The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-11-15
A wicked ola aentlo,nan.

Nice old gentloman he was; big
white waistcoat, low cut shoes, bald
head and silver-bowcd spectaclcs. lie
led In the singing on Sunday evening
in the hotel parlor, and sang that old
fashioned bass in "Coronation," and
"China" in that SonOrOnS upand down
style which country choristcrs used to
practice In accompanying the big fiddle
and withal had the bland benevolent
look of n good old up country deacon.
He was ''looking round the house"
next night, and stepped in where soHc
of the boys were playing cards--somc-
thing where they were talking Of
"calls' and "raiscS" and "sccing."
The boys looked a little Disconnected,
but the old man didn't say anything,
till the hand was played out, and one
OF the party, under pretcnce OF having
an engagement, wlnkcd to the others
and said he must go, intending 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: -
eel wonder he didn't raise We with
the hand he heidi
"Do you understand the game?"
asked one Of the party, taking Il cigar
from his mouth.
"Wall, lcetle-I've seen 'em playin
on 1t, and sometimes thort that rd like
to take hand jcs' fur fun"
''Just so," said another, "supposc
you try game or two with u.s.
"Wall, don't mind jcs fur the fun
or the thing" so the OLD man sat down
and with a good deal Of instruction
managed to get thror.,H tho game and
won OH the penny ante. "Thar," said
he, elf that fcller that's gone had been
spunky ana put in five dollars, he'd get
itinstead of eight cents, wouldn't he ?"
"Why certainly," said one of the
young men, "ccrtainly, It's your deal
uncle; now why dont' you go in for IL
five dollar antc?"
"Wail,' said tho old fellow throw
Ing round the cards, "I dunno but |
will, but | haint got nothin' but Il
twenty dollar bill that | drew outcn
the bank to come here with.n
"Wcll, uncle" said the other, gath
ering up and glancing at his cards,
"IIl 60 yer twenty, and You can put
it in the missionary box when you win
1t If you like"
"Sho so | kcn," said the old man
don't think 'twud be gambollin' at
all CT that's the case"
mot at all ;" said the other winking
to his companions.
"Wall, then, don't care cf go yer
this other nity---but | s'posc you'll
think Pm doin' on it to skcar yc--but
our denominations tarnal poor, and a
big contribution is just what their
hankerin' ortcr."
ION, no, | cover your fifty uncle, we
ought to be liberal you know" and SO
Tie game went on till finally the old
man remarked, "Wall, Pd no idcc /
had this crc roll Of bills in my pocket
SO you call do yc?-1ivc hundred dol
lars up!-yes you have got thrc. pic
ters-threc queens and Il jack! Well,
IT'S kinder queer got Cothcr uuccn--
haw haw ! haw!"
'1es, Pm sorry for you, but what
u
man triumphantly.
"Wcll, three Oh 'cm cz kings--why
darn 1t, all that ere pot o. moneys
mine, young fcl]ern said lie, stretch
ing out powerful paw and squeezing
the bills out of tho hand Of the young
man who had already begun to roll
them up. "Praps mister you like to
tako your hand again." said he to the
other who had returned meantime,
"thcy are going to sing some sam
tunes up stairs before going to bed and
promised to iinc 'cm."
There was blank look cr amaze
ment In that circle rs lie left, and tho
thought forced itself into more than
one mind of the danger OF trusting to
appearances.