Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 8, 1874, Page 12

THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1874 BUNKO. And Another Deceitful Game. The Way of Beguiling the TUnwary, How the Roper Gets [is Informa- tione Instances of His Successes and Failures. The Manner of Conducting a Bunko Game. Pleasures and Profits of Keno. The Description of the Plain Road to an Enmpty Pockets Trr Tripuxs publiched last Sunday an article sa gambling, which was chiefly devoted to faro, 1nd to what is tochnically koown as “ square * zaming, an expression improper in itself, since all forms of gambling are unfair, but which still has to be nsed to distinguish a mild from a vio- lent form.of robbery ard ifraud. It is now pro- pored to give an account of the various ways in which money is cxtracted from tho greedy, or tho green, or those who possess both qualities, by what are_ known as “ skin games,” ** confi- dence operations,” * bunko," etc. This is not 0 muck for the purpose of protocting the un- wary, for nothing can do that, a5 for tho inform- tion of the geacral reader, who often seces 18 in the papers stating that this or that man -en fissced, but who does not understand how it was done, and vain- faneies that wnder similar ho would have escaped there are men who ars born to there are others born to plun- simpleton, and snother a der. Oncisborn a .. ‘e to teach tne former ecamp. It is impossib. *bocoorced into hon- wisdom, dnd ihe JattercaL ument of the law. ¢sty oniy by the swift puvis. former is to in- Al that o paper can do for the . - to urge men caleato tho great law of distrust; 'l courteous to suspsct sIl strangers; vepel 2. dup, and strangers ; keep their pockets butfone -ve po- their lips shut ; ask counsel of 1016 Ba vl Jicemen, and not seek tomake money in su. g Jegitimaie way, Do matter ‘how fair the chzac. may eecm. But fraud wears 2 thousand faces, snd changes its form to accommo o camstance ; and a traveler may escepo’ & hdo- drod tizaes, only to como to griof on the luindred }. acd first, when repeated triumphs bave wmode bim auwary. 5 j » fm. Basbe precizely glorivusty circumsancer unseathed. Ko, e plunderad, snd PES e ~E= ART OF ROPING IN. 2 But that which must perplex the reader, is how theeo victims, the conatry farmers, or city boys, these retired parsons, or men about town, get atlured into theso placos. They themselves 3o not kuow where they are situated. and they never notice sny of tho people who manazo them, Howis it, then, that strangers, whose topographicsl knowledze is so undeveloped, muuzge to find their way to theeo h:mx'x'ts and hidden places *‘remote from tho san?” Tho way in which they are cnticed thither is ond of the most interasting parts of the subject. It is the chase, and not tho eapturo, which is ofton ihio most: thrilling. 1t 18 for that reason that so much is srid concerning the devices resorzed to by these fishers attor men, in order to secure their prey. . - TIE BLAXG OF THE TRADE. The records of the - Police Courts have ina messnre familiarized tho non-gambling and non- Wangy members of the community with the technology of the gaming fraternity. ~Thus the word **sicerer” does not signify to tho public at large o nautical person in a water-proof coat, Slouch bat, short clay pipe, and _rolled-up poats, etanding inan atritade of - rare discomfort av & Whesl. No,no! Anrbody of nversge capacity, outside a primary school, can tell you what o Sozlso witha *roper.” Ho 15 not & spinmer of sam or 2 gymnast. ncither is he o Sheriff nor o hangmon, In his habits he ig a “atecrer.” A ‘“capper” is nover confounded with o hatter. “3fad ns a_capper™ would be 2 anomaly, Decauso urbamity 18 the principal attributo of the * capper.” Allied to tho ‘*cap- per.” by somo_extraordinars real: of slum ety- Tmology, is the “ bonaet,” the English cousin of the American ‘¢ esp] Perbaps the mame may bave been suggested by the association of these people wih empty beads, perhiaps not. FUNCTIONS OF TEE STEERER. Dt whatever msy be tizeir origin, “ropers,” « cappers,” *steerers,” ' bonnets,” and other pooplo liko them, play 20 importact pert in the fratn of *mcfaricus moncy-making.” which YLio1ds tno boards of life witk a tenacity of at- {raciiveness to which the credulicy, greed, and seif-esicem of mankind contribute perpetnally. Nour - * greerer" is a sort of human pilot-fish. ‘J.ike Lis scaly prototype, ho is 3 person of vivid bue snd emootk exterior. Ho wims intho 5aws of the eharks with impunity, and gets Lis Jiving from the rofuse thrown him by Lis grocdy master, Tho steerer is not as raroly met with 10 this Istitude as his_prototype, and not o per- son who patiently reads this article but has scen $im. He hangs around the large hotels, boarda at the commercial hostelrics, frequents the bill- fard hall, loafs round the theatre, wanders into tho lecture-room, happers outside the sancta- arv. ‘Heis 'n numerously represented animal. Ho looks like a lonfer, or some other biged, whose moncssllabic’ pamo would not . grece these puges if it were given. 2 Perhaps he combines tho trade of *stecrer with the lower oceupation wo have binted st ; supplements his earnings at the faro-bank by the gollars thrown him from the brothel. This is not unlikely, for both belp him to get oty ing. His OE“‘ i]s to "pxé!: up a flalt, & mbline phraseology; in the vernacnlar, e T oo pambling-bell, or aro 2 strangoer int T enerally both. ‘The modus mto the brothel,— operandi veries with the pereon to be worked npon. Let usgive tha reader cn example, which is furnished by acturl observation. - M%: WALTERS' PERPLEXITIVS. Afewdaysagoa gentloman with hoavy side- whiskers, aud postly figuro had stopped from the Sherman House, and was walking leisurely down Clar}: street. admiring the buildings which line Vb Conrt House tiquare, whenastranger stopped Him. - Grifith, my dear boy,” said tho stranger, 7 haven't 6oen Fou for on age; wheo did you Joave Morrison ? - 1'% good forsoro excs to seo you apain, Hows vourwifo? Dless my soul, why didn't you write and tell me yop. were com- ing to town.” o 11 thiis was soid with = sepidity and heartinoss that would have tonched o bLeart of o brick. The epesker accompanied cach guery with s shake of the houd that was honesty itself. “Pardon me,” said tho stranger ; “ there i somo mistake herc. My name is Walters. I never was in Morrison, haviug just arrived hero from Yokohama, via San Francieco.” “ No,’ Baifithn]éx?;\{lt)' person, it can't be. Yo are jokiag, old fellow.” T Not at all. said tho Englishman, for such be date evory'di= | ADY city foller have tho advantage over him sttention, and met him on the corner of La- Baile and Mndison strecte. i TILE STCERER'S DISCOM¥ITORE. - Walters, my dear fellow, how are Fou?” said he. - Thank you," said the Englishman, “‘I sm very well, Liow are you? " ¢ Never better. ~Yow ileshy you've got in the past two years. When did you leave Hong~ Kong? " 3 *‘I never left Hong-Kong.” said Nr. Welters, ““becauso 1 nover was in that city. I was never in Chinn, T am nfraid yon have made a mistako in tho person. I ton’t Tecollect you.” ‘The confederate-steerer’s iguoxanco of geog- raphy bad placed Lim in a nice fis. Ho didn't know where Yokohama wag, 50 ho gave kiwself away still more cheaply. € **I came down in the train with you from 8an Francisco—don't, you recollect ont litile chat in the ;né]ljkifl —tmr? Ls:{a;;l Je. A “I thought vou hadn'tseen me for two yoars,” peceisied atr. Waliom, SN “* That was s joko on Fou; don't you remember Jbat you eaid your wife would say whon you got ack 3" blundered on the steerer, in hopo of striking something intelligible. * No, gir ; I novor smoke, I am not married, didu'’t go into the smoking-car. I am nfraid, sir, you aré mistaken, if Indoed you srenot s d— imponter,” roarod Mr. Walters, getting oxtrome- lyirate. But he might have roared ot