The Bottineau courant., 1905-12-15

with jet black hair and VIII ksrs com,
pletely covering his face, and big
slouch hat, arose from a card table.
Stepping up to my newly made ac-
quaintance, he said:
"Bahtendah, give me q drink Of
whisky" and he also laid down q ten
dollar bill.
Having set out the glass and bottle
of whisky, the bartender (who. of
course, was in the play) said:
Gentlemen, can't change both of
these ten-dollar bills
Il want my bill changed anyhow"
my acquaintance said.
The big fellow who had the south
ern dialect said: "Now, see yher, bah
tendah, I must have ma bill changed.
suah. 'Heah, you gentlemen, take
drink with me, SO kin get the
change; so sab, you put youah money
away"
mo, no." insisted my acquaintance;
Il shall do nothing of the kind; we
can pay for our own drinks"
WAL then," said the southerner
It'll shake you the dice to see who
pays for the drinks"
My new acquaintance agreed, and
as he shook the box and turned it
over with the dice under it he said
to the southerner: "I'll bet you ten
dollars that l can guess neare- to the
number of spots on top and bottom
than you can"
"All right" came the quick reply,
and bringing out big roll of bills he
murmured: Gosh! 'Spect Ill squan-
der all the money got fer them cat
tie afore l get out OF this blamed
town.
When the money was put up my
friend whispered to me: "You are in
with this"
The box was raised and my acquain-
tance, of course, had won.
The cattle dealer said: ''By Col;
you win this time, suah. Jes' wait till
I git seegar and I'll try that ag'in."
He took plenty of time, during
which my frle1d showed me that the
fellow was a 'greeny" and didn't un-
over certain number. Handing me
the ten-dollar bill, he said: Il know
If had lost you would have stood for
half of it, so half of this is yours"
The moment they had begun their
play recognized their game as one
OF the very Oldest, known as "Top
and Bottom" 1t was game that had
nj oil ho
before by two men named Stoneburner
and Munson, and while I had never
met either of these grafters., had
heard of them.
Knowing we'll that my friends par
ticular reason for dividing with me
was to see how much money I had,
l took pains to show my roll, consist
ing of a bunch of money, and after
handing him a five, I placed the ten
with the rest, then carelessly showed
it into my pocket. The cattleman,
having purchased and lighted his ci-
gar, returned to the bar.
My friend said: "Do you want any
more of this, stranger?"
"Wal," he replied, "I'd kin a like
to win back that ten dollars, anyhow"
"Then," said my friend, well again
bet you that 1 can guess nearer than
you can the number of spots on top
and bottom. My friend and l have
plenty of time and we'll bet you once
more'
Of course that remark, "plenty of
time," was tip to the cattleman. as
he quickly comprehended that the
sucker" had plenty OF money and 10
offer to bet accordingly.
After toying with the dice moment
he placed them back into the box
(making a quick change, which l was
supposed to know nothing aoout) and,
turning the box over, he said:
"How much do you want to bet now
that you can guess them nearer than
;. camp
III bet you anywhere from $100 to
$780," replied the stranger, that there
are not more than a."
Turning to me, my friend whispered:
Il showed you that it's impossible to
turn less than %. How much shall
we bet him? Let's bet him couple
Of hundred? I'll put up all have"
began laughing very heartily, as
though l had heard something very
funny. '"This old game amuses me-"
said, "and I have been wondering
if you fellows would make your last
Joint for the money the same as
poor old Stoneburnel used tu Joint
when he and Munson worked top and
bottom together"
Turning to my Mexican slipper
friend with look of disgust, the
southern cattle dealer said: oval.
you certainly have steered an easy
mark up against me this time, haven't
you?" And then, addressing me:
did you know Stoneburner and Mum
SOM"
"Yes," l replied, ''and Kelley, and
Burleye and Steward and Haynes, the
Three Card Monte gang. have met
nearly all of them"
The "steerer" then told me that as
wore a slouch hat, he had sized me
up for a western stock raiser or pOssi-