The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-06-09

bystander throws half dollar to
Jocko not thinking that bruno will
have to come down whether the price
is paid or not. After all the change
in sight has been gathered, Jocko
tests it with his teeth to make sure
it is genuine. Then they pull up
stakes and vamoose.
On arriving in Chicago they dis
posed of their outfit and rented a
room on the South Side near Grand
Crossing. Here they idly passed the
Winteras they had quite large bank
account. In the Spring, Tony's fa-
ther left Chicago to sell balloons with
one of the big circuses that had open
ed it's season at the Colosseum. This
he did to help pay expenses, as the
role that Tony was about to assume
would make big dent in their bank
roll. Then, too, p rh aps no one
would nibble at the bait.
When the big Fair had been oiled
up' and had been running about a
week, Tony was installed in one of
the leading hotels of the city. Here
he was surrounded and entertained
by all the aristocracy that came to
the Fair. Well, why shouldn't he be?
He was posing as titled nobleman,
tits true, but he had all the earmarks
of a genuine one. His suite was the
best the house afforded. Besides, he
was of good appearance, had the right
number of trunks in his rooms, paid
for what he got (this was not essen
tiaD and knew how to act his part.
One might find fault with his trunks
perhaps, if they examined them, for
they had been purchased at a pawn
brokers' and had been filled with every
thing imaginable to give them weight;
except one which he used for his own
wardrobe. But from outside ap-
pearances, they answered the purpose.
This effect was caused by pasting
colored handbills over the exterior,
then scratching off enough the
printing became illegible. If any
body saw the trunks in that condi-
ton, they would think the owner
was a globe trotter. Precisely what
the owner wanted them to think.
Things went along for bout
month, without anything turning up,
Tony got the blues; but not being tin
horn gambler he didn't cash 'em in,
but stuck to the game. 1t was well
for him that he did. The next after
noon a crowd of Fasteners arrived,
engaged a suite of rooms on the same
floor with Tony. That evening Tony
was introduced to the newcomers
and was asked to join them at din
ner During the course of the meal
he learned that the gentlemen in the
party were millionaire manufacturers
who had come to show their daugh-
ters the Fair. And without a chap
erone, Thought Tony; and no young
men in the party. Well, this is
cinch.'
| In week, he had won the good
graces of one of the young ladies. In
two weeks he had won the favor of
the young lady's father. In three
weeks he got letter from his father
telling him to get hump on him
self as the bank roll was nearly all
in and business in the balloon line
was punk.
I have read in some novel where
a couple slides down rope from the
second-story window, jumps into an
automobile and goes and gets mar
ried in record breaking time. But
l have yet to see those that can do it
in less time than it took Tony and
his fancee.
| OF course, Tony had had every
thing arranged for weeks, but then
he had to have the lady father hand
over the right price for title. Well,
he got it as they all do, and his wife
does not know to this day that she
got gold brick.
Some say she married him for his
title. Did she?
ACRoBATUs..