the lnmp-'snsz for all tho good it did. Tho unsuc- cess{ml stoerer had slunk away long before and left Mr. Walters pondering over _tho extraordi- nary social condition of a city inwhich every- body recognized him and yet knew nothing at all about him, L SYSTEM OF OPERATIONS. This cge, which is well authenticated, ropre- sonts tho ready adaptability of tho professional roper. The iutimate-friend dodge is capable of many modifications., _ Aftor the intonded victim has told his name and residence, which is exact< ly what tho steerer wants to know, and the lat- ter spologizes for the mistake ho has made, ho {nvariably asks the man to drink with um. Our idiotic Western practice of every man asking cevery other man to drink aids him. ¢ Let's take a drink to show there's 1o ill feeling,” saya ho; or, “Well, you've got them on me this time sure ; what will 'you tako?” or something equall ductive and_irresistible, ensnares tho victim into tho bar-room. Whisky bhore serves o doumble purpose. It nids in drawing the stranger out, while it deadens his discernment. When he is pretty woll filled up, and rises to go, the confederate, who has unobgerved noted down {heso things, followa him out and then plys him with more drinks, until the victir is ready to be slit_;}rsg lpiob!hegw%}ierl}"lncev and then and there robbed in broat ~light under the guis fighting Iuck. s galeral _ THE COUNTRYMAN. The public hus a general iles that the porzon thus ensnared i8 alwnys o victim. To a certain extent ho is,—but too often heis the victim of Lis own greed. The countrvman is always a toothsomo morsel. Ho sells his pigs, and is brimming over with cash. Your countryman Xmows overything, when he comes to town. He can tell you all you know, and more too. What's tho use of your trying to teach him? eforo ho leaves home, he has pledged himself to show some of these city fellows what they know and what they don't ow. Hear about how that chap from Podunk got taken in? Wby, certainly, but ho was tho softest fool yon ever sot eyes on, he was. Why you could turn him round your finger any way you wanted to. e nover had any mind of his own, ke hadn’t. Coming to town in this lofty spirit of &clf-confl- dence, the farmer is just the very man to bo swindled. SWALLOWED UP. ‘When the stecrer, recognizing in him verdancy pereonified, accosts him, he iy gure of his bird, dezd sure. “My pamo anip’t Smith, and I dont live 8t Osbkosh, but I Xmow vour face, dern mo if T don't.” Ofconrso he said ho knew the steerer's face. Ho wouldn'd tryman's exploits at Bunko, bnt we challenge them to cite an instanco where tho gentléman Trom the rural districts was theroby,_euriched, cither in fuuds or animal spirits. " There bas been o truly remarkablo imilarity tn Bunko ex- periences, It if, to come to the point, one of the roest impudent and barefaced traps over set ¥or s greenliorn, and a man who would fall inta it slmost deserves to loso us monoy, for it is his engernees to getsomething for nothing that leads him on. Ho fancies he sees a splendid chance to geb a luge retun ofi & small invest- ment, with 16 iiek of loss, and accordingly he biten al the tempting bait. Many attempts Cun becn mado to describe the Bunko process, ut all have fallen short of accuracy by reason of lick of correct information. Those who have Deen * bunkoed " never can tell’ just Low it was done,—tho operation is 8o rapid aud soon over, —whilo tho parties who share the spoils aro chary of their descriptions. THE APPARATUS consists of a cloth painted into lnl"fy-eight squarea similar to a_checker-bonrd, aud n dice- box containing viktht dico. This is what they do witlt the tools: A Dunko-roper spots a green-* horn, and, by degreoes, makes his acquaintanco ; invites him to drink, or to eat an oyster-stew, or to play » game of billiards, as tho case may bo ; in paying for the drinks of billiazds ho pulls out with his Joose changa = lottery ticket; is sur- prised; had forgotten that he had it; must go and sco what it has drawn; asks tho victim to go along; tho lottery “agent's” office is reached; ~ it has n sign, *‘real cstato,” on the door, aud maps on the walls insidé ; agent looks over & book full of figures; finds that the ticket has won 84010 gold, or $38.40 less his commission. TIE ROPED SUAGLSTA that they have 'n private drawing for tho odd chango ; agent consents, and produces the Bun- ko parapherualin ; roper oxplains the scheme in an undertono to the greonhorn ; sure thing ; no chance to lose ; merely dono in conuection with the lottery business to help attract custom ; ho can ‘sco for himself; greenhorn sech it and wants some of it ; the amount is small, and the scheme inviting ; produces $1.60, and js to sharo the winnings. Such are the usual preliminaries, "fl:h variations sccording to circumstances. en H THE PLUCKING PROCESS commonces. The -forty-eight squares on the cloih contain_figures to correspond with the various combinations of figures which can be tbrown with eight dice. A small proportion of the squares contain the amount of o prize—two for one, four for onme, etc.; most of the other squares are marked “ 33.,” meaning_Bonko, and & very few aro blanks. The rule is, if s figure with @ prize is tbrows, the thrower gots from two to four timos Lis moncy back ; if a % B.” figare is thrown Lo does not lose, but must */ REPRESENT ” I8 MONEY— thatis, must duplicats it, no matter how large tho sum becomes; if a blank is thrown, he loses all, but as tho blanks aze very fow, and are numbered with almost impossible throws, such 88 § and 48, there seems to bo o small chance of losing, To mako it perfectly fair, tho victim is allowed to throw for hipisolf, but tho roper stands by, and, by means of rapid counting, with an oceasional tumble of a die, he takes good care that the throw shall bo s * Bunko figure. He bas Dbeen proviously Fmfl'dmi with fuuds with which to * represent,” end the victim can do no Joss than come down with his monoy, espocially asit i3 nudorsiood that his winniugs shall bo corrospondingly increased. ‘ When Lo has “represortod ” until ho is edthor disgusted or out of money—the indications of which aro carefully watched for—thoy mivago to count him as having throwe o blank, and thiat endsit, His friend, tho roper, is awfully cut up about it, and goes off with him, lamenting that 1t was their beastly luck to thuow that losing number, but soon manages to £lip away, and re- turus to claim his shars of the plunder. Such is Bunko, and the only wonder is that thero are fools enough to get swindled by it It is prob- able that tho Bunko-men bave' seen their best days in Chicago, as tho Superintendent of Polico *t way. ~That chap down at Podusk would, Pta, "o Touldo't. 3y name's Brown, nnd I'm fron & dams County ; you can’t fool me, young %% o 1d be langha over tho way ho has sol the steese. ™ like a pengood-mm.—cd echool-boy. $§el, no, .vom're foo_sharp for me,” eare the Staose, *anc: ROW you're stuck me for the Hifaxe.” and tsrthey drink. Hero' agein Mr. Broeru's confidence in s ovn snperior "seumen " tho steerer in good stead. r. Brown Tnows - Lie can drini moro-than those lean, lank city fe.'lot8 who cover get a bit_of fresh air, o o in bed noon, and he drinks S siondl e stcerer icads’ him on, measures goplonsly: | wo drinks circulate, and Snally says e fy ondn his room waiting for him. o m§ I ap at telling yams; or this chap Do *John 1t 2binson down in Adatas County o Sir. CBrown W telling about, dvd 6o om. The confoderate » 28 overheardatl fhis, dad is ready primed with a1 ecdotes’ of the most aston- s prime lcalated to confirm M. ighi scter, ca m AT hing chateeet ivion shitt Jobn Robinson i cither the most unmitiga ¥® prodigious genius that Adnt!'fpdgnty oyer pro- dueed, according to the m.