802 A CALIFORNIA TRAMP. 



man, with a winning address and an elaborate necktie, who 

 has seen your exit and patiently awaits your entrance. He is 

 a Count D'Orsay in manners and appearance, and is well 

 calculated to come the confidence game. Endowed with a 

 deep knowledge of human nature, he has noticed your green- 

 ness, and he will profit thereby. Meeting you with a bland 

 smile, he will grasp your hand like an old acquaintance and 

 tenderly inquire after his friends in California ; for, in nine 

 cases out of ten, your confidence man has been to the land of 

 gold, and such is his knowledge of localities there and your 

 greenness that his lies are credited. Getting much interested 

 in your welfare, and seeing your somewhat shabby attire, he 

 makes you the recipient of gratuitous warning and advice. 

 He cautions you against numerous clothing store agents, who, 

 taking advantage of the condition of your wardrobe, and ap- 

 pealing to your pride to get it replaced by an array of their 

 cheap but elegant wares, will try to decoy you off to their 

 Fulton Street dens, there to take you in and swindle you. 

 With a face beaming with benevolence and urbanity he warns 

 you to keep out of their clutches, and, self-sacrificing proto- 

 type of the good Samaritan that he is, he ofi'ers to conduct 

 you to where you will get your money's worth. He is not at 

 all interested in the clothing emporium ; oh no, not he ; he is 

 interested in you and does not want to see you swindled as he 

 was when he returned from California. Being much taken 

 by his Christian deportment you accompany him, for it would 

 be ungrateful to repay his kindness with mistrust; so, arm-in- 

 arm — walking exemplification of the fact that new-made 

 friendships are as strong as old-established ones — you pass 

 from the hotel. As you proceed you meet scattered units of 

 the clothing agent gang, and these, true to the predictions of 

 your Damon, wantonly assail you with their business cards 

 and offers of safe conduct to their respective stores. Keeping 

 you close under his protecting wing, your friend scowls 



