Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1853-09-23
How to Win,

bauVerSlty furnishes us with strange bed-fcl-
lows curiosity gives us strange acquaintances
somfimes. 1t certainly was strange to me that
should be in gaming-house one night not long
ago knowing nobody, nobody knowing me,
looAei about for somebody to be interested in
aiEays like 10 take an interest in somebody I
diefS that night. He was sort ofgreen, gaw-
ky7ooking chap, to al appearance little the
wffse for liquor made up my mind that he
w:5 stray pigeon, and that he would be pluck
edhefore he left that hawks nest. I watched
tn hawk. He was busy now with stranger.
wiom he soon cleaned out. Then he sauntered
over to where our pigeon was dosing, and sat
dwn at the same table. Directly he woke up.
ad looked about him with sort ofvacant stare.
Hawk was busy shuffiing pack of cards Pi-
gon looked moment, and then said to him:
81 say, stranger, may be you think you are
Mighty smart at lIeards, but L can beat the hind
ghts off of You at poker"
20 Sir" said the gambler, q never take a
sump."
g Trot eout your nags, then. Meow let her
rpP
AID they played, continually at the Pigeons
ltss, which l saw was occasioned by the most
dbwn'ight cheating in dealing the cards, or drop
Ping 20 make mis-deal. After a while Pigeon
got 70. to go out moment, and could not resist
the0portunity of telling him how villainOusly
the cher was robbing him.
know it just as much obliged to you,
theah, stranger, but III win at last. He clean
ed ot my friend in the same way, but I'll win
yet-count me in for that"
Wondered how, as l saw fives, tens, and fif-
ties transferred from his pocket to the capacious
pocSt- book of the other, which he always care
in right-hand breast-pocket.
Sch a run of losses would break the bank 1t
brol sthe loser, who was by this time very drunk
ID east he looked so. But he insisted that the
go out with him, and get some of
the cal % mountain dew - that there was no.
thie in this shanty fit for a gentleman"
Hawk would gladly have shaken him off; but
hovcould he shake off an obstinate drunken
MAJ? So they went out together, l followed
Pigon had his arm around the neck of Hawk in
thehost loving manner, who was evidently much
annyed. So they went on, and would have
gon into a fashionable saloon, but Hawk hung
bac he did not want to go where he was known
anoher place, down a dark side-street. They
hadn6t walked far into the gloom before he wheel
cd Suddenly, gave his companion 8 shove, who
weIt stumbling down upon cellar door, while
Hawk came hastily back into the light, and
walked hurriedly past where 1 was standing. l
sawthe other had won at last. There was
feaIil cash in the breast of the coat, directly
owe the spot where the weg-filIed pocket-b book
had been. The owner was so glad to think he
haG got rid of a troublesome drunken companion,
tha he had not vet discovered his loss.
Inow turned to watch the other. He got up,
and came slowly toward the corner where l was
What change. The old white hat
had given place to a glazed silk cap. hejaunty
striped vest to plain black silk velvet. The
BLACK cravat had turned white. The shocking
uglvred hair was now fine brown, and the ug-
ly whiskers all gone, and left a face. as smooth
as parsons. And what was more, he was
more, hewas strictly sober.
He had won at last
lido not particularly commend pick-pockets,
but could not help thinking that one of these
scondrels was just as honest as the other.
Tribune.