‘i;‘nm Mr. Brown'’s rorions biography of nat gentleman. aving climbed up to (4 gambln den, it is no difticult mattor to frrs Alr. Drown's supérior intolligenco to the comtexation of bunko, or to extract from 1Mr. Drown’ packet. the ontire procesds of his sale of stock. THE COUNTRY PABSON- - i One of themost Teady victims of this newt systom is the country preacher. Away from the serutinizing e5o of & gossip-loving congresation, profonndly impreseed with his “own “wariness, Conseions that ho is treading ground upon which foriures are daily made, and unconscious that they zre daily lost also, o in just the man tho atoerer is looking for. His business in town is fery kel foinvest. Perhaps it is Lis oon moncy he thioks of ‘:doubling in some cicvor scheme; perhaps he s cntrusted with tha deposit of some fabulous sum belonging fo bim rs Trustee,—$609, oroven more. Now, the revercnd genilemen abhors card-playing on the part of his congregation, bat, protected by ondwho nevor deserts his faith- ful followers, why should Iie not £o in aod de- #poil the Philistines, eves i David and Jona- then despoiled them, and by doubling the cash in the coffera of the church, atm that body mili- fant to doubly crush the power of evil? Under snieh circumstances it needs but Jittle persuasize exeriion to bring him to the playing point. To is wary, ho is ely, he pleysceutionsly, bnt he is mot an _espert, and 1o man can euccessfully fight bunko or * short cards.” He loses a8 matter of course, and returns home full of penitezce if it is iho ‘money of thechurch ; his_orthodoxy severely tried if he happens to be the only sufferer. ‘This may seem bard, Liut it is a maticr of fact. Iavy of the victims of bunko, end we do not hink it an over-estimate to say mosi of them, 2re induced fo play from tho very outset with tic hope of making money. It i8 a greed of gnin that takes men into bunko and brace-faro Bouses in most cases, Hercand there the ap- petito for sain is stimulated by gudicmps Iying on the part of tbe Toper-in, and judicious ply- ing with alcohol, but the viclim is generally drawn into the toils through his own avarice. GTTSIDE ACCOMPLICES. It womld astonish the world if it could be ghown in detail how systematic is the bunko rob- Dracticed in Chicago. There are agents in different parts of the State who lie in wait for $he stock sala season, and notify their cmployers in town when any promising person is expected to come to Chicago. An nccurate description of his appearence, habits, nd character i sent, and an estimate of the mopey he will have about him. The worid is still crowded with fools, and the proverb etill holds true, “*A fool and his money arp soon parted.” Jrier BUNXO. The best known of theso illicit gamesisbuako. That is, it is better koown by some than by others, sinco it numbers moro victims who ro- ‘port their losses than any other spocies of fraud. Maoy men are cozoned outof their property, but, owing to the peculiar way in which it is dono, thoy sedulously shun publicity, and prefer to pat up with the loss rather wreck thoir repn- tations. With bunko it is somowhat different. To be swindled in this manner argues folly only, except for a charch-membor, whera it also im- plies immorality. Thus the public has been ac- customed to sceing the word * bunko,” but bas never cloarly understood what it meant. Tortunstely, cases of ‘‘bunkoing” are di- minishing here, owing to the greater vigilance of . Hero'is my card.” T Pray excusome. 1 hope I hesen't offended. You resemblo a lawyer of my acquaintance in Norrison, apd I miatook you. I wouldn't like 1o have mado such 3 mistake.” 3 & Not at all, not at all,” €aid tho Englishman. © W are all lisble to mistakes.” Won't you take a drink?” spid the strenger. «No; I thank you,” eaid the Englishman. . THE NEXT STEP. Now, to an ordinary person, this little rencon- tro would have appearcd 88 unworthy a second thought. To onc looker-on, however, every word was of vast importance. Ar. Walters Toved on, and the perscn who had eddressed Dim met the interested observer, handed bim a card surreptitionsly, told him the man was a heavy take, fresh from China, loads of mozey, ~verth woriing ap. The next thing ecen was the interested on-locker on the other gido of the tte lice and the toleration of faro- nnnksfw Thers are fewer bunko opera- tors. since, under the present regime, 2 gambler can live withont Tesorting 10 theso practices. The countryman is_still robbed, but it is done ip a different manner. Still, cases of bunko will ba occasionally happening, and, even 2f they do not, it will bo interesting to soo Low ezsily men have been duped and defreuded in the past. 8 . Fh great beauty of Bunko is tho uverring certainty of ita resuits. It is tho only eute game one can play. It is an escolient game for a yonng man_who is takieg his first ledcons i bling. It possesscs tho peculiar features Sequisito for bis absoluto fascination for a time, and 1ts results are a perfect certainty. One may Jmow what to expect beforehend. He way ex~ ect to lose his money with astonishitg regu- P:\rity. No heart-rending disappointments in this respect have over been known. Therefore, treet kingto leeward of the Englishman. :{‘: ;.‘i_rgn igsa& 25 bo could without attracticg hes given notice that, upon & recurrence of a well-founded complsind, he will run every Buake-roper out of tawa. Ie should keep his “word by all meaus. g EKENO. The gambler of small means, or tho young mau just learning to tempt hazard, meturally in- clines to a game in which & little money goes & Jong; way, while tho returns nre large when there are any. Taro is too expensive, and the issus is 100-800n decided ; the winning or losing, oven - +with checks as low a3 50 cents, is too Tapid for the emall gamester. He wants somothing cheap and: exciting, wherein his money will last lomzee. It is no matter that tho * cheap ™ ganw:d aro the contliest of all, owing fo the heavy percentage which tho dealer or proprictor always reserves for himself—the ployrcx bins but a doller or two, and be risks it in iho hope of a Incky turn in his favor. _Keno is the 1-ago among the cheap games, and i8_cxten- givel 7 patronized . when it can ve indulged in ~withunt risk of a raid by the police. THE BEEVIVAL. I hg recent general rovival of gambling,keno made its appearance in force. Three or four gunes were started, and they carried on a thriv- ng business 5o long as tiey were unmolestod. Wit Superintondent Rebra. made: himself un- dera tood as opposed to keno and ten-ceut faro gam o8, tho first named poo alar pastime roceived a sovere check in the shape of the arrest of keep- @2z and inmates, €0 that thore is now bLut oue garse in foll blast. The pa:rons of keno are for fhe oot part young men whorearn small salarics. 0ld gemblers will hzvo nove of it, and_tho only wou. 0r i6 that thers aro peop lo 50 inemabiy silly 28 to play the game. Bat the ro are such people, and cough of them to moke & keno dealer's fortuue; A ho wero permitted- to carry on the busmess. . _Snturdsy night is « tho great keno night. It 18 then thel weekly stipends are frit- tered awey Ly scores of young: men, who can poorly affora to logo thewr etirnings. Clerks, Booitkeepers, mechanics, aod barkeepers afl have 3 wenkness [or keno, and aIl contribute to- ward its support. WHENCE IT CAME., EKeno originated smong the Gewmans, who call it Lotto, and the ckildren piay it at home for amusement merelv. 1ts application asa means of public gaming for 10010y 18 & purely Yankoe affair, though it was a favorite among French Touisianion®, and tho puculinr phrases and ox- clamations which attach to tho game have also been supplied by tho Anglo-Saxon. The word “Lotto” has no_distinctive significance, but it might well e adopted on account of its fitnczs to the facts pertaining to kemo, which is only played by » “lotto” fools. 