Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-11-26
The Last Deal.
80 I never dealt apaiu!"

81 never dealt again."
The words fell from the lips Of a gen.
tleman we'll known in Leadville; yet
few recognize in the elegant. easy.
going man who now commands the
deep respect of his fellow citizens, the
once ceol-headed, imperturbablo gam.
bier. who in his day figured promi-
nently along the Pacific coast, and who
was almost universally recognized as
the shrewdest faro dealer in the west.
"As for the games morality, that's
neither here nor there. When dealt
upon the square it is much like any
other game. It is not to be thought
that the law will hinder men q bit if
they want to play, and often they are
forever cured of playing when they
find it doesn't pay. I've dealt the
game for twenty years, but I've quit il
now. I made nothing nor lost any
thing, and but for sight once saw
should probably 10 gambler still
Hereby hangs tale. Let me tell it:
Some three years ago ran high.
toned :game at certain place you
probably know, for it strikes me saw
you there. 1t was a square game, as ]
will leave any oCe to say-a thriving
game-for dealt for half the bloods in
town, and often had as many as five
lay outs at time, with too much bust
ness on hand to even get time to rest
One evening young chap strolled in,
with curious stare on his face, and
concluded right there that he was
green. He was fair headed, and had q
pair of blue eyes and clean-cut features
an innocent looking fellow, if ever
saw one. 1t only required glance to
convince you that he was stranger in
the gambling room. He soon was al
home, though, for / saw in his blu,
eyes the love of play, and after that
evening he was constant visitor. He
played khis pile right up and never
growled if his luck was hard, and on
every second card he'd stack the limits
up in blue. Take it altogether his luck
was hard-sometimes the hardest l
think ever saw. I've known him to
lose at single deal seven double
shots.
business for me, of course, but
somehow it almost seemed too bad. l
couldn't say word, though. and yet
liked the boy. He had lots of the
filthy. thinki from the day he began
he must have dropped cool 100000
on the game, and he never growled.
We both quit gambling the same
night-he, poor lad, for sufficient rea
sons, and l because loathed the game
1t was in this wise:
His coin gave out in deal or two
on1 ba mt M diamond r;no k<
see his ill luck out, you know. The
chips soon went. He had pin, {
flaming stone in massive metal. HI
passed that in without a word, anG
drew $50 in gold. 1 wished him lucl
as heartily as auy!player there; but nov
his last stake went my way on losin G
uce. He drew $500 more, l think, or
his watch and chain, and tried his lin,
bets again, but his luck was gone. II
never forget the pale, haggard look tina
crossed his face, but he was game. HI
never uttered word, and kept hi;
chair like pillar of stone. For mo
ment he seemed dazed at his reverse
but suddenly his eye caught the THU
worn circlet of dull gold on his little
finger. He locked at it a little while
and dark wave of hot crimson blood
passed over his face, for the circle
seemed to cling even faster than the
flashing gem he had passed in be
fore. He at last slipped it off his tinge
und handed it to me. It came re
luctantly, this worn old ring. 'Wha
can have on this? he asked. .
don't know what its value is, but IL
redeem it first of ALL 1t might hav,
cost 50 new, but it was WORTHLESS.
then.
"Still l passed out fifty stack il
return, Just to let him try again. FL,
planked it down in the pot, and thel
low upon the table he laid his face up
on his folded arms. Well, for a wonde
his luck changed, aud he won thre
times. He took no notice of me as
told him when the limit barred, and s,
We played two-fifty on each card
Would you believe it In the deal tn
pot won and never lost! And still b.
lay with his face hid in his arms. Tn
deal was out and l shook him mp, bu
not muscle moved, and raising hi
face, started back in horror at tn
CLASSY expression of his eyes, for tn
boy was dead.
" I've often wondered to myself sine
that night what thoughts went fittin
through his brain as he bowed his hea,
and hid his face from our sight; wha
pledges of better life, regrets for
fortune he had thrown away with lavisl
hand, and loathing for his irrevocabl,
course. Who can tell? We can bu
guess at them, but may never feel. Hi
face showed years of hell endured il
that brief game, but it was not until tn
coroner's jury sat that 1 learned all
Before them was developed the fac
that the ring which had changed hi
luck as it did his existence was givel
him by his dear, dead neither years be
fore. Poor boy! I never dealt again.
-Leadrile (Col.) Chronicle.