The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-23
IMMORTAL PEA AND THIMBLE.
BxsALDERMAN POOLE rs A-EDU-
eating OF HIS SON.

I1A NAA W -
mack From the MoGOvern-NelsOn Fight
Moro Victims Than One That Day.
Pierce N. Poole, who was an Alderman
until Hearst raided the East Side and added
his scalp to the M. o. L. collection, stood
at the bar Of his cafe In Grand street a
the ferry yesterday and regarded his
son George thoughtfully. George evaded
the ~paternal glance and walked to the
haok Of the saloon where Tomato Face
Tom Smith and the Meathound were taking
their beer. .
sTake It from me- said Mr.. Poole, mot
M an Alderman, understand, but as q father,
there are some things you can't drive into
n boys head. He's got to get 'em by ex-
p~erienoe, and II the experience costs him
enough In dollars and joshing IL may do q
heap OF good.
sThere's a pretty wise lot OF kids over
IN this section; most Of them are too blamed
wise. They think they know 1t all. They
know more about doping out the ponies
than Riley Grammar did, and they can trim
the handbook man fv days out OF the
week. They pick up the great American
national game about as soon as they get
ont Of the cradle, and they know when
to come INTO a pot and, what's more i'm
~portant, when to look pleasant and stay
out. There isn't O COZ man along Broad
way, now that Larry Summerleld's retired
to the country, that could hand them the
bunk, and they're wise to a thousand tricks
that a real bright city kid picks up as soon
as he hits the street.
But say, take 'em out Of Manhattan
and they're like a lot Of innocent lambs.
THEY'RE a mark for the reubenest rube
that ever came from Jersey. You wouldn't
think that a Grand street bunch would
fall for a shell game, and fall hard, would
you? Well, they did"
1t seems that a week ago last Wednesday
morning Blind John O'Neil, who sells papers
at the Williamsburg Bridge entrance,
etrolled into Poole's place with Ben Wetz-
stein, the butcher, known to Grand street
as The Meathound. Tomato Face Tom
Smith came in presently and Big Hen Leuse
Joined the collection when the rush for
papers at the Grand street ferry was over.
George Poole wa tending bar.
John, let's go to Philly and see Terry
MoGovern knock the block of Nelson,'
said George.
1T wouldn't do me no good. I couldn't
see EN- SCRAP" said the blind man.
We'll stay with you and put you wise to
every punch" said Tomato Face.
They were full Of pride in Terry, because
they knew him as a kid in the Seventh ward,
and most Of them had scrapped with the
Terrible One at n time or another. They
fixed it up to go and see that Grand street
was properly represented at the ringside.
There was plenty OF money in the crowd.
The butcher is well fixed and the ews
dealers make $50 or 500 a week out Of the
up, there was over $500 in the crowd. They
knocked OF work, put on their good clothes
and started for Philadelphia, stopping at
Pat Farley's In the Bowery, the Metropole
and a few other way stations.
They got five tickets from speoulators
outside the National Athletic Club, giving
up 500 for the seats without a murmur.
Blind John had the time of his life
1T was just as good as seeing the fight
he said. AThe bunch played on me Ike a
SSs ss.sss q tbeBB s shsl sn ait SS se se Sels Shs Smashed Tss5sg
Terry. ! had 1t on EN- at that. because my
ears told me every time just what harm
a good punch did,
There was plenty Of money left In the
crowd eve after they got through cele-
butcher having roll as big as his arm and
the rest being pretty well fixed. On the
train coming back they spotted a mild little
man In a rear seat who was amusing himself
with a square Of white cardboard, a buck
shot and three little boxes which had 10
bottoms.
Gentlemen said the little man. shifting
the boxes over the white square and inn
prisoning the buokshot under n Of them.
i have here a new gamble l take 1t you
are from New York, where people like new
stunts. Have a try at this. I'll bet you
az VIII OnnIf lnonfn tho chNf
The Meathound skinned a S. note from
his roll, located the shot, took the little
mans IS and grinned. The others got
real interested and fumbled with their
money. The little man smiled enticingly.
i seemed too good to be true hat here were
five young men who had never heard Of the
shell game. 1t seemed to him a real shame
to take the money, but he had his family to
think of.
Tomato Face bet, lifted one Of the little
boxes and there was the shot; Young
was nothing doing. The little mans hands
played over the cardboard with such APP
parent awkwardness and yet so swiftly
That the buckshot was never where 1t ought
TO be. Young Poole went broke. The
cropped a weeks profits. They quit when
the train pulled into the station at Jersey
City. The little man ducked off the train
with a sad smile and lost himself in the
crowd.
'Oh, we'll get it back" said the Meat
hound yesterday. Its a dead easy game.
Any mutt could figure it out II he had time. |
know where to find that man and the next
time we'll skin him"
Ben" said the ex-Alderman, you talk
IKE a man with a paper knee. That's the
good old amusement Of the pea and the wal
nut shells. It's 1000 years old if it's a day.
zane from Egypt when Moses did. When
l was a kid that game was only brought out
at county fairs, or when the circus hit
Poughkeepsie. You let it alone and stick
TO- gamble you know something about.
Take it from me, said the ex-Alderman
lfnprressively. Never try to beat a man
at his own game. That little tinhorn spent
years learning, how to manipulate them
smells and handle the pea. He's an author
NY and an expert. Just let this be a tip to
you that you New York kids amt so fly as
you think you are.
Mike" frowning at the bartender, |
why don't you attend to the old lady with
the %growler? Dye want her running
ground to the ~Dutchman's with her tradef
Get busy now"