The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1903-09-03
"a NEAT BUNKO GAME.
HOW THE MANsMHo THOUGHT He
KNEW 1T ALL WAS FOOLED.

Its good In1ng Tor ISL suppose,
that whenever we get it all settled and
arranged in our minds that we're too
everlastingly bright and crafty to be
done by anybody we usually get fall
that takes the perkiness out of us, said
q Washington department store buyer
who makes frequent trips to New York.
up to certain day last week, for ex-
ample, had a pretty thorough under
standing with myself that there, was no
old kind of a 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 MARI
borough hotel, in New York, taking a
sun bath for myself and mapping out
my programme for the day. Two or
three other Iien were standing near me
doing the same.
"Our attention was lazily enlisted as
we stood there by the spectacle of a
boy wearing chefs cap and apron
recklessiy swinging an empty crockery
pitcher above his head. The boy was
rugged up like hotel Kitchen appren-
tice.
"'Whate internal whelps most boys
are, anyhow remarked 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 it and smash it
to smithereens 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 a
pretty good clutch on the handle of the
pitcher. He'll hang on to it all right
"'Bet you five he drops it before he
reaches Seventh avenue was the quick
response of the man with the sporty
look
"I guess I'll take that bet answered
the plain looking man, and he produced
his wad. The sporty looking citizen
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 al eye Oh the boy. who was still
swinging tie pitcher wildly. l held
my ground SID watched the proceed
ing. 1t Eok ID Ike a pretty good bet
for tt" rlai,. .JH'-;r," nan until. when
the boy was cniy aJavt' ten set 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 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:
"T thought sure I was going to lose
out on that when the kid got so near
pening to the pitcher
1.-TWO days later 1 was standing
alongside hotel at the corner of
Eighth avenue and One Hundred and
Twenty fifth street, in Harlem, waiting
for a downtown electric car, when I
saw that selfsame youngster, with the
Identical kitchen apprentices toggery,
going along Eighth avenue, again wild
II swinging a pitcher. Then l cast
my eyes about me, and there, only
three feet to the left of me and leaning
against an L stanchion, was the sporty
fnnJ-irfr hlirlyn1 Ia 1i1u .of r,oo
when he saw that / had observed the
boy with the pitcher. r.
"'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 V. Now, just
look at thac cub fooling with that
pitcher. It's cinch that he'll drop ii
nnd smash it to smithereens before he
reaches the next corner
"'What foxy way this fellow has
Of making living! I unused. But I'll
just give him little run for his money,
30 I 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 1aughingly,
amy old thing to pass the time away.
/, It's about an even thing one way or the
other, suppose
Just about said I.
| "'Well, he said good naturally, then
I'll bet you a 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
] Ling. next to the dodge and calling him
Town on it. l think see a new five
Tollar hat for myself this afternoon
"My reflections along this pleasant
line, however, were interrupted. The
boy 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