Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-09-08
A NEAT BUNKO GAME
HOW THE MAN WHO THOUGHT he
KNEW 1T ALL WAS FOOLED.

betting Went and Gave No Clew
MS to How the TIP Was Passed to
Break or Not to Break the jus.
Its n good thing for US, suppose,
that whenever we get it all settled and
arranged in our minds that were too
cverlastingly bright and crafty to be
done by anybody we usually get fall
that takes the perkiness out Of us" said
a Washington department store buyer
who makes frequent trips to New York.
up to q certain day last week, for ex-
ample, l had pretty thorough under
standing with myself that there was no
old kind Of New York bunko game
that I'd bite on. I'd been going to New
York too often and for too long time
for anything like that. Well, listen.
"a week ago Monday morning last !
was standing after breakfast on the
Thirty sixth street side Of the Marl-
borough hotel, in New York, taking
sun bath for myself and mapping out
my programme for the day. Two or
three other men were standing near me
doing the same.
"Our attention was lazily enlisted as
we stood there by the spectacle OF
boy wearing a chefs cap and apron
recklessly swinging an empty crockery
pitcher above his head. The boy was
rugged up like hotel kitchen appren'
tice.
"'What internal whelps most boys
are, anyhow! remarked a sporty look
ing man standing near me to a plain
looking Individual who was standing
alongside OF him. Now, just look at
that cub fooling with that pitcher. It's
a cinch that he'll drop 1t and smash 1t
to smithereeps before he gets to Sew
enth avenue
"'Oh, dunno was the reply Of the
plain looking man. 4 guess the KID
knows what he's about. He's got
pretty good clutch on the handle Of the
pitcher. He'll hang on to it all right
"'Bet you five he drops 1t before he
reaches Seventh avenue was the quick
response of the man with the sporty
look.
81 guess I'll take that be- answered
the plain looking man, and he produced
his wad. The sporty looking citizen
peeled n from his roll and both men
put up their money with the uniformed
carriage opener stationed outside the
Marlborough. Then they took up the
Jog together toward Seventh avenue to
keep an eye on the boy. who was still
swinging the pitcher wildly. l held
my ground and watched the proceed
n: 1t looked like pretty good bet
for the plain looking man until, when
the boy was only about ten feet from
the corner Of Seventh avenue, the
pitcher flew out of his hand as he was
trying some singularly difficult piece
of Juggling with it and was dashed
into a hundred fragments on a door
step. The sporty looking man and the
plain looking individual returned to
where l was standing and the former
took the two VS. from the stakeholder
with grin. saying:
81 thought sure was going to lose
out on that when the kid got so near
Seventh avenue without anything hap
pening to the pitcher
1.-TWO days later l was standing
alongside Il hotel at the corner OF
Eighth avenue and One Hundred and
Twenty fifth street. in Harlem, waiting
for downtown electric car, when /
saw that selfsame youngster, with the
identical kitchen apprentices toggery,
going along Eighth avenue, again wild
ly swinging pitcher. Then / cast
my eyes about Inc, and there. only
three feet to the left Of me and leaning
against an l. stanchion, was the sporty
looking man. He blinked lazily ut me
when he saw that had observed the
boy with the pitcher.
"'What Internal whelps most boys
are. anyway" he said to me In precisely
the same words and the same tone he
had used In making the remark cou-
pie of days before to the plain looking
man who had lost his " Now, just
look Mt that cub fooling with that
pitcher. It's a cinch that he'll drop 1t
and smash 1t to smithereens before he
reaches the next corner
"'What u foxy way this fellow has
of making livingv mused. But I'll
just give him little run for his money,
80 WILL
""That's the betting end of It, said
aloud to the sporty looking man, that
I'd be willing to take myself
"'Oh, WE'LL he replied laughingly,
amy old thing to pass the time away.
It's about an even thing one way or the
other, suppose
"'Just about said l.
".Well,' he said good naturally. then
I'll bet you V that he doesn't smash
1t before he reaches the next corner
YOU'RE on said l, and we put up
our five spots with the news dealer on
the corner.
"'This,' said to myself as fell into
step with the sporty looking man. Is
like wheedling gran'ma out Of nickel
for cookies There's no way that this
crafty con man can pass the tip to that
kid not to drop that pitcher, according
to the usual frame up, without my get
ting next to the dodge and calling him
down on 1t. think see new five
dollar hat for myself this afternoon
My reflections along this pleasant
line. however, were interrupted. The
hoy was already crossing the street,
still swinging the pitcher wildly and
whistling merrily. He reached the 9TH
er side and went right along his way,
taking tremendous chances with the
D:cher and whistling with all the fer
vor of youth. and had lost.
How had the sporty looking man
passed the signal to the kid not to drop
the pitcher on that occasion? / give II
up. didn't stop to inquire Of him. l
felt too cheap to stop for any purpose
whotoyer hut swung IN board the