Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-07-29
THE LAST DEAL.
The Confession of a Reformed Gam.
bler---A Sight That Made Him
Swear OF Forever.

| Swear OF Forever.
[Leadville Chronicle
"1 never dealt again!"
These words fell from the lips
of gentleman well known in
Leadyille, yet few recognize in
the elegant, easy-going man
who commands the respect Of
his tellow-citizens,the once cool
headed, imperturbable gambler,
who, in his day, figured promi-
nently along the Pacific Coast,
and was almost universally rec
ognized as the shrewdest faro
dealer iii the West.
Gas for the game's morality,
that's neither here nor there.
When dealt upon the square it
is much like any other game.
1t is not to be thought that the
law will hinder men a biz if they
want to play, and often they are
forever cured Of playing when
they find it doesn't pay. | dealt
the game for twenty years, but
I've quit now. | made nothing,
nor lost any thing, and, but for
sight | once saw, l should
probably be a gambler still.
Hereby hangs u tale. Let me
tell it:
"Some three years ago ! run
a hightoned game at u certain
place you probably know, for it
strikes me l saw you there. 1t
was a square game, as | will
leave any one to say-a thliv-
ing game, for / dealt for half
the bloods in town, and often |
had as many IS five lay -outs at
a time, with too much business
on hand to even get time to rest.
One evening q young chap
strolled in, with sort of curl
Gus stare on his face, and l con-
cluded right there that he was
green. He was fair-haired, and
had pair OF blue eyes and cleur-
cut features-an innocent-look-
ing young fellow if ever / saw
one. 1t only required a glance
to convince you that he was a
stranger in the gambling room.
He soon was at home, though,
for | saw in his blue eyes the
love of play, and after that eve
ming he was n constant visitor.
lie played his pile right up and
never growled If his luck was
hard, and on every card he'd
stack the limits up in blue.
Take it altogether, his luck was
hard-sometilnes the hardest, l
think, / ever saw. I'ye known
him to lose at single deal sew
en- double shots.
"Business for me, of course,
but somehow it almost seemed
too bad. i couldn't say Il word,
though, and yet | liked the boy.
He had lots of the filthy. l
think from the day he began he
mnst have dropped a cool $780,
600 on the game, and he never
growled.
"We both quit gambling the
same night-he, poor lad, for
sufficient reasons, and /, because
/ loathed the game. 1t was III
this wise: wH
"IIis coin gave out in deal
or two, and he put up diamond
ring Just to see his i'll luck out,
you know. The chips soon
went. he had a pin, a flaming
stone in massive metal. He
passed that in without a word
and drew $500 cold. SO help
me God! | wished him luck as
heartily as any player there;
but no, his last stack went my
way on a losing ace. He drew
$500 more, / think on his watch
and chain, and tried his line of
bets again, but his luck was
gone. Ny God! III never for
get the pale, haggard look that
crossed his face, but he was
game. He never uttered a word,
and kept his chair like a pillar
of stone. For a moment heI
seemed dazed at his reyerses,
but suddenly his eye caught the
thin, worn circlet of dull gold
on his little finger. lie looked
at it Il little While, and O dark
wave OF hot, crimson blood
passed over his face, for this Cir
clet seemed to cling even faster
than the flashing gem he had
passed in before. lie at last
stripped it off his finger and
handed it to me. 1t came re-
luctantly, this worn, old ring.
What can | have on this? he
asked. i don't know what its
value is, but I'll redeem it first
of ALL 1t might have cost 80
new, but it was worthless then.
Still | passed out q fifty stack
in return, just to let him try a.
gain. lie pIanked it down in
the pot, and then low upon the
table he laid his face upon his
r