Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1881-01-19

Hello, Tommy" said l, ICON,
up and have drink why, / bavn'
seen you for long time. Bring
up your friend, perhaps he vii
take something"
The two glided mp to the bar a
naturally as if they had made
drinking cocktails the business o.
their lives. They both took old
Kentucky whisky-l5 cents 8
drink-but that is the way they dc
it in the great irrepressible west
, ! paid for the drinks and walked
away.
Ofcourse Tommy took the strang-
err around to the tables aud work
ed the old wires on him. The
stranger was fearfully green, and
| soon smiled to myself as | saw
him pull out a big roll of the "root
of all evil" and begin to bet. He
proceeded cautiously at first but
the boys let him win few pots,
and that seemed to encourage him.
He soon became reckless aud took
two or three drinks at the earnest
solicitation of persons who admir-
ed his luck. ] need not say that
these new admirers were remotely
connected with my palace of for
tune; but that has nothing TO do
with the way we soft-soaped that
innocent man from the country.
The stranger kept on winning.
| don't know how it was, but be
seemed to have a wonderful run of
luck. / knew the tide would soon
change; but it didn't. 1t became
worse. The stranger began to
double his bets and invariably won.
1t is strange what luck some fools
will have. / became interested, to
say the least of it, and walked
around to the tables. He was very
roughly dressed, and had an old
hat slouched over his eyes in a
sleepy sort of way, and why it was
that his luck run the way it did, l
could not imagine. The game went
On. l tipped the wink to the deal
Or, and be did everything to en-
courage the stranger. Of course
MS luck would change directly,
and then all our money would come
back, with the price of several
pales of cotton with it. The strang-
.r showed no signs of jumping
he game. He held on like a man.
When | noticed this | became easy.
knew the luck would soon change
t the fellow only continued to bet.
The fellow continued to bet. He
lad very little to say, but once il
IN interval in the dealing he re-
that he was no SLOUGH, and
be proved it. He bet with liber-
ility that astonished me, and won
With a luck that was equally as
surprising. He continued to rake
n pot after pot as naturally as if
le had come here for that purpose.
How much has be won?' /
whispered to one of my lieutenants.
About 100000"
1--WE must not let him get away"
"No; If be continues to bet, his
uck will change, and then we will
ave him"
There were bnt few persons in
he room, and l gave orders to
ave the doors locked. Every
'ody was deeply interested, and l
Don had my mind made up. l had |
number of bartenders, cappers,
callers and other hangers on, and
soon determined that if the
tranger broke the bank, lie must
efund. We had a number of fine
evolvers, and we were a rather
ough crowd and | was perfectly
atisfied that we could easily man.
&c the little crowd of farmers and
otton pickers in the room, be-
ldes l did not have any idea that
single one of them would assist
ne stranger il it came to a des-
crate point. gave the word to
y friends and they were soon
,ady for the worst. The stranger
ontinued to bet. Once he lost
1000 on a single bet. This gave
10 some hope, but be won $4,000
he next deal, and l felt my heart
nix again. / did not want to re-
'rt to desperate measures to re-
ieve my failing fortunes, but
as determined not to give up my
lard earned" rolls of currency to
is dilapidated old cotton grower.
Tn nv daeparatioy I ,,o;1od -,