assistant
to the president of the same company. is
also making the same trip. Mrs. Mahl
goes with her husband.