The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-10-13

Almost similar to this was the wager
of two well known gamblers in
| Southern city during a scourge of yell
! low fever. Isolated by the authorities
in a pesthouse, they stood and calmly
watched the two-wheeied mule carts
come and take away their loads of long,
| rough boxes. Taking a roll of bills from
his pocket one of the gamblers care
| fully counted it on the table before
| him.
"Size UP alongside of this he said
| casually to the other. THE last one
| to go gets the pot
| But method perhaps as unique and
I original as any for the risking of ones
worldly wealth had it's birth in the
mind of young man about town in
| Chicago not long ago. AT least the
! young man will vouch for the fact that
1 it contains excitement enough to sat-
! isfy even the most calloused. In COM
pany with pair of kindred spirits the
young man had been in the custom Of
nightly gathering in the room of
| friend in one of the down town hotels
| of draw poker.
Thrown out of their accustomed
method of spending the evening by the
sudden departure of the friend from
| town, the three diseens olately stood on
| corner bemoaning their fortune and
awaiting q car to take them southwark
to their homes. But it was late and
| there had been blockade on the line,
and cars were slow in coming. The
group grew impatient and said things
about street cars in general and this
line in particular that would have
shocked the directors.
TT will probably be Halsted when
| it does come" grumbled one of them.
The suggestion struck one of the
young men as a challenge to wager.
bet you a dollar that it isn't" he Of
| fered.
"How many lines run on this street,"
queried the grumbler.
Let's see," interposed the resource
! full young man. "'Halsted, Wentworth
and Center; that's three, one apiece
Let's make it pool; each take line
| and the first ear to come gets the mon
ey.''
| The pool was made. In five minutes
a Halsted street car was passing and
| the grumbler, being the lucky one, was
pocketing the money.
1--WE got new one!" he cried, sud-
denly. Here's where we get even.
Well make it the conductors hair. d.
| vide the color of hair into three kinds
red. light and dark. Grumbler takes
red because he's way ahead of the
game and has to give odds. I'll take
light and Bill takes dark. Make 1t 80
a throw this time. Are you on?"
Entirely awake to the possibilities
of such a hazard the three fastened to
stake their money. Eagerly they
awaited the arrival of the next car. The
| conductor who took their fares wore
cap that fitted tightly down over his
head to his ears. Not hair on ms
head was visible.
The resourceful young man spoke.
Take off your cap will you, Bill,
| please? 2" he said, ingratiatingly.p We've
got a bet on the color of your hair
The conductor glared at them IN
amazement.
"Phat?" he demanded.
Take off your cap just for a min
ute" replied the young man, sweetly.
We've gambled on the color of your
hair"
The conductors upper lip stiffened'
| and his lower jaw slid out pugnacious-
ly. He was a short man. but thick and
bunchy about the shoulders and arms
and his jaw was hard and square. Al
together he was formidable to look
upon.
"Take off me CAPT" he growled, pull
ing up his sleeves in manner that
made the young men uncomfortable.
"Take off me cap, is it?' he splut-
tered, turning deep red.
There was a short, sudden rush, but
the young men excelled in footwork
and reached the street long before the
irate conductor could lay hands on
him-Chicago Tribune.