The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-12-20
COUNT THE SPOTS.

Exciting Scene at a Pokcr.Table-
Temporary Hallucination that
Cost a Poor Wretch 100000.
The occurrence to which l a.lude
happened during the latter part OF the
war of the rebellion. in New York
where was stopping at the time, the
guest of local politician of some
note. My host asked me one evening
if 1 would like to take in some of the
sights of the metropolis : and, though
not a country minister, still / had
some of the itchiDgs to ssee the ele-
phant,' where 1t could be done with
away from home, and there
fore signified my willingness. We
left my friends house about 10 p. M,
and taking car got off at ono of the
uptown cross streets-Tweuty-th
1 think-and ascended the steps of q
fine marble front dwelling on that
street. Upon ringing the bell coll
ored man came to the door, and, after
certain caballistic signs
and passwords with my friend. ush-
esed ne up stairs into spacious. ele-
ganuy furnished room.
Four gentlemen were at the table
the fascinating and Elusive
game of poker. Three of them nod
ded to my friend, who returned their
and explained to me sotto
voce. that they were respectively q
Wall street operator, q cotton-broker
and q Junior partner in wholesale
dry goods house, the fourth party be-
ing stranger to him. This latter was
q young fellow of about twenty-five,
we'll dressed, handsome and evidently
q comparative novice at the game.
The stakes were high; portentous
stocks of chips and bank notes we're
piled before each player, and the set
faces of the gamblers betokened that
an unusually stiff game was in pro-
gress.
Presently as q hand was dealt, and
before the players had seen their hands
the young stranger said, with smile
and wave of his hand, Excuse me,
but allow me to ask if we
are playing with the sequence aush
1t is customary, is it not, to settle that
matter, and we have not done so.'
6 Why,' said the cotton broker, you
have not got one there, have you,
Harry2' That remains to be seen,
said the boy. 1t was agreed that the
sequence flush should be counted in,
and the players took up their hands,
l saw a startled expression flash across
Harry's face as he looked lntently a,
his cards he did not draw, and when
his opportunity cameTaised the Wall
street operator 800. The dry goods
man dropped out; the cotton-broker
raised Harry $500; the Wall street
party, large-boncd, yellow-skinned
individual, with no. more expression
in his sickly couutenance than there is
in brick wall. came in again and
raised, and the thing began TO get in
teresting. The betting became terrific
Finally the cottOn.broker weakened
and laid down, but Wall street, who l
fancy, thought Harry was blufiing,
took, as the phrase goes, everything
that came along. There were over
$4,000 OH the table when Harry push
ed back his chair and reached down,
drew from under his feet small black
bag. from which he took a package of
crisp greenbacks.
Carefully he counted $1,000 in the
green beauties, which were mostly
bills of large denominations and
pushed them forward. The Wall
street sphinx saw Harry and raised
him an equal amount. 'l
The boy, pale as a ghost, his lips and
fingers -witching with nervou. excite
ment, threw down the remainder of {
package of money, and said, prefacine G
the words with q wild oath
Five more, call you. What hav'
you gotf
-Four kings said Wall street, with
out tremor, as he laid down his hand
"A sequence f1ush, gentlemen, by al