1t s purely a pamo of chance, The rowult is nob governed m the slightest dogree by the exerciso of either skilt or judgment, and thero is no zdvanzage in capital, a3 in many osber games.. The, moro mouey aman plays sgainst kemo the mora ho losea. THE GAME I8 PLATID without thenid of cards or elaborate parapher- nalia. Al that is requisite is & hollow woadon slobe, in which are placal nincty small ivory alls the gize of marblos, numbered from one to pnety inclusivo. Tho ballsi are shaken upin the globe, and are taken oui. one at a time, and the number called out. The game is to get fiva numbers in & row, and when these como, “Keno!” is called 'by tho ucky holder of the consecutive figures, who is -entitled to tho peol, less 10 per cent, which the . 'proprictor takes out for his profits. Tha house? 1s supplicd with 200 strips of thick pasteboard, about seven biches long and two inches wide. Upoa theso cards are painted the numbers, in three rows, fiva in a TOW,~thus: | T =] 7] ol Tel=] |= ] ADRRNDOE 10W IT OIS ‘Each card contains s different combination of figures, Ve will_supposo that the reader Las bougbt the card strown by the diagrem. paying 25 cents, 50 cents, or a dollar, or moro for it, as .the case may be. Thete are ten ethers, each ‘having bought a card. Tho globa containing tho ‘marbles 18 whirled rapidly around, sud a ball is taken cut, and the number cailed, I you find tuat number on your card, placo a batfou over it, and 0 on, as.often as one of your card-num- bers is called.” If you are lucky you will get five' buttons in a row after fifteen or twenty ballshave been called out. Tor instance, you -find that 9, 32, 41, and 56 have been called; 78 ia necded to complete the row; whea 78. comes you call “Teno!" and the pool, less tho percentage, is aidtoyou, In the meantime, other plavers Em—a been putting on buttons, snd the game grows exciting as they get within but ono num- fer of a row. You happen to get it firgt, ond all the rest are disappoinied. Then it 1s that charactenistic exclamations decote supoyance and disgusé on the part of tle unlucky opes. Each picce of pasteboard has 1t3 great number, ranging from 1 t0 200, and a record is kept of tho cards taken, and the keno is verified by referenco to the balls which heve been drawn from the globe.- DIVIDING THE POOL. It frequently bagpeus that two players keno on the samo combination, a8 tho same figures may oceur on different cards, though in difterent order. In that csss the, pool is divided, If a Bunko is & good game to begln with. Oar read- ors have frequently read of this or that ooun~ thoro are ten players, at 50 ceats per card, the pool is $4.50, as the dealer takes out 10 per cent. Keno can only be called upon cards which are registercd a8 having beon pmd for. Tao choice of cards is made at linp-hazard, a8 there are no means of knowing what figures will be drawp from the globe. 1t is interesting to noto that if you had chosen the card next to the one you took you would have secured tho coveted Tow of numbers: This algo leads to regretful and angry ejaculations, iollowed by a general laugh at the expetise of tho unlucky ones. THE PROFITS. 1t i5 astonishing that keno should bo played at all, since it lacks tho cssentinf element of fair- ness. Tho proprietor gets all the money in tlio long run in the shape of bin percentage, no mat- ter who wins in the meantime. Three men mny start with €10 each, buying cards at 31 each; they may win an equal number of pools, and at the end of a few hours not one of them will have acent. The dealer will haveit all if they play long enough. The profits of a well-patronized game amount to npwards of ¥100 per day, over and above expenses, which aro comparatively light, and the players play this for the privilege of Laving a chanico to squander their money. Few of them play for amuccment ; nenrly all ex- Pect to win monoy by it. Occasionally they are guccessful, a8 when the goal is large and the playor is satisfied with winning one; but thie is not human nature, ond the monoy olways finds ils way to the pocket of the dealer. In return for bis investmont, the player is fur- niehed with an unhealthy oxcitement, and o rather paiatable lunch when ho gels hungry; nothing moro. A s genoral rule, keno games are conducted honestly, though there are plenty ot chances for cheating, The dealer may regis- ter a card which i not held by any player, and make that card win by calling false numbers as the balls are drawd, for everybodyis tbo busy to sce that Lio calls the numbors correctly ; or he may bo in collusion with a_player, and, by call- ing his number, givo him the keao; or, Lo may oy on_less cards than havo been sold. Theso fraudnlont practices may be resorted to at times, but a8 a rule the proprietor is satisfied with the legitimate porcentazo. The desired result can bo accomplished without the aid of frand, though it is understood to bo a stauding rule in keno houses to register fewor cards than are sold, when they are so numerouns as to render dotec- tion difficult. A “keno” occupies about seven minutes, and if ono card is counted ont, the gain is tc’(;nsidemble in tho course of the day and night. CRIME IN FRANCE. The Murderers of Limours. The Criminal Court at Rambouillet, in France, is endeavoriug to solve the mystory which Langs aroung the perpotration of a series of seven murders, all comwmitted within tho past year in the vicinity of Angerwilliers, a village in the Dis- trict of Limours, about half way between Peris and Orleans. Tarly in January, 1873, an old game-keeper named Tupin and his wifo wero murdered in their littlo dwelling ot about ¢ o'clock in the eveniug, by bright moonlight. Tho opinion of the magistrate and the surgeon, who were soon called to the spot, was that 3Madsmo Tupia was struck first by tho assassina with a Jargo wooden stake, which was afterward found; and that the. husband, coming in soon afier, was stunped in the same way by a blow on the skull. Their throats wero then cut, tho head being almost sovered from the body. The house was then ransacked, and the ashea of papers juss burned wore found in the fire-place. Eight months passed, and Vaugrignenso, a neighboring villaze, was the theatre of the next crimo. On Sept. 24, st about 8 o'clock in the cvening, tho curate, who. owing to z sudden in- disposition, bad ratired early, was euddenly aroused by the cry of “Hely, they aro murder- ingmo!" 1lo found his waitress Iying insensi- ble on the threehold of one of tho outer doors bleeding from a large wound in the head. Fors long time Ler life was despaired of, but she finally recovered. She had been struck with a hotchot as she was closing tho house for tho night by €ome oo from without. She has never been able to givo an accurate description of the man who attacked her. T'wo days afterward, at Marais, a tailor, somo 60 years of ago, was killed by blows on the head {rom n hatchet or hammer. = The time of the ‘marder was again in tho carly part of the even- ing. The hoteo was plundered, aud what money or sccurities he bad were stolen. Iootprints could be seen on the following morning in the direction of Vaugrigneuse, sad a silver watch belonging to bim was found on the road. ‘Still tha murderers were undiscovered, and oa Nov. 13 another tragedy occuared. Auguste Du- ~al, aman o property, was murdered on bhis own-threshold about 5 in the aftcrnoon. After o had been killed his body Lad been carried to his room. The furniture was knocked about and tho engravings wero torn down from tho walls. In the first murder of the ser... some 1,400 francs had been overlooked in the pociet of- thd dead woman. This was talked of by the coantry people, and when tho pext victim's body was found it was noticed that tire pockets had been carcfully scarched. In the samo way when the tailor was killed, tho aseassinw failed to find some bonds concealed behind the engravings on the wall. To avoid asecond misiske of the same uziure they removed all of M. Duval's