The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-20

was In my car. He come walkin' through
Almost as soon as you went out It's
Hiram Thompson, from Thompson.s Cor
ners. Soon as I seen him, says to my
self. Maybe Jabez can graft him some
how and scanned like q pity not to let
you know"
on the shoulder. He was deeply touched
All her life the dear. kindly soul had thus
tried to be true helpmata It in no
wonder the two loved each other.
Il dunno. Ma" he said al dunno a.
I'm far enough along to graft anybody
from Iowa. I'm sort Of new at t. yet
didn't reckon to tackle nobody but
New Yorkers for a while, untn I got
my hand In. as you might say, but It
wun't do no harm to see Hiram I
couldn't see much money In them two
New Workers. was tryin'. Had to work
like sixty to make SIX bits out O. 'ena-"
And he laughed inwardly.
Hiram Thompson was sitting In the
seat Grandma Bunker had vacated, but
the seat in front Of them had been
turned" and As Mrs. Bunker pushed
past Hiram and sat at his side. Mr..
Bunker took the seat facing Hiram.
How do. Jabez7' Hiram said. Sort
Of q surprise to see you, and Gran'ma
on the train. Coin to New York;"
been once an goin' again." said
Jabez. you're Iookin. well, Hiram"
Feel right it," said Hiram. What
you doin' In New York. Jabez7"
'Graftin'." said Mr.. Bunker. I've gone
Into the bunco business here In New
York. Set up in business as a confidence
man. as you might put IT I amt done
much at It yet. but sort of look for
good business this fall. What little I've
did seems to look a. IL these hero New
Workers was goin' to be easy to bunce.
I guess you can get money away from
| them about a. easy a. from anybody
you ever heard tell Of"
Mr.. Hiram Thompson. Of rhonpson's
Corners. moved = little uneasly In his
seat A man wiser than Mr.. Bunker
might have seen that he was on the
point OF telling something important and
would have waited to hear what Mr.
Thompson had to say. but Mr.. Bunker
kept right on.
yes. Hiram" he said. TIN right glad
to see you. II 30 be you come down to
buy any gold bricks or anything in the
bunco line. ia be right glad to deal with
you. ia do better with you than what
these New Workers. would. seein' a. you
and me is old neighbors."
II dunno. Jabes." said Mfr. Thompson,
doubtfuIly. You said yourself . min
ute back that Il was about as easy to
as from anybody. Seems like you was
always right sharp at q bargain back
home. as I remember It. I reckon can
do better with the feflers I started in to
deal WITH
Had Mr.. Bunker At that moment looked
over his shoulder, he would have seer
Mr.. Broadway Jack sinams and Mr.. Dude
Bailey observing him from the rear OF
the car. They watched him for . full,
moment and then disappeared into the ca.
behind.
Mr.. Bunker.
Mr.. Thompson looked around eau.
tiously.
"counterfeit money" he said In q low
tone. biggest bargain q man ever had
take It. Ten for one Is how we're goin
to decker. Here-I got . cIippin' they
sent me, teIlin' how come they can sell
such good lookin' bad money"
Mr.. Bunker took the fake dipping, ad,
justed his spectacies on his little NOS.
and read. 1t was the usual green goodi
fake clipping telling Of the consterna.
ton OF the United States government q,
the theft Of the actual plates from which
the governments legal tender was print.
ed. The clipping went on to say that in
the hands Of interruptions men the plate.
would cause the government q frightfu
loss, since the counterfeits printed from
them would be in every respect identical
with the money printed by the govern.
ment itself. No one. the clipping said
could tell the fraudulent notes from thu
real article. .Mr. Bunker, having read
this, handed it back to Mr.. Thompson
He then took his own wallet from hi.
pocket and handed Mr.. Thompson what
appeared to be . clipping from q news-
paper. 1t was. almost word for word
Identical with the clipping he had Jus.
read.
Hiram" he said. ct take It, every.
thing bein' equal, neighbors ought to
decker with neighbors stead of with
strangers.s Here's the clippin' I aim tc
I use In my bunco business. Had 'err
\ printed up before I left home. by the
Oroduna News Job press. Cost me q
dollar an six bits thousand. Seems
\ like It was provfdentiai you run into
me an Ma, II you want to buy green
roodA I can sell you bang-up article.
same ps1ce them other fellers offers It.
and you'u know who you're trading
with. ! dunno. but might make you q
sort O. bargain price. SEEM as I'm jug.
sta-tin' inse- the sunee business"
well. I iunno." ,eaid Hiram doub.-
fully Il sort { oromNed then other