A Fool and his Money.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7958, 23 October 1905, Page 2

A Fool and his Money.

Paris has prov.kled a -neat variant of the confidence trick. Alarmed |,y the failure of certain sugar speculators Mid the performances of Oallay, a too-eautions 'inventor drew all •h'i.i money, some £IOOO out of the 'bank. Me found, however, that the possession of so-much cash entailed a lot ol worry. His niylvts were disimibed by dreams rf burglary, and altogether ho was very unhappy Ivsl. his hoard should be purloined. One day he got into conversation with a ilis-tinguished-looving countrvmau at. a hotel. The stranger, according to the. visitors' book and his own cards and conversation, was a. count, ami ho scon gained the confidence of tho embarrassed capitalist. The count agreed with the man that with clerical manipulators of the Hnllav.nlo.iun about, hanks were risky depositories hut laughed at the notion of being' hard set to find a safe yet accessible hiding place for money." 1' mako it a rule to keep mine in my trunk," said he. The capitalist objected at that, "M'hnt about burglars ?" Hut the count had a stratagem of his own. lie took his friend up to his room and showed him his cash-box shaped exactly *likt> a sardine tin. lii, fact, it was one, only si rcngt'hened and provided with a secret lock. "That is where 1 keep my monev." he said. "Suppose, burglars hi-okl- in can you imagine them taking off h sardine tin? The cautious capitalist was frtseinalt-ed by the) idea. If online had a similar tin.' "Why. ■! have ai spare .one," said ; v 'if it can be of any use to you T shall i%<, delighted 1o let you have it." The cautious one ncceplci with effusive thanks, took a cab to the bank and withdrew his £100(1, drew straight l*ck to the, hotel with the notes, went, up with them to 'the count's bedroom, and there locked I'horn in the second isarrttw tin. .After -lliunking his fiieml again and 'again,. ho leit with his tin safe under his arm, making an la,u9nin(t-iiiienl< wiiHi the count for dinner. The hour camo and passed, and „„ count appeanil. 'the capitalist went to hi, MrmVs room,, ami -f0t,,,,-! it ~„piy. Then he returned, a little anxious, to his own and opened the sardine, tin It contained three buttons and some other odds ami -ends of no value whatever. Whilst the count had keen explaining the mechanism. „f Hie i K)X t o llis Kon , iidmg friend he bad ce-ntrived to effect an exchange and so po'ss-ess'him-self of tho Liooo.