The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-09-27
A Wicked Old Gentleman.


Nice old gentleman he was; big white
waistcoat, lOw-cut shoes, bald head, and
silver-bowed spectacles. He led in the
singing on Sunday evening in the hotel
parior, and sung the old-fashioned bass
in Coronation" and "China'' in that so
norous up-and-down style which country
choristers used to practice in accompany
ing the big fiddle, and withal had the
bland benevolent look of a good old up
country deacon.
He was Cooking round the house"
next night and stepped in where some
of the boys were playing cards-some-
thing where they were talking of calls"
and "raises" and seeing" The boys
looked a little disconnected, but the old
man didn't say anything till the hand
played out, and one of the party, under
pretense of having an engagement, wink
ed TO the others and said he must go, in
tending TO break up till the old man had
gone away and then resume the game.
But he had scarce turned his back when
the aged visitor remarked:
II wonder he didn't raise We with the
hand he held"
do you understand the game ~ asked
one of the party, taking cigar from his
mouth.
"Wall, lettle; I've seen 'em playin'
on it, an sometimes thOrt that I'd like
to take a hand jes' for fun"
Just So" said another; suppose you
try game or two with u.s."
''WaIl, don't mind jes' for the fun er
the thing" So the old man sat down,
and with a good deal of instruction
managed to get through with the game
and won on the penny ante. "Thar, -
said he, eff that Teller that's gone had
| in hn3
instead of those cents, wouldn't he? ''
"Why, certainly" said one of the
young men, certainly; it's your deal,
uncle, now, why don't you go in for a
So ante?''
"Wall," said the old fellow, throwing
round the cards, 81 dOno but will, but
l hain't got nothing but a $50 bill that
drew Outen the bank to come here with
"Well, uncle" said the other, gather
ing up and glancing at his cards, ''I'll
go you twenty, and you can put it in the
missionary box when you win it, if you
| like"
"ShO! so KEN said the old man; l
don't think 'twud be gambling at all Of
that's the case"
mot at ALL" said the other, winking
to his companions.
"Wall, then, / don't care eff l go yer
this ERE other fifty-but s'pose you'll
think I'm dom on it to skear ye-but
our denominations tarnal poor, and a
big contribution is jest what they're
hankerin' arter"
ooh, no, cover your fifty, uncle; we
ought to be liberal, you know" and so
the game went on till finally the old
man remarked, "Wall, I'd no idee had
this ere roll of bills in my pocket-so
you call, do ye?-$500 up!-yes, you
hev got three picters-three queens and
jack! Well tits kinder queer I got
tother queen-haw! haw hawj !"
'Yes, Pm sorry for you, but what are
your other cards?' said the young man,
triumphantly.
"Wall, three on 'em liz kings-why,
darn it, all that ere pot o. moneys mine,
young fellowr' said he stretching out a
powerful paw and squeezing the bills
out of the hand of the young man, who
had already begun to roll them up.
'Praps, mister, you'd like to take your
hand again." said he to the other who
had returned meantime; 'they are goin'
to sing some sam tunes up stairs before
goin' to bed, and promised to jine 'em.
There was a blank look of amazement
in tnat circle as he left, and the thought
forced itself into more than one mind of
the danger of trusting to appearances.