Match as a Fakir; or, The Pumpkinville County Fair

This issue of *The Nugget Library* (August 28, 1890) contains "Match; or, The Pumpkinville County Fair" by Ned St. Meyer, a serialized adventure tale. The protagonist, Matchmore Montrose of New York, encounters "Singing Jim the Fakir" (James Montgomery Windbag), a short, rotund con artist and itinerant singer. Together they travel toward Pumpkinville. At a milk depot, they encounter Polydore Cowbrook, a farmer whom Match accuses of selling watered milk, claiming to represent a government inspection agency. Through bluffing and implied legal threats, Match extorts thirty dollars from the terrified Cowbrook by threatening him with state prison charges. Match and Jim then split the bribe equally and head toward town, with Jim proposing they enter the milk-inspection racket. The narrative continues with their arrival at a tavern where they meet Mrs. Christopher Blueberry.