The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-06-15
he BOUGHT THE BRICK.
A Confidence Game That MIscarried
and the Intended Victim
Came Out Ahead.

West side with several hundred thou
sand other people, doesn't pretend to
be smart, is law-abiding, but has
never Been indicted for it, and yet he
practically sold confidence man his
own gold brick, says the Chicago
Times-Herald.
The leading axiom in the gold
brick business is: Never buy; always
sell gold bricks"
Jerry doesn't need any pointers in
transactions where money is one of
the active ingredients, for he came by
them naturally, but the confidence
man didn't know it. In some way
the latter learned the dimensions of
Mr.. Harding's deposit at the bank,
and after careful calculations with
range-finder thought the transfer to
his own depleted hoard as good as
made.
Because of his failure to take Jere-
miah into his confidence, however, this
bricklayer slipped an eccentric, lost the
cherished brick which had so often
laid long-green eggs, plunged his
family into grief and woe, had to
move at night into a cheaper fat,
forfeited his social and business stand
ing, and was relegated to the suck
err" class.
When a business-like, although
clerical-looking, middle-aged man,
neatly dressed, called upon Jerry at
his grocery one day recently solicit
ing money for the Society for the
Propagation of Mendacious Peripa-
tetics, Jerry warmed to him at once,
promised to think it over, had him
stay to the noon dinner, and trotted
out the hard cider.
Now, Jerry rather smelled a rat, al
though his conscience hurt him for
mistrusting the eloquent missionary,
but it recovered from the attack when
the visitor, after handing out lots of
information about Cape Nome, where
arctic oceans come from, said his
brother had sent him several thou
sand dollars worth of gold dust,
which he had transformed into per-
allelopiped, but, needing cash, de-
advise him.
"Sell the thing to a circus" said
Jerry.
The stranger threw plying
smile upon his host, and then ex-
planned that the gold had been cast
into q brick-shaped mass, adding:
There's $500 worth of gold in it,
but I'll take $500 ready money"
just the magnitude of Jerry's bank
deposit. 1t was strange coinci
dence.
jeremiah asked to see the brick,
but it was downtown; he would not
care to endanger its safety by lug.
ging it around, nor would he ask
Jerry to buy. Perhaps some bank
was in need of it.
81 can have it tested, 1 suppose?"
inquired the groceryman.
Certainly" responded the mission
ary; well go to the government as
say Office and it will be tried by the
assayer in your presence"
So Jeremiah agreed to meet the
missionary at the bank Thursday
morning, and both were ON time, the
stranger with brick in his satchel
large enough to accommodate hod-
load. Jerry caught on to this at once,
said nothing, drew $500 in ten $500
and two 500 bills. stuffed them care
lessly into his pocket, took chew of
black tobacco, and then left the bank
with the missionary.
I'm sorry, but the government as
sayer is out of town; shall we wait
till he gets back?" remarked the
missionary, apologetically.
No, it made no difference to Jerry;
any assayer his friend recommended
would do, at which reply the mission
airy could have killed Jerry for not
having 100000 with him, and looked
upon the groceryman as a swindler
for possessing but paltry $500.
The brick was tested at a jewelers.,
and being pronounced pure in heart
and of good financial standing, Jerry,
putting it in his pocket, accompanied
the missionary to Van Buren, street
hotel to complete the transaction. 1t
was evident the good man was dis
turbed, and limited two or three
times regarding the danger of carry
ing so precious a burden In ones
clothes. but Jerry merely Remarked:
I'D like to see some one take this
from me. If he does he can have
it."
1t was rather queer that the re-
ligious mans room smelled of smoke
and liquor, but Jerry said nothing.
The missionary stood aside to let Jerry
enter first, but the latter pushed the
other ahead, and into the apartment,
and merely crossing the threshold,
with the open door at his back, the
groceryman drew his money from his
pocket and thrust the roll into the
crooks hand.
"Nit," shouted the confidence man
quite unclerically. "Come here, jim"
The missionary, dropping the satch-
ell, was about to reach for revolver,
when he found glistening barrel
showed under his nose. He could see
all the consultations through it, for
it was apparently the size of the YER
kes telescope. The hand of the man
behind the gun didn't tremble a
bit.
Obedient to call. the confederate
emerged from behind curtain in a
dark corner of the room, and run
ing forward was about to rush
Jerry, when the latter eoolly re-
marked: "I'll Kill the missionary il
you move an inch further, and then
I'll kill you. l won't even let you
change bricks on me-"