Take four nickels, and solder them together so the solder will not appear.  Then cut out of three of them a square hole like this:  (Illustration.) Take about twelve other nickels, and on top of them you lay a small die with the six up, that will fit easily in the hole without being noticed.  You lay the four nickels over this, and all presents the appearance of a stack of nickels.  You do all this privately so everybody will suppose it is nothing but a stack of five-cent pieces.  You then lay another small die on top of the stack with the ace up.  You have a small tin cup shaped like this (Illustration) made for the purpose.  You let everybody see the ace, and then say you propose to turn the ace into a six.  You lay the tin cup carefully over the stack this way, and feel around in your pocket for a pencil and not finding one . . .

      [The rest of this letter is lost]

AUSTIN, Texas, May 10, 1885.

Dear Dave:  I received your two letters and have commenced two or three in reply, but always failed to say what I wanted to, and destroyed them all.  I heard from Joe that you would probably remain in Colorado.  I hope you will succeed in making a good thing out of it, if you conclude to do so, but would like to see you back again in Austin.  If there is anything I can do for you here, let me know.

Town is fearfully dull, except for the frequent raids of the Servant Girl Annihilators, who make things lively during the dead hours of the night; if it were not for them, items of interest would be very scarce, as you may see by the Statesman.

Our serenading party has developed new and alarming modes of torture for our helpless and sleeping victims.  Last Thursday night we loaded up a small organ on a hack and with our other usual instruments made an assault upon the quiet air of midnight that made the atmosphere turn pale.

After going the rounds we were halted on the Avenue by Fritz Hartkopf and ordered into his salon.  We went in, carrying the organ, etc.  A large crowd of bums immediately gathered, prominent among which, were to be seen Percy James, Theodore Hillyer, Randolph Burmond, Charlie Hicks, and after partaking freely of lemonade we wended our way down, and were duly halted and treated in the same manner by other hospitable gentlemen.

We were called in at several places while wit and champagne, Rhein Wine, etc., flowed in a most joyous and hilarious manner.  It was one of the most recherche and per diem affairs ever known in the city.  Nothing occurred to mar the pleasure of the hour, except a trifling incident that might be construed as malapropos and post-meridian by the hypercritical.  Mr. Charles Sims on attempting to introduce Mr. Charles Hicks and your humble servant to young ladies, where we had been invited inside, forgot our names and required to be informed on the subject before proceeding.

Yours
W. S. P.