FIVE DOLLARS FOR A TRICK.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 6952, 30 January 1890, Page 4

FIVE DOLLARS FOR A TRICK.

" You «M this dollar 1" said one of * company of men in front of a rosewoo d bar in one of tht leading hotels in Philadelphia, and be handed a dollar to one of the group, wbo examined it and pawed it round the company. All decided there w«f nothing unumal io Hi appearance unless it wai oounter* felt. " No, it's not counterfeit," laid the first speaker, •• but I will let you take the dollar and spin it on the bar. I will tarn my baok aod will tell you whether it turns head or tail." " Impoßßible," laid one of the doubters, " unlest you ccc a looking-glasi." " No I don't aw anything, »nd 1 bet you the drinks I tell it every time." II Done," eaid the doubter. The man tnrned hit back to the bar, tjpe coin wai ipun, and, as it settled, he c»llt>d out "Heads." TtwasheadK. "Make it three out ot five timea for ancthei lound," said another of the group. " Certainly," assented the strangrt accommodatingly. Agftia the oi< span around, and " taile " was called. The tbird time it turned " tails," and a tbird time the stranger " called." " I can keep it up all night, gentlemen," be said smilingly. The drinks were paid for, and the itraoger, voder tb< genial influence of liquor, and the urgent requests of the company, said : " I don't often give my trioks away, but it will leak out sooner or later. You see, gentlemen, the coin on 4 bead ' side is sioked very slightly by a knife, tbe nioks being about an eighth of an Inch apart. The nick* are so small as to be soaroely percept ible. When you spin the coio, if it turns on tbe nioked side it settles quiokly, whereas on (he tbe other side it plowly settles, taking fully twice at long to ' die " as on the other side. Bj tbe differences in sound, you see I oai> till which side turns up, or, rather, down. It's all told by Bound." Tbt coin wat handed around and spur again, aod what tbe stranger said proved true, much to the delight ef tbe group, wbo were glad, apparently, as it usually the oase, to get hold of a trick which at first seemed inexplicable. "There, fix me a dollar that way," said one of the group, banding out tbe money, aod the other four requested » like faror at tbe hands of the Granger, who, taking out a pen-knife, obliging!) did as requested. Then bidding them a polite good night, he gracefully retired, leaving tbe group spinning tbeii coins. Suddenly, one of thorn picket up his dollar, examined it, and quickly flung it on the bar, the sounc given out being tbe unm stikeable sound of the counterfeit. " Done foi five dollars," said be as he looked ruefully at the door where tbe Btrangpi had disappeared. "Wei 1 , we've learned a trick well woith a dollar," said another, philosophically. — Philadelphia Inquirer.