THE OLD GRANDMOTHER'S TRICK—PUG UGLY, OR THE MAN THAT TOLD AGES.

This trick is often played upon the unsuspecting, and seldom fails to accomplish the ends of the gambler. The most common way of introducing it is as the way "Pug Ugly was in the habit of playing." Pug would take from a pack of cards two of the same size, say, for illustration, two jacks, or aces. He would then remark that he could tell any man's age. This would soon call some person to test him, as such a thing would appear very strange indeed. Pug would then take the two cards selected to perform the trick with, say, for illustration, the ace of clubs and ace of diamonds, lay them side by side in the pack, cut the cards several times, and then remark, if they would come out three times side by side, without shuffling, he would tell their age. He would then take them from the top of the pack, one at a time, throwing each card face upward, as it fell, repeating their names, ace of clubs, ace of diamonds, &c, remarking, that if they come out three times together, he would tell the person's age. They come out twice in the same way they went in, and the third time he would assure his audience was the charm. He then would separate the pack about the centre, and take one half and lay it upon the table. Then he would take one of the two cards which he had selected and passed twice through the pack, and lay it down by the portion of the pack he leaves ; he then would ask the person whom he wishes to fleece to place his fingers upon it that it may not get out. This the "green-un" generally would do without hesitation. Pug would then take the other part of the pack and the other card, and step aside, at the same time remarking, "Keep your finger close upon it." It has now arrived at the point where the secret partner steps up and remarks to the novice, "Let us fool him just for the fun of the thing, by placing that card in the centre and substituting another." The change is made, and the Pug returns, picks up the card which the novice has under his finger; calling it by the rame of the one his secret partner had changed. He would remark, here is the ace of clubs, and ace of diamonds, they are going in the third time together." This causes much laughter, and several bets of glasses round would be offered they would not come out together. All of those bets Pug would take, and commence turning the cards off of the top of the pack, face upward, one at a time, saying all the time "Ace of clubs, ace of diamonds," repeating until the one placed in the upper part of the pack comes ; he then will say, "There comes one, and the next card is the other ace, and I will bet." His secret partner would offer to take a bet that the top card is not the ace he says it is, and at the same time Pug would start the card off, as though he would turn it, showing it to be another card. This he would be prevented from doing by the secret partner, who would insist upon a bet that the ace was not on top. Pug would contend that it was, if the man whom he had told to place his finger upon it had not removed it. The man denies having done so, which is true, as the Pug's secret partner had done it for him. Pug would always offer to bet a larger amount than the secret partner proposed to bet, and he declines betting, for this reason, that he has not sufficient money. Pug would then banter the victim for a bet, that the ace is the next card. The victim sees that it is not, and is disposed to take the bet, that the top card is not the ace spoken of. The money being staked, the victim takes off the top card, which, to his great surprise, he finds is the identical card spoken of, and that, instead of having his age told, he is "sucked in" by a robber. All he can do is to bite his fingers, and have more hard sense the next time than to be "done for" by "Pug Ugly," or any other villain.

Explanation.—The way Pug would do to deceive, he would take the ace he had and put it on the top of the card, which he would claim to be the other ace, and then lay these two cards upon the top of the portion of that pack he held in his hand. He then would take the other part of the pack, which would have the ace in, that he had left on the table ; this would leave one ace on the bottom of the pack faced, and the other ace about midway of the part on top; he would then keep saying over the names of the two aces until he would come to the ace in the centre, then he would turn that up, when it is well understood that the next card is not an ace, and the bet is made to that effect that the ace is not the top card. But Pug never lost, as he could turn over the pack in the twinkling of an eye, and thus make his trick a great mystery to all who see it performed. Only such gentry are always provided with cards. The "Munster Bible" often leads persons into awkward predicaments, such as the gentleman of York of our acquaintance. On leaving the Minster one day, with his wife and child, the gentleman swung his overcoat over his arm, when from his pocket there dropped a pack of cards. This revealed what books he had been writing up on Saturday night to keep him out so late. He looked dumfounded, smiled a ghastly smile at his wife —who hastily passed on—stooped, and hurriedly scooped up the cards, and was hurrying away, when some of them slipped a second time. These he picked up, when, in his nervousness, they slipped a third time and fell upon the steps. This was the last straw upon the camel's back. He snatched at them, and picking them all up but two, made tracks for home, not waiting to shake hands with anybody.

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