pic- tures. A fow days aftor this AL Duval's eon was ar- rested. On his premises they found s hatchet and a shoe, both blood-stained. The epois, the accused 8aid, came from a rabbit. He was taken to tho prison of Rambouillet, but was restored to liberty, another murder having beou added to the lisv on tle eve of Chrisimas, in which tho eame method bad been followed. Two old maiden ladies who lived in an izolated farm Louso in tho bamlet of Chatagniers were killed in their homo about 9 o'clock in the evening, One of them a8 stinck with o wooden stake at the threshold, aud the other was crushed by an iron bar in her bed. Somo pieces of cein concealed in a jar and some packages of bank notes cscaped the atten- tion of tho robbers. We sre told that the peoplo in the surround- ing country are terror-stricken. Tho dovrs ere barricaded at nightfall, and no ono knows whose turn will coms nest. ‘The hour sclected for the commiesion of the crime, and the manner in which death is inflicted in cach instance, would indicate that the same individuals are guilty in all these cascs. It is to be hoped that detection is not fardistant. That it is possible, howover, for murderers to cecape for years is shown by 1he Rousson case, which has been revived in Franee to confirm the theory that intimidatioa 18 now preventing the discovery of the Angervil- liezs criminaly. In the year 1851 Francois Rousson, his wife, o young son, and an aged grandmotber wera all found murdered in or noar their dielling in the country. A little child, 6 years of zge, had been stunncd by a blow at the hands of the murderer, but she did not die. Her intellect, however, was affected, and she could only be iuduced to say that the assasein was a tall, handsome man, with a fine beard. The magistrate who conducted tho inqniry was assisted in his labors by Michacl Rousson, a mild, beardless youth of subdued , mauuers, The investigation was in vain. Years passed away, and another borrible five-fold murder was sttcmpted. A man named Chabot and his wife and cbild wero killed with a hatchet in much the sume woy 08 the Rtousson family had been. Bat the murdorer was _not thorough in his work, The older children of the Chabots wero not kitled, althongh badly wouuded. They recognized Michacl Lousson as the It then came out that for years sev- eral porvons had known that Michael was tho murdorer of the Rousson family. His parents and afterwsrds his botrothed knew it, aud two servant girls were also_possessors of the secret. ‘I'ney had washed his blood-stained shirt and the hatche: with which ho bad slain Lis vietims. Yet they wero afraid to exposohim, for they thousht thear evidente wonld not be sufiicient to convict hiza, and feared lest in the ovent of his acquittal” thoy shonld bo killed by him on the first oppor- tunity. Miclinel Roueson was tried and condemned to death. Il wa3 exccuted in 1856. Tho fine beard spokon of Ly the child was a mask which he woro on tho cccasion of the former tragedy. ¥ ———————— A Deluge of Turtles, From Lyman’s Lecolicclions of Agassiz. Those were especially the days of turtles, when, in 1856, the s2cond volume of * Contribu- tions to the Natural History of the United States” was in preparation. From the . four corners of the earth these animals were thero thered togother, and the iterated names— 5mys, Testudo, and Chelonis,—drove all the rest of Latin momenclature out of our heads. “Thoy were everywhsre, some preserved in jary, and some dried on shelves ; then the living ones in all directions. A large G-fl:fmgofl tortoise dwelt in the front cntry ; many littls terzaping hid under the etair; and soft-shell turtles in- babited tubs. The Professor’s own house was not free from them, and his hitle garden was, at times, quite swarmed. The excitement .culmi- pated when ticre arrived, one day, s strong bex with bars, euitable for 2 wild beast, aud contain- ing two huge Miseissippt sneppers, perhaps the most ferocions, ana, for their eize. the strong- est of Teptiles. The Professor traced the feroci- ty back at once and showed that the very em- bryo of tho snzpper, before it is resdy for hatching, would fiercely bite o bit of stick. Dy and by we were getting clear of turtles aud wero dropping down 2mong the jelley-fishes, in prep- aration for tho third veluma of contsibutioss,— Fi Allantie, SWEARING OFF. Tho Inebriate’s Last Hope. History of an Unfortunate Young ¥an. The Best Way to Bridle a Weman's Tongue. ‘arious Uses to Which the New System Can Be Put. F A reporter of Tue TRIBUNE was sitting in Justice Scully’s Court-room, on West Madison street, ono Saturday afternoon, note-book on kneo and pencil in hand, watchiug for & case of more thgn ordinary interest. Ho watched long andin vain. The ‘‘ damusable iteration” of “drunk and disorderly * broke upon his accns- tomed car 3s waves upon the shore, a dreary, monotonous sound calculated to lull ome to sleop. Indeed, the reporter was relapsing intoa sort of half doze, dreaming of the future posi- tion ho was to occupy as editor-in-chief of the moat influential daily in the Northwest of tho fu~ ture. Ever the sounds were repeated: *John Smith, drusk, your Honor. John Smith, you are charged with being drunk. What sy you, pguilty or mot guilty? Officer Flaunigan, bo sworn. You do sclemuly swear that tho evidenco you will give in the case now in hearing before the Court shell bo the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, g0 help you God. State what you Lnow about this caso.” “Well, your Honor, as I was coming up Van Buren sircet sbout 9 o'clock last night, or por- baps ten minutes later, 2 man came up to me, mo, and says be,” etc., ctc. Ever the same; like sn infaut's lullaby in another key. With due precision the Court asked a ques- tion, tuo Clerk booked tho fine, called tho mext caso on the docket, while an officer turned somcbody oumt of court for misbehavior. It was s leopy disposi- tion of tiresome cascs, and awaking with a start from adream of cnormous wealth znd com- manding position the reporter buttoned his ovor- coat tightly round his throat and tucked his note-book sway preparatory to a departure. NEEDS MUST JUDGE. At this moment his aitention was taken by a sight not particularly striking, but not altogeth- er common. Jusiice Scully had beforo him a skelcton of & promise—3 k form which ho was filling in. Before him szood a little bit of a fellow whom the reporter had seen before. He was not moro than 5 feet 3 inchies high; his eyes wero bleared and lashless, and a bnlbons prominence at tho end of the noso teld of s life devoted to conviviality. The declaration thus made was indozsed by tho bald- ness of the head, upon which, apparently, the most restlcsa application of Alacassar oil Lad failed to revivo more thau an undesbrush of fur, o had a tough-looking little moustache, which covered a yawning cavity of & moath. He was in deep dsjection, but managed to drawl out a dry romark which mado the Justice Isugh somo- what. “ Soyou've been driven to this, Hauk, have you,” said tho Judge. ** Neods must, Judge, when the devil drives,” retorted the poor little chap, with o moisture about the eyes in contrast with their dryness a few minutesago. “I got left ‘last week, and I thonght 1'd make a last deeporzte effort. I'm going to get mamied uext fall, undz‘ 1 guess, Il keep Straight till then, anyway. Chsrloy wont mind if I do get a little off after that, I suppose.” Tho Judge laughed. * Well, perbaps, there'll be Somoe cxcusa for yon thep,” said he ; never mind the quarter,gHank ; T'm only tao glad to help you out without it. I've often wondered why vounever came before.” Tho Judge's laugh Wwas ouo of those dry, nervous, unpleasant Ianughs that conceals whole biograply, aud it startled the reporter. There were reasons, how- ever, for his remaining, apparontly listless and drowsy, during this conversation. Being