The Tupelo journal., 1905-11-24

can pay for our own drinks"
wal. them" said the southerner,
I'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: "IIl bet you ten
dollars that | can guess neare- to the
number of spots on top and bottom
than you AN"
"AlI right" came the quick reply,
and bringing out a big ron Of bills. he
murmured: Gosh! 'Spect I'll squan-
der all the money l 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 "a raised and my acquain-
lance, of course, had won.
The cattle dealer said: by Col;
you win this time, suah. Jes' wait till
l git a seegar and I'll try that ag'in."
He took plenty Of time, during
which my friend showed me that the
fellow was a "greeny" and didn't I'M
derstand that a man couldn't throw
over a certain number. Handing mo
the ten-dollar bill, he said: Il know
if l 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 n
of tho vary O1dpSt known &c 'Tnn
and Bottom" 1t was a game that had
been played all over the west 25 years
before by two men named St%Oneburner
and Munson, and while l had
met either of these grafters. l had
heard of them. i.
Knowing well hat my friends par
ticular reason for dividing with me
was to see how much money l had,
l took pains to show my roll, consist
ing of a bunch of money, and after
handing him a five, l placed the ten
with the rest, then carelessly showed
it into my pocket. The cattleman,
having purchased and lighted his c-
| 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 l 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 a tip to the cattleman, as
he quickly comprehended hat the
sucker" had plenty of money and to
offer to bet accordingly.
After toying with the dice a moment
he placed them back into the box
supposed to know nothing about and,
turning the box over, he said:
How much do you want to bet now
that you can guess them nearer than
| CAM"
I'm bet you anywhere from 500 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 a couple
of hundred? I'll put up all 1 have"
l began laughing very heartily, as
though l had heard something very
funny. This old game amuses me-"
| said, and l have been wondering
if you fellows would make your last
joint for the money the same as
poor old S~toneburner used to joint
when he and Munson worked top and
bottom together"
Turning to my Mexican slipper
friend with a look of disgust, the
southern cattle dealer said: wal
you certainly have steered an easy
mark up against me this time, haven't
you?" And then, addressing me:
Did you know Stoneburner and Num-
SOM"
Yes l replied, land Kelley, and
Burley and Steward and Haynes, the
Three Card Monte gang. l have met
nearly all of them"
The "steerer" then told me that as
l wore a SLOUGH hat, he had sized me
up for a western stock raiser. or posi-
bly, a western doctor, and as he had
long since discovered that business
and professional men were more easily
grated than any other classes, he had
tackled me.
We'll, men," l said, Il guess l can
afford to buy the cigars" Then l
thanked them for the delightful enter
tainment they had provided me and,
shaking my friends hand, l added:
Il am sorry that we didn't have time
to get those Mexican slippers, as /
| should have liked a pair of them"
by the way, Johnston, you are not
going to give me the worst OF it on
that five dollars, are you?" he asked.
Well" said l, Il am always out for
the COIN and though l never try to
get it On anything but a straight bust
ness proposition, when l once get it
| never give any of it back. Your
proposition to give me five dollars was
perfectly agreeable, for which
thank you most sincerely. Good-by."
With hat l left the saloon and two
very ~disconsolate grafters.