Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1876 — Fooled Himself. [ARTICLE]

Fooled Himself.

A neat little confidence operation by which a young gentleman who holds a subordinate position on one of the railroads centering in this city hoped to pocket a couple of hundred dollars was “bursted” by the watchfulness of the Superintendent of the road a tew clays ago. The yoiing man suggested to the employes that it might be a paying investment to present the master mechanic with a gold watch as a “ slight testimonial,” etc.—we all know how these things are gotten up. His associates eagerly bit at the proposition and subscribed a ten-dollar note each, the greater part of the subscriptions being paid in orders on the company for the amount. The next move of the smart young man was to go to a pawnbroker’s establishment in the city, where he purchased a handsome gold watch for seventy-five dollars, on which probably ten dollars or thereabouts had been loaned. His next move was to take the watch to A silversmith, where he had it beautifully polished up and a suitable inscription cjngraved on it, reciting the many virtues of the aforesaid master mechanic. So far everything looked rose-colored to the young railroader, and he was gloating over his successful speculation, when, unfortunately for him, the Superintendent found the matter out and promptly shut down on it, at the same time informing the projector that he had no objection to tbe men in his employment making presentations to officers -who were about severing their connection with the company, but that he never would permit anything else to be done while he held the position of Superintendent. And now comes in another joke, namely: that the master mechanic, who was to be “ surprised,” knew all about the affair and had already gotten up a raffle for the time-piece which had hitherto done him good service, aud which raffle either did or was to have come off at a saloon on Seventh street known as tlie “Delphia.” And again, the same Supei intendentwho upset the fat in the fire has also upset his own frying-pan, for the same individual who got up the other “surprise” had already secured a number of other subscriptions to furnish the aforesaid Superintendent with a pair of horses and a sleigh, for which purpose it was proposed to get. a subscription of SI,OOO. But the fiat of the Superintendent had gone forth, and that was where he fooled himself.—Si. Paul (Minn.) Dispatch.

A girl and boy, between the ages of eleven and seventeen, were noticed ig a long and close conversation in the Atlanta (Ga.) depot. At length the .boy began to weep, his loud boo-hoos attracting a crowd. “What’s the matter?” asked a sympathizer. “He wants me to marry him, and I won’t,” replied the The spectators withdrew. Oihi morning Pat was taking down shutters when a brother Irishman was passing by. “ Why are vou taking down the shutters, Pat?” said he. “To let out the dark, to be sure,” was the reply. The Reformed Dutch Church ot the Island of St. Thomas ariv rtises in this country fora pas'or, and offers a salary of $2,000 in gold, with expenses of passage | from the Uni fed Su es.