Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-24

Deacon S.iderbaeks Experience with vh;skey
Poker.

Deacon Sl de9bac,l has a Nous aversion to
cards, which he JOCKS upon as free passes to
whatever place may he submitted for the old
fashioned birthstone factory bat he likes 10
play authors" and INDUCES in that mild disSi-
patton i'm the bosom Of his family when he can't
find 8 good excuse for remaining down town
Important matters connected with the church
often compel him to stay out late in cansulta-
ton with the other aeacons. and upon these oc-
casions the spiritua! condition of the baniga.a1
heather is discussed in the back room of Dea-
con Magruder's grocery. james Bowers. a
worldly young man: but a very entertaining and
lively companion, takes part In these discussions
once In u while. Mr.. Bowers is q discreet younr
man.
James read in the paper that an Elmira man
had devised a game of whskey poker to be
played with the truly good and harmless 'au-
thOrs" cards; 50 he purchase pack and took
them along to the next conference on the prop
agation ofthe faith among the Esquimaux. held
in Deacon Magruders back room, on Saturday
evening Deacon Sliderback and Deacon Ma
gruder held al argument about the amount of
saving grace an Esquimaux could absorb: which
was interrupted 10y James Bowers max :ng some
fhppant remark about bears grease. and sug-
costing game of authors. The two deacons
readily asscnted. and, after playing while
James voted the game dull and unfolded some
ideas about making it more interesting. He
knew the two deaconS were wholly ignorant of
the national game OF draw and he explained to
them the relative value OF pairs. two pairs. and
so on. The deacOns seemed to catch on very
readily. and agreed TO play for cider to make tie
game interesting.
James dealt the hands and explained that the
i've cards turned down on the table constituted
the widow" hand and that the man holding
the age had theprivilege OF exchanging his hand
for the widow" or knocking and passing the
privilege to the next. Deacon Slderback held
the age, and being known IN the community as
| the friend Of the widows and fatherless he sls-
tanned his reputation by picking up the widow"
Deacon Magruder drew .'Eyanseline' to fill
from the hand that Deacon Slderback discarded
and laid down the marble Faun," which was
snapped up by Bowers to pair with ''The House
| of Seven Gables" They drew around twice.
when Deacon Sliderback knocked, and they all
stood their hands and showed down Deacon
Magruder held a Longlellow full on Dickens
Deacon Sliderback exhibited two pairs. Cooper
up, and James had three Hawthornes. giving
Deacon Sliderback point for the lowest hand
The game went along all right until each of the
deacons had four points and James only two it
being agreed that the man getting five points
first would be stuck for the drinks. 1t was
Deacon Sliderback's deal, and he passed the
pack to James, who cut the .'Stones of Venice"
Tor the bottom card taking sly glance at il as
he did so. The deacon tossed around the cards
and Deacon Ma9ruder stood pat and knocked
while James picked up the widow" and threw
down his hand. one of the cards being ''Seven
Lamps OF Architecture, which Deacon Slider
back agerly picked up.
What have you got?" said Deacon Magru-
der to Mr.. Bowers.
81 Two small pairs. ''Thackeray" and :'George
Elliott. replied James, showing down Pen
dennis" Vanity Fair, '.Daniel Deronda," and
''RomOIa'
I've got Hugo straight, remarked Deacon
Magruder. laying down LES Aiserahles.' Il
Hommo Quit Rit." ''Ninety-three' .eToilers of
the Sea-" and Napoleon the Little" land
guess that sthe boss hand outs
" Hold on, Clipped in Deacon Sliderback. Il
can beat that. You say it's a straight, don't
YOU"
Yes, that's what call it. What have you
got?'
well. I've got a Ruskin flush" remarked
Deacon SlIderback. eXutingly. showing down
Modern Painters" ''Deucalicn.' Grown OF
Wild Olives, ''SeTen Lamps of Architecture"
and Stones of Venice
No you don't" said Deacon Marruier:
''thats no better hand than nv Hugo straight. 80
Hugo to thunder responded Sliderback.
getting excited: Il claim flush and that beats
ally straight in the deck. Any fool knows that
Don't call me fool. Deacon Sliderback.
Eve played poker as much as you have, and
- | say it's tius!l.''
" All right, then; mines flush, and it beats
yours, because it is a pat. and you filed
" wasn't gong to say anything. Deacon Ma
gruder, about that card You dropped under the
table; but when member of the church stOOps
to such thing to get out of setting up his three
glasses of cider in his own store, it was time he
was shown up. won't mention it outside this
time. though if you give in beaten"
DO you mean to accuse me of cheating, Dea-
con Slderback?" said Magruder, in tone of
suppressed emotion.
- That's about the size of it. / am pained TO
say, SIT, and it grieves me that professor of
religion Should
"Oh, you dry up. you old fraud" yelled Ma
grnder, didn't see you deal the ''Stones of
Venice" to yourself Off the bottom of the pack,
and never say anything about it"
You're liar!''
You're another, you dumbfounded old null
EgaOot."
Then they clinched and fought all over the
store, tipped over a galion..Of mOasseS, and
wallOWed around in the contents of an upset
flour barrel, and when the neighbors came in.
Deacon Magruder was sitting on the floor with
his back against potato sack. Deacon Sill
derbach was doubled up in bushel basket.
with his arms hanging outside and his legs
pointing up toward the salt Goldfish hanging
from the rafters and both were giafing sayagely
and putting hard for wind. while James Bowers.
esq. was lying on the counter choking with
thors" cards and scattered a genuine poker
deck over the floor.
Talking Birds.
From the Leisure -Four.
Parrots, starlings and jackdaws are not the
only birds that talk" Birds not possessed of
Of lnHx-