Getting Out Of It

Among the guests at ;i welt known hotel in London are several gentlemen from America who are noted for their flovv oL animal spirits and their disposition to get as ruuch fun as possible out oL their ! day. During the long evenings the billiard i room and adjacent bar are well patronized, I and there has sprung up an inttnse rivalry umong the festive individuáis to see who i ihall sucoeed in "sticking" his neighbor for the greatest number of drinks and cigars. All sorts of tricksand devices are resorted to by the adroit schemers, but it was reBerved for a Cincinnati man to invent a little scheme by which event the most experienced of the tricksters were beautifully taken in. A few evenings ago the i bly was unusually large. Billiards and other light amusements had become abore, and things began to be a trifle dull when the Cincinaati man, gifted with sudden inspiration, sang out: "Xow, gentlemen, I've got a new game." ' At once there was a rush, and in les.i than 30 seconds 15 or 20 thirsty gentlemen I were ranged alongside the bar. "Each one put h!s flnger on the counter," i said the joker, at the same time setting the ; example. Instantly every mau gravely complied. "Now, then, the first man that lifts his finger treats the crowd," calmly contiuued the wicked, wily Cincinnatian. Every victim turned pule with horror and stood as if rooted to the spot. It was no laughing matter. There were men in that party who wouldn't crook their elbows for anything less than a shilling drink aud who never smoked anything but the flnest imported Havanas. The loser was destined to have a nice littlebill tosettle. For onehour and 20 minutes the hapless victims stood there, their forefingers glued to the bar. The situation was becoming very interesting whsn another Cincinnati man rushed in to get a cígar. He had some important correspondence to prepare for the outgoing mail and was in a tremendous hurry. "What's up?" he inquired as he witnessed the strange spectacle before him. "Put your fiuger down," said the joker. Almost mechanically he obeyed. Then the condition of the little game was explained, and the newconier was wild. He raged and stormed and pleaded business, but to no avaiï. The others wouldn't let him off, and after holding out for half an hour he succumbed with a bad grace and "set 'em up." There wasu't changeenough from the suvereign which he handed to the bartender to pay for a box of matches. And the Tj2.rtiès who had been pressing their fonfïgers to the marble slab for nearly an hour iaughed feebly and remarked that it was "a tiptop good joke, you