Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1904-09-10
4 SINGULAR
4 VEHICLE
tOriginnll

II y
station Of whom he asked the question
thought So.
NO; | haIn't seen no white house
with green blinds go 10y here today. II
had Id a stopped it to give IL some
refreshments"
The qucStioner regarded the fireman
intcntly for a moment. rs though an
idea were being born In his brain.
Then he turned away ana walked on.
He had gone but half n block when
out of Il fine residence cam" young
man of rather sporty appearance. smok-
ing Il cigarette. The wayfarer ad-
dressed him:
Have you seen anything OF wom-
an with black hair and eyes and two
kids, a boy of five and girl of three,
both looking like me, riding past here
today i'm white house with green
blinds?"
The sporty young man took his ciga-
rctte out of his mouth and looked ut
the questioncr with a blank stare.
"You mean white horse and n green
buggy?'
mo; | mean white house with
green blinds"
"My friend" remarked the sporty
man. "I'll just bet you 500 to $40 that
no family has ridden this way today in
any kind of a house, and no family
will ride down this street in house
tomorrow or next day"
SO saying he turned on his heel and
walked away. The man called after
him:
Take you."
Turning, the sporty man saw the
other holding ten dollar bill toward
him. The former stood irresolute for a
moment, wondering If he had better
call an ambulance to take the man to
Bcdlam but he was Il dead game
sport" and would not go back on his
bet even with lunatic. lie went into
the house for funds; then as the luna
tic proposed that the fireman he had
interviewed hold the stakes the sporty
man went there with him.
"This gentleman" said the lunatic,
"betS me SlGO to SO that a woman
and her kids haven't ridden by here
today in white house with green
blinds or won't ride by here in white
house with green blinds tomorrow or
next day"
The fireman and the sporty man re-
tired for consultation, then returned,
and the fireman agreed to hold the
stakes, which were deposited in the
chiefs locker. The lunatic departed,
and the fireman and the sporty man
went to the telephone, where they re-
ported the matter to the police station.
The consequence was that after tele-
phoning the various asylums for the
insane and not hearing of any escapes
the inspector concluded the suspicious
person to be a confidence man and sent
Il policeman to shadow him. The po-
liceman who went OH this duty, after
seeing the fellow make several bets
that family had ridden or would ride
within two days down the street In a
white house with green blinds. decided
to take him in. The man said that he
would make 1t hot for the police, de-
claring that his wife would be worried
him where he lived. lie said he didn't
know. The question seemed to quiet
him, and he went to Jail peaceably.
The next morning the prisoner was
brought up on n charge of vagrnncy.
He was not known as criminal, had
done nothing criminal. and there was
no other charge to be made.
I'LL, a.
in default thirty days"
The prisoner pulled out $40 and COM
plnccntly paid his fine, much to the
aStOniShment of the court, policemen
and spectators. Then he went away,
while the police authorities debated
whether to rearrest him or let him go.
They finally decided on the latter
course
The same afternoon the lunatic col
lected the persons with whom he had
made bets, telling them that his wife
and children would ride by in white
house with green blinds. They laugh
ingly followed him, pretending to fall
in with his idea, some of them having
intended to turn penny by his folly,
others to return him his money even
tually. The lunatic posted them on the
sidewalk in the middle of Il long block
and asked them to wait Il few min
utes. Presently man emerged from
the next side street above and began to
plant n windass.
The bettors looked at each other. then
with one accord started to see what
was coming. the lunatic going with
them. There on rollers was white
house with green blinds. In an open
door was woman pushing back a
boy and girl.
"IIcllo, Molly" said the lunatic.
They didn't get you started yesterday.
| sec"
"No. But where on earth have you
been? Working all night again:"
"No; In Jail. You see. the police
thought | was either Il lunatic or
confidence man and ran me in. | asked
fireman if he'd seen you pass. and
the way he replied gave me the cue
how to make some money. I've got
$215 due me in bets or will have after
you turn the corner. You see, | took
all the money we had while we were
moving to carry in my pocket, so had
all | wanted to put up the stakes"
The accompanying bcttOrs looked Mt
one another again, then quickly sepa-
rated.
q