an experienced hand, he quietly watchod his time, and, afier Hank's departure, lolled up to the Justice and commenced an interview. A SWEAR-OFF. « Reporter—That hwas Tather an umusual form of warrant you issued to that young man just now Judge, wasn't it 7 Judgo—It was. I wish I issued more of thom. Poor litle chap, he's = good boy, and ho don't drink much, but & giasa of beer tells on him with terriblo effect. Reporter—Yes, I'vescon him at police head- quarters s good deal, but I supposed he had business there. I 1 understaud tho conversa- tion you had with him jus: now, it related to this very subject. Judge—You ere quite right. Ho came to me to “swear off.” That “ warrant " you saw was ~ blauk form of an oath of abstincuce most golemuly &worn to, and witnessed by me. Reporter—Judging from the fact that you havae such osths printed in blank form, I should a3 you estcd 3 grcat many of them? Tadge—Yes, Ido (and fere again ho smiled one of those pecnliarly meaning smiles). Reporter—i have no doubt thoy are of great value to the poor fellows driven to this pinch. Judgo—I hope so. Sometimes, I suppose, they are of nbsolute servico; but'I am afraid that the instance you justsaw will not be an illustration of their value. leporter—Yoa appear to know thzt young mon very well; do you mind telling me who hois? f§4Judge—You are » reporter; I think you might exercise your roportoral acumen in ferreting out Dis history. 1 assaro you it will be of uso to you and of intorest to your renders. 1t isnot exactly romantic, bus it ig'instructive. I don’t krow his business, but his name is McCafery. That's all I'll tell you abomt bim. Ho’sa good Loy, and vou will bave no difliculty in discovering all you vat Lo know il you go to work about it prop- erly. THE LIFE OP J'CAFFERY. Thus challenged, the reporter set to work. It i8 needless totbore the reader with every detail, to sbow the reporter's wonderful gagacity, a8 is usually done. Suflice o say that twenty hours afterwards he was in full possession of "all the facts relating to the subject. - UNLAWFUL JOYS, McCaftery bad been engaged for years in what he lippently tormed a._* pili-shop,” by which ho meant » drug-store. For years e bad steadily adhered to business, and had only ou occasions sought. in company with ona of the lights of an- other profession, tho delusive pleasures of the cup. He bad driven in broken buggies until the Dreak became o bad he conld drive nolonger. Ho had sometimes, under the influence of the trcacherons bowl, doue things he was afterwards ashamed of, e had once been ‘very tight. - He 1iad shocked his landlady by offering her the shatterced remains of a drunkerd’s heart. Ho had positively declared: that bhe would fill & drunkards grave, and that ho was unworthy to bear the rame of McCafers. He had said ho was a 3ot, and that there was no hopo for hum in the pext world, bo- cause it was written in the S. S. that no drunk- ard showld enter the Kingdom of Heaven. e wes o wreck, he said, stranded on tho shores of Vice and shattercd on the rocks of Intempefance. “T'o all this, except the offer of his fragmentary heart and trembling band bis landlady had will- ingly assented, cud bad pot him. to bed with many fervent prayers that his head would acho in the morning as it deserved. AND ACHE IT DID, It folt as though four-and-twenty little_devils armed with sledge-hammers were pounding it into o sheet of goid-beater skin. It gcemed to fill the room all except a litdo bit left for his little body. Then Hank thought of what ho had smd and done the night before; the billiards he could not play ; the bad whisky be hed drank ;-the offer Lé hadmado his landlady, and other dread- ful propositions. Remorse torturcd him worse than the Leadache ; and regret vas strengthened by the intolerance of his stowmach for light food. Ho formed resolutions. He would never drink another drop. He would write and tell his mother what he kad done. He would reform, with an enormous capital * R at the beginning | of that word. IT CAXE FROM WOMAY'S HAND. He kept his word for some fia.yn. He reformed. He abjured theexhilarating regalis, and suubbed tho amber beer. “No more of'these,” Eaid Hank. © %I .have reiormed.” Dut by un- lucky chance, oze of the gurls empioyed ic the drug-store had conceived o great affection for Hank, which ho reciprocated. In a bugst of confidenca one day, she tolahim whero the 1igkors wero kept in bulk, and, as ovidence of the fezvor of Ler love and tie correctness of-her represcnta- tions, presented him with a balf-pint vial of Bour- bon surreptitionsly nrocured. Hank yiclded to the tempter, and fell. That bottle of Bourbon wos emptied, Hank's share being to that of hik beloved 6 pino toono, He foll in more sensas than ong, 88 his employor found, when struggled to embrace him, and told him he had always loved bim ng & brother aud & benefactor, and would be much oblized with £ loax of 35 for back. The mext day was spent by Hank in slumber, and the next in his hedroom. The next day was Sunday, and Monday Hank crept to- his Thlcn'm the ofiicc and worked sedalonsly to cover ot time. Atnoon anote wes handed to him. It read thus : M Drar Box: Your conduct Thurslsy warrants your immediats discharge. I am fon suzicus for yonr welfare to treat you harshiy, I will givo yon the zl- teruntive of joining a temperance organization or lesy- ing our eervice. Hank didn't seo through this all at once. In- deud it was two months before Lo realized his employer's ntilitarianism. What he did realize was this. The **boss” had evidently guessed where the whisky came from; shionld he dis- chargo Hank and hire a successor, the succes- sor might be more absorptive than Haok, and not do his work 8o well. Dy keeping Haok to s pledge, ho would economize his Bourbon, and rotain 8 good man. ANOTIHER ETEP DOWNWARD. That same evening Hank's name, was befcre # Aqua Pumpis Pura Lodge No. 815 Apostles of ‘zeedom from the Enervating Thraldom of the Fiend,” and a few days lator he was initiated. A solemn vow was enacted of him to trample the Fiend nnder foot ; to drown bim in cold wa- ter, to laugh at his sizzlings during this immer- sion ; to shun not only the Bowl, but also the votaries of the Bowl; to carry an enormous badge bearing in front a silver water-pitcher, and at back o palm treo blossoming with cups of water. Underncath the palm treo wus a largo family of nuked boys, each carrying s tank- “ard, lost in amuscment at tho prostrate figure of an intoxicated ape who was eundeavoring to straighien bimself ont in _order to drink from a bottle labeled *“ Hell-fire.” All this Hauk swore to perform, even to imitating the little family under the palm tree. Hank triumpkantly showed Tis badge to bis boss, aud tho boss_raised Lis salacy $2.50 2 month.