Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-23

FIH6M AND A SIRAl0ME
Deacon slidsra.eks EsEsieaee WITH xA'skey
From she Boseun ssar.
Deacon Sll derback has q pious aversion to
cards, which he looks upon a. free passes to
whatever place may be submitted for the old
fashioned birthstone factory, but he likes to
play authors" and INDUCES in that mild dissi-
patton In the bosom of his family when he can't
find good excuse for remaining down town.
Important matters connected with the church
often compel him to stay out late In consulta-
ton with the other deacons, and upon these oe-
casions the spiritual condition of the benighted
heather is discussed In the back room of Dea-
con MagTuder's grocery. James Bowers. q
worldly young man; bat very entertaining and
lively companion, takes part in these discussions
once in while. Mr. Bowers is discreet young
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; so he purchased 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 Sliderbaek and Deacon Ma
gruder held an argument about the amount of
saving grace an Esquimaux could absorb; which
was interrupted by James Bowers making some
hippant remark about bears grease. and sug-
costing game of authors. The two deacons
readily assented. and, after playing a 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
game interesting.
James dealt the hands, and explained that the
nve cards turned down on the table constituted
the widow" hand and that. the man holding
the age had the privilege of exchanging his hand
for the widow" or knocking and passing the
privilege to the next. Deacon Sliderback held
the age, and being known in the community as
the friend of the widows and fatherless he sus-
tanned his reputation by picking up the widow"
Deacon Magrader drew "Evangelne" to fill
and laid down the Marble Faun," which was
snapped up 10y Bowers to pair with 1.-THE House
OF Seven Cables" They drew around twice
when Deacon Sliderback knocked. and they all
stood their hands and showed down. Deacon,
Magruder held LongfellOw full on Dickens
Deacon Sliderback exhibited two pairs Cooper
up, and James had three Hawthornes giving
beacon Sliderback point for the lowest hand.
me game went along all right until each of the
deacons had four points and James only two, it
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
for the bottom card. taking sly glance at it as
lie did so. The deacon tossed around the cards
and Deacon Magruder stood Pat and knocked
while James picked up the widow and threw
down his hand, one of the cards being ''Seyen
Lamps OF Architecture" which Deacon Slider
back agerly picked up.
What have you got?" said Deacon Magru-
der to Mr.. Bowers.
- Two small pairs. '.Thackeray" and George
Elliott, replied James showing down PEN
dennis VANITY Fair" Daniel Deronda," and
1--WE got Hugo straight, :" remarked Deacon
Maeruder laying down Les Miserables, IL
Hommo Quit Rit," ''Ninety-three," '.Tolers of
the Sea, and Napoleon the Little" land l
guess that's the boss hand out''
Hold on, Clipped in Deacon Sliderback. 81
can beat that. You say it's a straight, don't
got?' '' 'O ''A
well, I've got Ruskin fiush," remarked
Deacon Sliderback. exuifiHgiy, showing down
Modern Painters" .'Deucalion," Grown of
Wild Olives '.Seyen Lamps of Architecture"
and "Stones Of Venice"
mo you DON'T said Deacon Maeruler:
that no better hand than my Hugo straight ~
Hugo to thunder" responded Sliderback
getting excited; II claim fiush and that beats
Don't call Inc fool, Deacon Sliderback
Eve played poker as much you have, and
say your hand is only straight
SIS say it's flush"
"An right, then; mines flush, and it beats
yours, because it is a pat, and you filed"
- wasn't going 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 i'm his own store, it was time he
q flor, 81.
time. though. if you give in beaten
Do you mean to accuse me of cheating Dea-
con Sliderback?" said Magruder in a tone of
suppressed emotion.
That's about the size of it, am panied to
say, sir, and it grieves me that professor of
religion Should
Oh, you dry up, you old fraud.' yelled Ma
gruder. "Didn't see you deal the ''StOnes of
Venice" to yourself Off the bottom of the pack
you're liar!"
"You're another you dumbfounded old null
ligalOOt"
Then they clinched and fought all over the
store, tipped over a gallon of mOlasses. 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
derback was doubled up in a buslfel basket
with his arms hanging outside. and his legs
pointing up toward the salt Goldfish hanging
from the rafters and both were glazing sayagely
and putting hard for wind, while James Bowers
esq, was lying on the counter choking with
laughter. after having gathered up the ''au-
thOrs" cards and scattered a genuine poker
deck over the floor.
Talking Birds.
From the Leisure Hour.
Parrots, starlings and jackdaws are not the
only birds that ''taik." Birds not possessed of
native power of melody are usually gifted with