New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02
GUESSING At HEIGHTS.
Success Athieved By Nan Who
Makes This His Specially.

"A human wonder Yes. he's a human Wonder
cries the barker, who draws the crowd 20 one
of tina newest Coney Island attractions. He'll
guess your weight within three pounds. II costs
you nothing. Tall or short fat slim, big bones
little he'll guess YOU and he'll guess you right
or it costs you nothing"
\ youthful looking presides over a swinging
chair which is an accurate scale up to 100 pounds
according TO the dial above ones head He is not
particularly bright wonderful. though his eye is
keen and quick.
step up now and get Weighed he echoes the
barker's cry. IF I don't get within three pounds
you pay me nothing.
If he does guess that near the Weighing costs
one a nickel. That IS where the weight guesSer
comes out ahead. Ordinarily it costs only cent
to get your weight with bar OF music and
fortune thrown in. But that sort Of weighing is
entirely mechanical With the human guessing
attachment it is more expensive. He misses say.
one in five, but the four he guesses correctly pay
him 20 cents.
slim man is first. He is fence rail- and
looks it. Hundred thirty-four" cries the guess
err without bothering to his hands over the
mans frame. The face Of the slim jim breaks
into a smile He's been drinking milk and put
ting on a couple of pounds a day. He gets on the
scales and the indicator shows 40 pounds well
you foled me-" cries the weigher; 1t costs you
nothing You must have big bones. though Now
who's the next One?'
A shrinking woman of flesh is pushed forward by
her friends She does not want to be weighed OBJ
viously but they win have it.
Northumberland y-sixr' cries the guesssr.
Young man. how dare you? don't weigh any
thing like that. You trying to kid me-.
The scales for yours" is the slangy answer.
The dial shows 22S pounds and the guesser holds
out hand for a nickel
Three or four women, big and little, are judged
them as he does the men. The crowd hangs on In
Here comes a sport" wen dressed. broad of
shoulder military figure and rather heavy. he
seems an easy guess-two hundred pounds, at least
scale chair He weighs exactly i unds' ana Is
the worst guess of the half hour .
Il fooled you that time" he sneered; you can
oh mG79 declared the wegher, you didn't fool
me. 1t was these! He seized upon the ,I greaC
shoulder pads which gave the fellow his military
figure and twisted them around until the victim
looked like a hunchbaCk.
"Iemme gor' cried the fellow flushing crimson
And theser exclaimed the merciless man OF
weight. jabbing his fingers into two pneumatic
chest pads and these! tapping his pair Of hip
run across he continues, stIll holding to one of
the shoulder pads. You'd strip to about one hun
on Coney Island that's padded much as you I'd
like to see her. Talk about symme tricals! .
\ woman of stunning figure, who was about 70
test the weight guesser, slips away into the crowd
Il say. you kin guess weight declares farmer
coTrectIv SPOTTED with Hundred ninety-tVFO with
one pound added for whiskers;'
why don't you come round TO our hog guessing
contests?" he continued. with evident admiration.
You could win or lot of money II you can reckon
: on hogs as good humans
Watch him for half hour. and you will be con-
WINGED that there is trick connected with 1t, He
simply guesses There is no confederate to signal
patrons had been weighed just before. There no
secret scales the floor of the booth, as some
frames and padding and he is right often enough
to make it profitable.