—which was aboat a tithe of bhis profits by Hank's rejection of alcohol. BANISHED FROM EDES. Things want on smoothly for throe montbs, during which time Hank never got tipsy. IHe never drank moro thau a wine-glassful at a time, nor mora than four of ihese s day. Last Octo- ber a year, however, he bad driven his girl out into “the country, and had walked back qute late nest evening. It wag -ru- mored that Lo had fallen out of the buggy, and an empty demijobn found under the seat of the broken vebicle by the livery man gave color to the suspicion that he had been unusually glorious. The lady was probably drowned. Hauk never retnrned to the pill-shop, but se- cured & more: congenial occupation. His mis- decds becamo known to the lady members of Aqua Pumpis Pura Lodge first, and afterwards To the other members. Hauk was expelled. This mado him very penitent indeed, and he rosolved to load henceforth a godly, righteous, and sober life, to tho end tlat ho might atcain everlasting jor sad fellils, , Mia good resolutions kad failed him, they biad béen cemented in with other good resolutions in the infernal Nicolson; his expul- siou from one temperance lodze had expelled nim from all; he was out of a situation and out of money almost. WHAT WILL OE DO WITH Ic? Tlo had 75 cents. What shonld he do with it? He could_get = pile of landanum for 75 cents, but then he would lose lots of fun. He could Thavo one last good spres_on methylated spirits, which wera cheap and exhilarativg. Herejected this, however, because ho had read that one ro- covered from the effects of a druok on this form of alcohol very rapidly, and it was & wasto of money to buy a brief druok with his last cent. So he kept his currcucy and applied to_ Ar. Southdown for a situation. Mr. Southdown asked him for & biography, which he gave. *Do you drink?” said _the person i do,” said spplied to. *Thank you, yes, I don't mind if Hank, putting oa his bat. “Thero's a pretty good place just opposite.” ] didn’t ask son todrink, sir,” szid Mr. South- dovn. “Youmastn't driuk while yon work for 'me. You must swear ofl,” Oh,” said Hank, pulling off his hat; “TI st go and swear off ;—whero shall I go? I ]I';uow; there's o notary Las an oftice just by ero.” . ** Do s0," eaid Mr. Southdown; *tell him I eent you, and he'll do it half-price. That's whero gxuplold man and somo of the boys go, some- es.” DESORTING TO A NOTARY. So Hank swore off. Ho bonght a pieco of pa- per covered with quotations from Scripture, in ‘which Lis old enemy the Fiend was spoken of in the hamshest of terms. A great notarial seal was stamped upon it, and for 60 cents Hank went away as happy as it he bad the title deed of the Couri-Honso Square and all the property ad- joining for half a mile in every dircction. He anded it to Alr. Sontbdown with glee, and was told that the first violation of his pledge would cost bim his placo. Assured of a permancut cituation, howover, Hank rusted down stairs and fook » parting drink with the Ficnd, after which ho went to work. A FALLEX ANGEL. Months passed away. The Notarial pledge, which at ope timo was regarded with vencra- *ion, lost its charm. Hank drenk often and sur- reptitionsly. Partial abstinence weakened bir 5 two beers wonld upsot him ; three would keep psct. And go it was that very Iato ono Afljg}xt Ur. Southd wrathfully discharged im. G0 TO SCULLY. TMauk was very s2d, very derpondent. Thero ower on earth could Lold bim now to a io was a wreck ; his overcoat was not .’ and liis girl would go back on him. He Waudered desperately round until he met a friend who worked iu the same ofiice. “Hank,” eaid the frien], *Southdown will take jou back on oue condi " “What i3 it?" eeid Hack. “‘Swvear off,” aid the fricnd. ¢ Bless my soul,” said Iank, dolefully, ““T'vo swurn off till I'm sick of it. I've perjured mydelf till 1'm past all hope of redemrtion. What’s the use of swear- ing off again & Go to Seully,” said the friend. 1 dare not,” said Hank, in a subdued tone, “ that's too awfnl. A5 yon like,” £aid his friond, and they parted Now, the proposition made to Hank was, indeed, a torrible onme. Hank had always thought of Seuily as the cmbodiment of Justice, and his Court as second to none but that of Rbadamanthus. The awfal majesty of the Jaw frovned from his brow ; contempt of such & court was impossible. To swear off before Scully was 3 dread ceomony ; it committed lum irrevocably to abstinence. But he made up his mind, and swore off, as the roporter could bear wituess. SAVED. But it must net be imagined that the blessings of this system are confined 0 wmen or drunkards only, as will more fully appear from that which follows. ‘I'he reporter, after haviug investigated the McCafery case, met the Justice and toid him wwhat the resalt had been, statiug that it was, in Dis opinion, a very curions case. “Yes,” replied the Justice, * bt not 2o much 80 a8 a coupla of others which have receutly _come under my observation. The othor day I was in my ofiice, and a young and quite protty woman came in. She seemed a little embar- .rasscd, and, to relievo her, 1 asked what sho wanted. She hesitated, but finally told her story. It is one whicly, hea beca often told, and often Written,—s0 often that it is nnnecessary to give it minutely. Take a_young, unsuspscling, and loving girl, & wily and unprincipled villait, add dualogue to snit yoursclf, aod you have thostory. Of courec, tho wwoman becomes the foe of mankind, and leads a_disorderly life. She told me, how- ever, that she was weary of it, and bad dzcided to roform. Dut sho felt it to bo a difficult task. It was easicr to live without work than withit; to earn asilk than & calico dreea. So she de- gired to reinforco her resolution with an ocath, and had come to me to swear off from all evil courscs. Of cofirse I was gratificd to help her, and I swore Ler to be all things that are good, and to renounce ali thiuys that are bed, and she went her way rejoicivg, FORSWEARING SCOLDING. “Baut, after all, that is not as queer aa a cage that happened yesterday. A man und & woman came in. He wes excited and nervous, she half reluctant, and evidently doubtful. Hs opened the comversation by sayivg: *Squire, my wife wants to don little swearing off, and I brought her sround _to you fodo the 3ob.' ¢Does she Grink?’ gaid L~ ‘Mo, said be, ‘nothing of that kind; but tho fact is that she is too much given to scolding and fanlt-finding, aud it just makes homo miscrable. She has tried to break herself of it, but cannot, and she finally egreed to come ronnd and see you, and take an oath not to givo way to_her temper any more.” * oz one year, John, said tho woman. * Well then, one yeas, ’ eaid he, “that is o mach gained.” * Now,’ said she, *if you are going to find fault with me before the Judge, I will not swear at all.’ ¢ Ob. never mind,’ ecid I, ‘he does pot mean anything.” * 5o I drew ng the stiffest sort of a document you ever ¢aw, whereby she renounced evil-speak- ing, elandering, jawing, scclding, fussing, fret- ting, teasing. Lagging, worrying, and all other forms of torment that I could think of, and I read it over to her, and she winced a little, but finally was about to sigu it, when her husband broke in : * Stop, Judge. I want thisdone legally. 1 want her cxamined separato aud apart from her busband. I do not want her to back out of it by eaying that she eigned it under compul- sion. X will step out for 2 minute, and then you have her signit. So ke weot ont, and sho_sign- _ed, ‘Thot ha xaturnad, pieked up his paper ia Eenphe and Asseed o with Tis WL T ag hoy had a quarrel the mext day, howa Now this BW‘EZTI POSSIDILYTIES, ze aro lossons conveyed in thi vhy of a reformed incbriata which 3;:51;;,—;; go unhceded, and the reporter ventnres to sng. gest somo’ of thom. Drunbeuness oy o dreadfal thing. If, by anplication to Scully. end the payment of 25 cents, it can bo conquered, why should not ofher taj habits be similnzly eradicated, as in ts casos juat mientioned? Why should mot Billy J— walk solemnly up to Justice Scally and, 2kng for th ‘proper blauk form, hold up Lin #ighs band. ug solemnly swear that he will nevor, by word o deed, try or attempt to obtain, either by pere sucsion or threats, any money, or paper equir- alet (sc-called) «f money, from &ny person of bis acquaintanco? Why 'should not Charley W—— pledgo himself in tk:e sight of the Lorg aud Justice Scully that, afier this Gato, he will pover zgain play another game of billards 80 Lelp Lim, ctc.? Whatis to prevent Justics Scully from selling hundreds of - blauks to just such persons as- Billy ' C———, binding them never again to chow & picco of fine-cut? or ro. siraining, by eelf-saught injunction, commer. cinlly-inclined gentlemon from puniing; op dramatic sgonts from Ladgering newspaper men; or exchange-fiends from pilfering thy Omaha papers ; or casual acquaintances from begging for_theatre-tickots ; or policemen from ciaving credit for what they never did ; or cars