The Virginia enterprise., 1905-09-22

II nadnC the least suspicion OF
him." said the landlord, until. he
called for hio case of diamonds, when
it suddenly dawned upon me that this
was the very man you had told me
about" - @.-.
AS on the previous occasions tho
CRATER counted out the money. wrote
his name on tho envelope, and said:
Landlord, just place this in the
safe, will you?" -
Instead of doing 50, the landlord
said: "You claim there is thousand
dollars here. do your
| ''You saw me count it," replied tho
CRATER.
$50 l did," answered the landlord.
"but l didn't count it myself, so III
just open it up and count it,
| So saying, he cut open the envelope
with his knife, but with single bound
the young man bolted through the
door.
The last seen Of him he was cutting
down the railroad like a racehorse
minus baggage, but with his cash and
diamonds intact
On a trip from Cleveland to Chicago
few years ago the porter of tho
sleeping car undertook to play me for
a little "graft," which was both UNIQUE
and amusing in its manipulation.
When nearing Chicago in the MORN
ing he came to my section, brushed
my overcoat carefully, and gave the
clothes l was wearing slight brush
ing. When he had finished, handed
him the only 50-cent piece | had.
The instant did 50 l observed that
he half turned his back to me as he
stepped nearer the window and began
carefully scrutinizing the silver piece,
and that very instant it flashed
through my mind that the colored
gentleman was planning to graft me.
After taking careful look at the
money and having had just about
time enough to shift the coin | gave
him for any old thing he might have
about him, he said:
Say. mistah! l guess you done gone
and made a mistake and gin me a sill
yer piece with plug in it, besides, its
very badly won and batte'ed, too
us that sos" 1 answered (knowing
very we'll that 1 had given him an al
most new silver piece). Lets see,'
said l. and, as he handed it to me,
Cant you use it,"
No, sah;" he quickly answered, Il
don't want that kind OF money"
do you want me to keep it," I
asked
eyes; Id rather you would keep it..
sah"
Very WELL" said 1, Il can use it,
and dropped it into my pocket.
He stood there anxiously watching
and waiting for me to give him an
other 50-cent piece, and at last dis
covering that l apparently had no in
tention of replacing it, he said:
"1s you all gwine to give me nothah
half dollar mistah?"
Certainly not" l answered. els
there any reason why I should give
you new half dollar, just because
you were foolish enough to give me an
old one? Why, of course not You
said that you could not use it,, and
think l can"
'Well. then-well. then"-he stam-
meTed-'I reckon I'll take it back
well" replied, Il reckon you
won't take 1t back. There is no Indian
about me; when l give a thing away,
or receive thing from anyone, never
give back, nor take back
But said he, you took back, the
so cents you gave me-"
Indeed, did mott" l answered.
"The one gave you you have in your
pocket, and the one you gave me is a
different one entirely. AT any rate" l
went on, Il think l shall turn in this
plugged SO cent piece to the sleeping
car company when l report this littlo
episode to them"
The poor darkey became excited and
turned almost white, and was so beside
himself with his apologies and excuses
that he forgot every other passenger
on the car.
AS l was leaving the car. ON our ar
rival in Chicago, he brushed up against
me. and stammered: "Sa-sa-say mis-
tah please don't say nofin' bout dis
yer 'greement tween you and me, fer
got wife and fou' little chilluns to
sport, and l CANT ford to lose ma
job
On returning home I told this little
experience to my employees in the Of
fee. Our colored porter rolled his
chalky eyes about and, with a, broad
grin. said: .@,..-.
"Mistah Johnston, you got that fell
lah all right, suah 'nuff; l nevah heard
bout de plugged silver piece racket
befoh, but fellah what used to room
with toll me bout a mighty good hold
up scheme he used to wo'k, almos' like
dat, when he was Pullman po'tah."
well. Gene" I said, "go ahead and
explain it to u.s. -
He did so, and the graft was this.
The porter had die struck, exactly
the size of a 50-cent piece, upon which
he had stamped John Miller, Denver,
COL
| II ~. h. k1,>