The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1873-11-20

he 1seosDoa Gambler.
[Frsm the San Frsncisco C1reaicle
Once upon . time there came to Poker
vile . genius Of the stripe COMMONLY
known a. the reformed gambler.
Now % the Pokesvillians had no other
than playing poker or sew
en-up, when il became generally known
that an individual WAS coming that way
whose avoWed purpose was the dem0li-
ton of those popular Institutions, and
consequently the obstruction ofths town,
through the annihilation Of the very
Industry" upon which its.existence dc.
pended, there arose . great excitement
and preparations were made to give him
. warm reception A meeting was hsld,
ct which the people attended in mass,
and the prospect for the new light Of re-
form was anything but encouraging.
Notwithstanding al this-or. perhaps,
been engaged for the lecture WAS crowd
ed with an expectant throng, who had
gone there for the express purpose o.
mobbing the exponent Of unsavory
truths.
Among the assembled wisdom Was the
head deacon of POkerville, who never
played cards except for ''fun with .
nominal stake, just to make IL interest
ing, you know'). and who had such .
rooted antipathy for card-playing in
general that he never had cOmpunc-
ton sgainst skinning any one Of 'em
when it did 20 happen that he was in
duced to take hand.
The speaker stepped upon the ros-
trum, punctual to the moment, dressed
in an ordinary suit of the pepper and
salt mixture, with short, stubby hair and
Q very red nose.
In proceeding to his lecture he threw
down upon the table pack Of ordinary
playing cards, and deliberately rolled up
his sleeves and spit ON his hands, ct
which demonstration curiosity 20 far got
the better of indig nation that the muir
muring and scrapipg of feet subsided,
and the lecturer knew BY the general
cranirg Of necks and the 6rmness with
which each listener clenched in his
teeth his individual ''chaw" Of tobacco,
that he'd got 'em where he wanted 'em.
Tho proceedings were opened BY q
'prar" by the deacon, and to hear the
"amens"' and 20, Lords!" which CUR
gled from the stomachs of the listeners,
one would have supposed Q prayer meet
ing Was in progress, but this Is the way
they always did things in Pokerville.
Tho lecturer went right into the bow.
els of his subject. He traced the origin
of cards back to the father Of sin, and
said the first victim of the pastebOaId
was Esau, who gambled ON his patrimo.
ny at the game of euchre, and who Wal
90 dead-broke in consequence shat he
was glad to accept free lunch at the
hands of the victor. He was down on
cards Of all kinds, ss . general princi-
pie, and he had ascertained that the new
tangled postal cards we're only devised
a. an instrument of offensine warfare in
the hands of duns, he was down on
them, too.
But first, he wished to explain to his
audience the means by which 80 many
we're skinned of their little plies, and
was willing to bet that there wasn't q
man in the room he cOuldn't beat, NO
matter what the odds might be against
him.
There was = general croWdipg for.
ward toward the rostrum, and pretty
soon the table was hesped with the
money of the betters. Trick after trich
Was then explained. but somehow, al.
though everybody ''saw it," no money
was seen to the pockets Of those who
ventured il. On seeing their cash DIS
appearing at the end of each fresh ex.
pertinent. they would scratch their heads
a. If in some perplexity, and then &c
over to hold q conference with the dea-
con.
The hour of his departure having N
rived, the great refOrmer took up hi
hat, stuffed his ''lecture" into his pocke
and WAS about to leave, when the dea,
con rose to his feet and requested the in,
diligence of the lecturer, as he had few
words to offer.
although most of the folks here
present." be said, "appear to consider
they's got their moneys worth, aim,
quite satisfied myself, and though I'm
dead-set against gamblin', I wOuldn',
mind enterin' into tris. Of skill with
my friend here, and II I'm beat il may
be concluded that the knights of the
pasteboard are done in Pokerville."
The great reformer being ready to &C.
commodate, the two set down ut oppO-
site ends of the table, the crowd gather
ed around, and for some moments moth
ing was to be heard but the humping
of the deacon's fist and the scratching
sound of his fingers as he raked in the
each.
The great reformer began to look sick
ly, and when he got up again to leave il
was observed that his features did moi
wear that pleasant smile which had
overspread them at the earlier stage OF
the evening.
"Now, Deacon" said one Of the orig
inal sufferers, ''there's about twenty Of
US in for it, and l guess you may % vel
divide up"
"In that CASE" said the deacon, "the
force of the great moral lesson would be
utterly lost. The Lord giveth and the
Lord takerh away Let US pray"
Since then it is dangerous for green
horn to pass through POkerville.