The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-02-10


blubbering over it? Next time he hauls
out of his shirt diamond pin, and deck
ers that for pile of chips; it was fair
ish stone, and even If we had lost the
chips we wouldn't have been much the
worst for it, he would keep on coppering
the queen. We knowed his game and
we worked the lady on him, and that pin
was ours. l wasn't going to let that pin
go the rounds, so [ stuck it in my scarf
between the deals, and, as l sot in there
q was wearing blue scarf that night I
sort a smiled on him a-bulging out my
chest. SO that he could see it, and that
riled him. Now you are done for, thinks
[, and tomorrow [ viii give orders that
you amt lst n no more.
see, though, gold ring on his finger;
it wasn't much in the way of jewelry, a
thin, used-up, battered kind of thing it
was, Is carats may be, worth dollars. [
kind of fancied that ring; if the business
was to be done it had to be done clean.-
l knowed he was shorn, and shorn man
hasn't no use for rings. He was afool-
ing with it, pulling it off and putting
II on; presently it came off his finger and
rolled on the baize. He was kind of
shamed to offer it.
"Give you dollars of chips for it. y
saysI2 "your girl will give you another. :"
Its my poor old mothers wedding
ring" says he, "and dare not"
Bring you luck, says l.; "put up the
old woman's finery-if it's gold"
lie kind of hesitated, but Jim the serv-
ant gave him rousing drink, and he
chucked over the ring; mebbe it was the
liquor that gave him the hiccups, or it
might have been sob, anyway he took
the chips. / had the ring and felt it; it
was SO worn that I knew we had given
more chips than it was worth, but as l
have been telling you, [ always had
heart bigger nor an OK. L held the box
and three cards did his business; he
hadn't sense enough to divide his little
pile. No spoony chaps ought to try to
match themselves with sports. l got
that there ring. and as nice piece of dry
goods as ever slept wears that there ring
to-day, il she hasn't pawned it. He
never said word, but kind of tottered
off - uog tho Jriplr c,,,poco o,J
went into the back room, and we kept on
with the game. We was having a STAY
ing rur of luck that night, and things
were working sweet, when all of sud-
den we heard pistol go off in the back
room. I didn't jump. We amt ner-
vous, and a little popping amt of much
consequence; it wasn't the first time,
neither, I had heard pistol go off that
there back room.
I felt kind Of sure it was all up with
Greeny, but his watch was in the drawer,
his pin in my scarf, and his ring on my
finger. There was lot of big betting on
the last six cards, just then fours, and
fives, and mines, and the chances was agin
us, and the players was just wild. [
dealt 'em, and we swept in the whole
keboodle. l am cool if am anything;
then some of the ropers came a rushing
in from that there back room, and one
Of 'em says. "Where the-did he get
the pistol from?"
"Rummaging in the old drawer" says
my pard, a winking to me, ''and it went
off without his knowing it. Amt hurt
to speak of.
"Gents," says !, "don't let a little
trife of this here kind disturb this So
cial gathering. Jim, liquor all around.
Now shut them doors; lock 'em and fetch
me the keys, for not soul of you gets
out afore morning, and by that time it
will be all right"
The party was game, though they held
back for while, not knowing what was
exactly up.
"He's done for, suppose" l said to
my partner in a whisper.
ga stiff" says he.
Carpet spoilt2" I asked.
''Just the worst kind"
"Matter of IS dollars; it's my fault
charge it to me. He ought to have been
fired out at once; but always was so
burned sentimental"
cts your only failing" says my pard.
"Now,'' says I to the company. ga
new deal, gents, on this here festive oc-
oasion. Supper at -. Make your bets. :"
What night we had of it, That there
little incident in the next room had put
quite an edge on the thing-the liquor
those fellows drank would have foated
them.
Drank myself? Not much. Never
tastes q drop when I handle the kurds.-
1t was one of the best nights for business.
L ever knew-better than 10000 for us.
We skinned that crowd.
1t was brought in san accident
Mebhe 1t was-mebbe it wasn't. He
didn't pay his funeral expenses. If there
had been man that sold flowers in the
place the bank would have sent him some
camelias and things. for I always was
sentimental and soft; but then / had to
pay for new carpet. l have had streaks
of good and bad luck eyer since, but do
wish could strike just another such a
nice young fellow like Greeny, Ishouldn' t
care if one turned up like him once a
month. would treat 'em all just as
handsome.
But, say, don't forget to come round
and see me, for do want you to write up
something gushing about gamblers, lot
terry people, and how faro dealer got
plous all at once, gave up the pasteboards,
and took to teaching Sunday school:
pitch In remorse and rope in sentiment.