The Portland daily press., 1900-06-23
stereHr or HAND TRICK.
a Performance In Legerdemafn
which Faded UnexpeetedIr.


In a restaurant where patrons who
wish to dine quietly away from the rush
and hustle ON the lower floor go up stairs
two gentlemen were lunching n few days.
ago.
Both were talking very animatedly and
were apparently oblivious TO their sur
roundings. especially TO the colored wait
err. IL they knew that that individual
was on earth, much less In their immedi-
ate presence, their attention TO his where
abouts gave no clew to their knowledge.
One Of the diners was a young man OF
powerful build. He was evidently the
host. When the waiter laid the check
down on the white tablecioth and step.
ped back and watched them carefully, rs
is the custom OF walters who scent tip.
he careiessly reached In his vest pocket
md, without appearing to look at the
servitor placed both check and new
bank note side by side without break In
the argument.
In few moments the waiter re-cntcr-
ed, carrying a silver salyer. in the center
of which lay a 10 cent pieco. Then he
stepped back again. his glance alternat-
ing between the salver and the man who
paid the bill.
The argument came to an abrupt ter
the imnovabic face of the waiter with a
curiously searching glance not unmixed
with amazement. Then he whispered
word TO his friend whose eyes also
scanned the face that impassively return
cd their glances. There was an eloquent
silence. The young man beckoned the
waiter to his side.
you are a slick one" he said quietly,
but there was ring in his tone that did
not augur well for one of the party.
"Just hand it over. please"
Hand over what. sirY asked the wait.
er. innocently and with a pronounced ris-
ing infection
'The change"
'There it is, SIR" indicating with q
sweep of the hand toward the ~ cent
piece.
"Part of 1t. l want the rest"
"'Decd, that's all that is coming to
you, sir. You gave me 81 bill, and your
check was 80 cents"
The young mans features broke into a
smile that made the lines of his mouth
mold in n manner in which determination
and amusement struggled for mastery.
''That was a $50 bill | gave YOU" be
said because it was rolled tightly
and7we appeared TO be SO absorbed in our
tice you reduce it after securing the
change to one. / will give you ten sec
onds TO deliver up the balance or | will
choke the life out of you and have you
arrested for theft. Come, ! will count
one, two, three, four
deed, boss. you is mistaken. That
was one spot
give, six, seven, eight, nine, ten"
"You is certainly mistaken, boss,
that
The young man was on his feet as he
counted out the waiter. He seized the
latter by the throat and with quick
movement forced the~man to the floor.
Here ii is, bossv' cried the waiter in
terrified accents. For the Lnwda-mus-
sy sakes, boss, don't pinch so harde'
He extracted from his coat pocket $40
in bills. which he eagerly pressed in the
left hand of the young man who stood
above him. The latter released his hold
and counting the bills, passed out of
the room with his companion with not
so much as second look at the anna
tcur prestidigitator kneeling on the door
ruefully rubbing his neck.
The young man is member of the
United States secret service, and he
knows the appearance of government
currency better than most bank teliers,
rolled or Observation-Disclosures Star.