PIOUS CRUSADERS LOSE A BASKET OF BIBLES AT MONTE.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1880, 12 January 1875, Page 3

PIOUS CRUSADERS LOSE A BASKET OF BIBLES AT MONTE.

Last Wednesday, says the Alta California, as the western bound train of the Central Pacific Bailroad arrived at Toana, two women of the crusading class, who had been travelling on the train for some time, got ofTto see if they could find either sin bi sinner, to go for. They had with them a basket filled with nice little Bibles, anArith these they were going about doin^; good-and making money. While on the train th;ey sold several Bibles, and talked about religion and rum to every one who would submit to being thus afflicted. As they stepped off the train bowed down by the weight of the basket* which they carried between them, there was a sigh of relief from the passengers, and many a wish was expressed that the train would move off and leave them. While wandering about seeking customers for their wares, they ran across a genteel-looking individual, who was engaged in tossing around three pieces ofpasteboard, and who seemed to be buried in deep meditation. They drew nigh unto him, and, noticing his finely cut classical features were o'erspread with shades of ladness, they offered consolation and a Bible for four bits. Finding there were no customers in sight, he goodnaturedly resolved to give the ladies a little, just to while away time and keep them quiet. He threw the cards, and then asked them to pick out the jack, which he had previously shown them. They did so once, twice, three times. Then he threw them again, and one of the innocents cried, " There it is ; you can't fool me, if you did throw, 'em quick." '^o, madam j you are mistaken," he replied, and drawing out of his pocket a ten and two twentydollar pieces, he said : 'I'll bet you # fifty dollars yon don't know which is the jack I' *Oh we never bet,' said one of them, 'but you can't fool us with your nimble fingers.' And then they stood and eyed the gold pieces, and thought how much good they would do them and how little th© possessor, apparently, appreciated their worth. Watching for the favorable moment, the reckless y©ung man said, "Well, I don't care, seeing its you ; I'll tell you what I'll do, seeing you are so iure about it. I'll bet you this fifty dol- j lars against that basket of books; but j every thing goes as it lays—you can't find jack." Now they were convinced more then eyer that he was a bold, bad, wicked man, and they determined to take his money to help them along in the good cause in which they were engaged. They ' put up,' and being certain the same card was the one, they were after, one of them seized it with ' This is the boy. It was turned over and,—it was tray of hearts. Their naturally long faces at once assumed a longer and more serious cast, and they looked at the card, at each other, at the bad bad man, at the money, and then at the basket of Bibles, thoroughly bewildered. The monte sharp put up his tools and walked off with his plunder 3 and before the victims comprehended tl& situation he disappeared from sight. The sequel is soon told. The winner marched through the train and distributed tfeo Bibles among the passengers. Several of the trophys are now on exhibition in this city. What became of the women is not known by the passengers.