conductors from demanding fare from passcn. gers more than twice inone trip; or evening px_n{)l:.mtfrqu! atcm«zfi from the morning sheats ‘without giving credit ; or ministers fr i ing ono aiotlier ? S - Why should not Emma Brown pladge ina printed blank never sgain to r%mh:zn:‘élé scold Jobn Brown; and John EHrown promise nover again to neglect Emma Brown? Why should not Homer Leo pled himself never again to ** jump” bis board bill, whilo 3rs. Smith de clares solemuly that she will nover again serve up cats for rabbits, table-refuse for hash, or the contents of tea-cups for tea ? _ Ilere is » wide field_open to the world at largp in tho promising business, and & mine of wealth which ought to bo profitably worked by Justic Scully. i BEFORE WHOX ? This gentloman would, of course, havs a mo- nopoly of the business, It wonld bo useless to go to Bunyon, because Banyon's siguature is not worth anything now. But this is not all. How could s man renounce intoxication before Ban- you? " It would be like swearing to_sobriety oa a cask of clarct, or's glass of punch. Canin- corruption come out of corruption? Can so- briety issue out of incbriety? Surely not Henco it was that whilo Augustus the Great reigned at the South Side Polico Court, many South Siders, wishing to sweat off, were com- Eeuea to remain in a tipsy condition, since they nerw it was uselesa togo before Banyon, and they did not like to go into another district to do their swearing. Tho same thing is true, to a cortain extent, of Justice Eaufmann. A parson might renounce whisky beforo him, bat never beer. It is indeed a great question whether an oath to givo up lager would not be regarded on the North Side s void, since it would be op- posed to public policy and the last clection, Scully is the man to go to. Let Scully proceed at onca to the preparationof half a ton of blanks of different kinds, and let everybody promise %o reform some failing. Society might become tolerable after a little. PARTING. If_thou dost bid thy friend farewell, Bat for one night though that farcwall may bs, Press thou his pilm with thinc, How canst thou tall How far from theo Fate or caprice may lead his feet Ere that to-morruw con:cs? 3fen have been known To lightly turn the corner of a atrevt, And days have grown To months, and months to lagging sears, Before they looked in IOt e sgatn, Parting at best s underlid with tears— With tears aad pain, Therefore, leat sudden death shonld coma betwoen, Or tima or distance, clzsp with prossure tras The hand of him who goeth forth; unseen Fate gocth too! Yea, find thou always tmo to sy Some earnest word between the idle talk | Lest with thee hencefoolb, ever, night and dag, Regret showld walk —Galazy. A Bri Bric Dealer. Some years since I was the amused listener ta a conversation, let me rather say a lesson, given to two English ladies by an Israelite dealer, if memory fail me not, at Wiesbaden. * Whst 18 ‘Frankenthal 2" sud the younger, taking up a cup matked with the C and F interlaced, sur- mounted by a crown. ‘It is, Madam,"” said the dealer, ‘¢ the name of the fabric of the Elector of Palatine, more ancient thau Sevres ; indeed Sovres copied {rom Frankenthal ; the Germans, to render them only justice, produced admirabla spocimens of rare ceramic art.” The ladies listened as if the man was gpeaking Chipese. ** Frankenthal,” they had never heard the name: Sevres and Dresden were ebout tuo Timit of their knowledzo as to porcelain. “And how do you know ons class of china from ane other?” gesid the elder. * DBy the mark, but far more 8o by the exe and practical experience,” he repifed. “All the raro specimens ara for tho ‘most part marked, but oven marks from thossma fabrics vary according to the now era of their production aud valuo. Frankenthal, as I have shown you, bears tho cipher and crown, old Dresden crossed swords, the 3larcolini period hieaded with @ star,” (snd modern algo, I ob- sorved to myself.)’ ‘“Vienneee is known by & French .horn. Venico a bee-hive, Derin » sceptre, Dayonce s wheel; A, for An- toinette, surmounted by a crown, called porcelaine de la Reine. In fact, during the eighteenth century all the Siatea of Europe rivaled one avother in the production of the most chiaste works of art. Fine pieces of Chel- 8ea were represented by a small gold anchor, while Wattean adorned with bLis inimitable pen- cil specimens of Dresden. No wonder, tnere- fore, thoy were, and ate, priccless. In thoss days the art of painting on china wos exquisite, as witness some of the works of Sevree, Buea Retiro, end Dreaden ; and a8 elegant as much of it is in the present day. The past wasa reality, the present ia a fiction, aud first-rate works are daily becoming more rare and ex- pensive.” *‘Then what docs your shop cone tain, Meinher, for which you 2sk so much " added the lady. *T thought I knew something of old china—it appenrs that I know little or nothing.” **Excase me, madam, less than nothing ; less than I knew when first I invested my whole capital, not twenty pounds, in s Sovros vase that I eold for a hundred, and which was the fourdation, at least of a_compe- tenco, to n man in my position. You ask me how I gained knowledge of the art? By reading, attending sales, watching, and marke ing the opinions of others; loosing to-dsy by knowing too little, and believing I knew mora than my neighbor; gaining the next, having found out my error by practice and The eve can only be educated thromgh Tho articles I have for sale are neither tho worst and certainly not the finest specimens of cers- mcart. Some are egual to tho past, most s+ perior o the prescnt. Yet, be assurod, yoars of oxperience, practice, and theory are not cient to obtain that perfect knowledge necessary to select tbe good from the bad, and you msy dis ore you obtain it. Although thero aro men ¥ho Lave risen from tho most bumble position in life to far suporior practical knowledge than those of a higher class swho fancy they know moro. you visit Daris, medam? If s0, atiend the ®alesin the Rue Drouot; I fancy they are al- most daily in season. 1f & known dealer bids 3 hundred francs for a work of art, yoo may safely bid ten more ; though, forsooth, there are some persons who know where to place their purchases at any price, in these days of Map- chester millionaires.” 1 confess having felt so interested In the re- marks of thus dealer that, having !el.:m'e)l a few moderate articles, I snbsequently paid him mssy visits, and gained from his knowledge aad kind- poss some valuable information. 1f memosy fails me not, he stated that le formerly kept 8 small grocer’a shop; but, having become by ehance tho owner of a0 elezant and woll-shaged majolica_vase,—or jar,—tho ccramic vmmr touched his heast, and the prodacs of the $ale o his humble shop Was soon converted iuto bric-# ‘brac.—London Society. . The White Elephant of Eurmah. Onoof the proudest titles of the King of AT is “* Lord of the White pheat,” shoash a8 Eing of Siam, at Bangkok, is also thd osseasor of one or more of ticao sacred beasts. Tfl’t andalay snimal Mr.Vincent foundtobe s maleo! medium sizo, with white eyes, aod a3 forehead ears potted white, appearing 3s1f they rubbed with pumice stone or sand pager, but the romainder of tho body as black 88 coal. He? a vicious brute, chained by the forolegs i {ll; centre of a large shed, and was surrounded with tho * adjuncts of royalty "—gold and white clo umbrellas, an embroidered canopy sbove, somo bundles of spears in the corners of th$ room. Tho attendants said that & young oo captured in the northeastern part of Britisy »fl!l meh, near Tonughoo, had_recently died, aftef short residence 1n the capital, and thst the Bitd had been * ont of sorts " ever since. 13: mat was snckled by twelve womea hired for " exprees purposo. These elephant “wab mzm, shoaght i6 & 5086 BOAOT A ¥ASYE o puch b PlT i P frermy 1