Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-04-01
ON THE WAY TO THE RACES.


dressed, sat spread out in one corner.
Opposite him clean-shaven young man
in quiet "dittoes" assiduously studied
race card Beside the latter, and along
side me, a clergyman scanned a copy Of
the Standard. The two remaining oc-
cupants, we'll groomcd, very young men
with race glasses slung about them, OK
changed commonplace remarks about
sport.
Can you oblige me with light gen
tlcmen!" asked the smart, middle aged
man
The course should be in fairly good
condition after all" he continued, hand
ing back the matchbox to the parson.
Not going to the races? All, pardon
me. sir, but we do see clergymen some
times on the course and he smiled ex-
ceedingly pleasantly.
DO any Of you gentlemen play cards 2"
he resumed suddenly, after pause spent
in gazing out Of the window and putting
| his big cigar.
The welgroomed young men ex
| changed significant glance.
Not much" one of them chuclllcd in
an undertone.
All, then You do play little?" the
smart man cut in quickly. Come now,
Il little game of German poker or bridge
will do rs all good. You viii join US
| sir?'
The clean-shaveu man, to whom the
last question was addressed, slowly fold
ed his race card
IF the stakes are merely nominal ]
will" he said quietly
| oh, yes, Of course. merely nominal
Penny points, halfpenny points anything
Just to give the thing an interest. We
only want to kill time
| But the wen oroomed young men were
obdurate. They said they wouldn't play
They looked quite annoyed at being
asked. When the parson was appealed
to he looked rather Disconnected.
won't you take a hand, sirq'
He said he would be delighted to, but
| he didn't understand cards.
There's a trick I've seen a cardsharp
do he robbed me of half sovereign, the
villain" the smart man continued pres
emily, instinctively shutting the cards he
had produced while speaking, "a trick
maybe some # you have seen done.
thought I'd practice it for bit of fun,
and really | think I've come TO it rather
we'll, for an amateur of course. | some
times practice it before looking glass
and try to cheat myself. Don't YOU think
| that an original idea ?"
The clean shayen man thought ii
quite cute
All, YOU arc Americana"
The clean shayen man said, That's
So
I've been only once in the states my
self. My word. yours is a great nation.
sir; q great nation | say. until an Eng
| lishman's been in Chicago he don't know
what hustle is"
| The clean -shaven man looked aratifed.
"NhecaWgo's my birthplace" he said.
And a very fine birthplace, too. None
better, should say. Now, as / expect
| yon are-how do YOU put il. 'tarnation
smart that's right ch ?" he smiled with
great good humor 81 should like lust to
see ii you can best me in this trick.
Halter myself I've almost, ii not quite,
Imostcrod it,"
He spread folded newspaper across
his knees.
You see" he said Il take three cards
so. Two are plain cards-look. the five
OF spades aud the ten OF diamonds. The
| third Is picture card-there YOU see it
the queen of hearts | hold the three
cards IN my hngers-so. ! give them a
flourish and a little jerk so, and there
they are spread out before YOU on the
newspaper face downward Now all
YOU have to do is to guess which is the
picture card, Which of those three
should You say was the picture card?"
One Of the wellgroomed young men
nudged his companion The other Gave
Il knowing wink. They knew Bit
Why, that Is the picture card" the
ciean->haven man said with conviction.
"Cert5ng"
Positive"
Would you care to back Your opinion
card." wa :
The clean shavcn man hcsitated an in.
slant. Then seeing that the eyes of all
were upon him he answered with as
stunned brarado. Why certainly, | bet
Nou nait crown the middle ones the
court card"
! Pick II up for yourself and see"
tie dld so. II was the queen of hearts.
There, didn't / tell youy" he ex-
claimed. holding up the card 50 that nh
might see.
he smart man smiled pleasantly and
handed over his half crown.
iii Try again" he said. I'D forgot
ten yon come from Chicago" lie ne.
! Peated the performance. and again the
thiee cards iay in row face downward
on The folded newspaper spread across
his knees
"New which j. the picture cards"
| That one"
I