The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-10-30
Misrflla,,m.
MISTAKEN In MS HAND.
What Happened at a Game OF
Draw POker..A COBflden.
tial Clerk Ruined.
Chicago Times.)

The occurrence to which I refer hap
pened, during the latter part Of the war
of the rebellion, in New York, where I
was stopping at the time, the guest of
local politician of some note We had
left my friends house at about 10 P. NJ, !,
and taking car got of at one OF the
uptown streets-Twenty third, I think
|-and assembled the steps of fine marble
front dwelling on that street Upon
ringing the bell colored man came to
the door, and after exchanging certain
cabalistic signs and passwords with my
friend, ushered us up stairs into a spa
cious, elegantly furnished room
Four gentlemen were at the table play
ing the fascinating and illusive game of
poker Three of them nodded to my
friend who returned their salutations,
and explained to me sotto vsce, that they
were respectively Wall street broker, q
cotton broker and a junior partner in a
wholesale dry goods house. the fourth
party being a stranger to him The lat
ter was Young fellow of about %, we'll
dressed, handsome and evidently COM
para.ive novice at the game
The stakes were high, portentious
stacks of chips and bank notes were
piled before each player, and the set ia
ces of the gamblers betokened that an
unusually stiff game was in progress.
Presently, as q hand was dealt, and
before the players had seen the hands,
the young stranger said with smile and
a wave of the hand, Excuse me gentle
men, but allow me to ask il we are play
ing with the sequence flush; it is GUS
tomary, is it not, to settle that matter,
and We have not done SO"
"Why," said the cotton broker" you
have not got one there, have you, Har
ry?"
THAT remains to be seen." said the
boy.
II was agreed that the sequence flush
should be counted in, and the players
took up their hands. / saw startled
expression fash across Harry's face as
he looked intently at his cards. He did
not draw. and when bis opportunity came
raised the Wall street oper ator 500 =
The dry goods man dropped out the
cotton broker raised Harry 5000; the
Wall street party, large boned, yellow
skinned individual, with no more ex.
preston in his sickly countenance than
there is in a brick wall, came in again
and raised, and the thing began to get
interesting The betting grew heavy =
Finally the cotton, broker weakened and
laid down. but Wall street. who I fancy
thought Harry was bluffine, took the
chances. There was over $4,000 on
the table when Harry pushed hack his
chair and reaching down drew from un.
der his feet small black bag, from
which he took package OF crisp green
backs.
Carefully he counted out S., 600. most
ly in bills of large denomination, and
pushed them forward. The Wall street
sphinx saw Harry and raised him an
equal amount.
The boy pale as ghost, his lips and
fingers twitching with nervous excite
ment, threw down the remainder of a
package Of money and said, prefacing
the words with wild oath:
give more call you. What have
you got2"
aFour kings" said Wall street with
out a tremor, as he laid down his hand.
"a sequence flush, gentlemen, by all
the Godsr' said the excited boy as be
threw his cards on the table and reached
for the spoiIs, A slight, almost imper-
ceptible, flush came upon the cheeks oi
impassive Wall street; then one eye
twitched little: then suddenly he lean.
ed forward, examined Harry's hand, and
said quickly:
"Not so fast, not so fast, my young
friend look at your cards."
One look was enough. Never in my
| life have / heard more horrible groan
than came from young Harry's lips. and
then the, words, "Oh, God what viii
mother say?" seemed to burst out OF bis
mouth, and then he fell upon the fool
in o fit., ml,...
The poor youth had been netting upor
a sequence flush, for, by some temporary
hailucination. he had mistaken the sever
of diamonds for an eight, and, although
he had examined his cards time and
again, as | had observed, had not beer
undeceived as to bis error The Wal
street man, as he gathered in the money
glanced at the writhing form upon lh'
floor, and said, as he porched the spoils
with gamblers pity, "Poor devilF' ant
then took his hat and walked out, whit
we were endeavoring to revive the poo
lboy.
| have since heard that Harry was tn,
trusted, confidential clerk Of large New
York contracting firm, and had intended
starting for Washington on late trail
that unlurky evening, to transact som
important business.
| have always had a prejudice agains
. sequence fiushes since that evening j