The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-03-01

It's the system, the business the spiel
that does the work, and given proper
conditions, I'd "a put Eddie Sherman
in his prime again Vice President Fair
banks and backed him for a sure turn
with that refrigerator.
Eddie n l followed the circus for
years and it was never nothin' but the
three-card game for us. 1t always did
the work. 1t was brain work, too
nothing but brain work. OF course, you
there was something wrong about that
game. But you understand, it wasn't
a case of a tap on a strangers Shout
der and let's have a game of three
card monte oh, no; my boy, it was
observation-disclosures what Eddie used to
call lt-psNchology-a clean battle of
the wits and as f~ascinatin' as q play.
1T was what was called a grating
circus-we weren't directly on the pay
roll. but there was am understanding.
YOU know-for which We We're entitled
to certain privileges, use of some of the
side tents for business purposes and
'onstray,' as Eddie used 10 say, to all
the anvas
There We're three of us in our com
pany. Eddie and a fellow who used to
be a preacher, but resigned to serve q
term in Jeff, and myself. our cast of
characters was. Eddie sherman. pro-
moteri the eN~-preacher, judge of the
circuit court from some other county
than the one we Were operating in,
and our humble servant, president
of a town bank far enough away not
to arouse any unnecessary curiosity.
Heres the way the play opened. The
circuit judge, with the Prince Albert
and stoNepipe-none too new. but Just
right. YOU know-andm myself. the bank
er. in n plain business suit, gold glasses
and inside pockets full of papers, we
pnn.-1llN h1ayr i,tn tn,.,N .l,a l,,. a.
fore. Sometimes we We're old acquaint-
ances just dropping in for circus day,
sometimes we had the hotel proprietor
introduce us-depended on the circum-
tances
The towns we worked We're usually
of from 1000 to TO- 900 people. and you
know in a place of that kind the hotels
are the clearing houses for everything.
and there vas never any trouble get
ting acquainted with the victims. once
we'd singled him out. We studied the
herd awful close, too. We wanted a
man with money first, and we didn't
give a continental whether he was a
farmer, or a lawyer, or the biggest mer-
chant In town-the wiser the easier.
We had confidence in human nature
and the system.
Now. We've spotted our victim. say
the night before. We get pretty close
together before the nights over. The
judge tells stories about his experiences
on the bench, and the banker-that's
me-asks about some lands in the next
county that he wants to loan some
money on. n so on, and the victim,
he begins to think he's in pretty good
company, n he limbers up and tells
some wise stories himself and toads
himself up a little. They agree to
meet the next day and take in the show
just for an old boys lark. you know.
Banker-that's me-says he expects his
wife in next day-comin' with consid-
cradle money for a loan, but well give
the old lady the slip nudgin' the vic
tim III the ribs.
Next day we all meet again and 60
TO the show. Circuit judge has his
go!d-headed cane and points out the
animals, explains their habits and all
that sort o. junk, banker and victim
trailing along.
We're standin' in front of the mon
key cage, say-best place on earth to
open up business, ] tell you-human
nature always feels big and easy and