PIOUS CRUSADERS LOSE A BASKET OF BIBLES AT MONTE.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 159, 8 December 1874, 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 Railroad arrived at Toano, two women of the crusading class, who had been travelling on the train for some time, got off to see if they could find either sin or sinner to go for. They had with them a basket filled with nice little Bibles, and with these they were going about doing good and making money- While on the train they sold several Bibles, and talked about religion and rum to everyone 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 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 gentcel-looidng individual, who was engaged in tossing around three pieces of pasteboard, 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 sadness, they offered consolation and a Bible for four bits. Finding there were no customers in sight, he good-naturedly resolved to give the ladies a little game, 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 foolme,ifyoudidthrow’emquick.’ “No, madame ; you arc mistaken,” he replied, and drawing out of his pocket a ten and two twenty-dollar pieces, he said, “ I’ll bet you fifty dollars you don’t know which is the jack.” “Oh, we never bet,” said one of them; “but you can’t fool us with your nimble fingers.” And then they stood and eyed those gold pieces, and thought how much good they would do them and how little the possessor, apparently, appreciated their worth. Watching for the favorable moment, the reckless young man said, “ Well, I don’t care, seeing it’s 3 on; I’ll tell you what I’ll do, seeing you are so sure about it. I’ll bet you this fifty dollars against that basket of books; but everything goes as it lays - you can’t find the jack.” Now they were convinced more than ever that ho 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 as both were certain the same card was the one they were

after, one of them seized it with “ This is the hoy.” It was turned over, and—it was the tray of hearts. Their naturally long faces at once assumed a longer and more serious east, and they looked at the card, at each other, at the bad, had man, at the money, and then at tiie basket of Bibles, thoroughly bewildered. The monte sharp put up his tools and walked oil’ with his plunder, and before the victims comprehended the situation he disappeared from sight. The sequel is soon told. The winner marched through the train and distributed the Billies among the passengers. Several of the trophies are now on exhibition in this city. What became of the women is not known by the passengers.