The semi-weekly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1879-1882, 1881-12-26

at the top.
A FRIENDLY GAME.-"Say, Mis-.
teri" said tall, sunburned man with
a wide brimmed hat, as be edged his
way into the managing editors room
yesterday afternoon. "Say, mister,
do you know anything about keards?'
"Why, yes" responded the editor.
81 know how to play everlasting and
'old maid, and things Of that kind;
why?r
That's just what / want to ask
shout Now in playing 'old maid
suppose the man who holds the ace
antes, and passes on the draw, whose
bet lie it2
"That isn't the way | play it."
said the editor. I'm my game the
player who has queen after the 9TH
er cards are played is the 'old
msid.'"
"Perhaps it's everlasting that I'm
thinking Of" unused the stranger
Suppose in everlasting you should
catch 40 old maid on the draw aud
when the rest Of the keards are
played you found you hadn't filed.
What then?"
II don't see how that question
could arise in the game" said the ed
itor. "Maybe you are talking Of the
game called poker"
aPokerl what's thail" asked the
stranger, looking up in innocent sur
prise.
"That's where they have aces and
fulls and that sort Of thing"
do you know how to play il,
straneer2" asked the tail man draw
ing out pack Of cards. evil you
show me how7"
The editor ran over the cards and
dealt TWO hands rapidly.
"Now," he explained, 1.-TWO pair
beat one pair, three Of q kind beat
two pairs, flush beats threes, and
four Of a kind beat q flush. What
have you gotf"
The stranger laid down = mixed
hand aud the editor explained that IT
was worthless, as his own hand he'd
q pair.
"Lemme deal EN- once" said the
strang-r, ruo0ing them off clumslly.
"Five eachl'
YES" said the editor, seeing that
he had gotten hold Of a sharper, and
making ap Tia mid to teach him .
slessoo. AFivs esch."
"Now what do we dor" asked the
sharper.
"If We were betting, I'd have to
ante dollar add you'd cover it with
two. Then if ! wanted to come 10
I'd plank another dollar, and thea
"Hold on! hold onl don't 20 no
fast. You pat up two dollars at DIFF
fsrent times, and / put up Two all
once IL that IL I"
"Yes aud then we draw."
"Let's try it oues for fup, if you
don't mind" said the sharper with
unnatural eagerness.
"AlI right" sm,led the editor, and
he threw two dollars on the table,
which we're promptly covered.
"Now you say we draw. How
many do I take 7"
"You may take what you like, |
d"n't want any," replied the editor,
Il stand pat"
"Thsn I'll take one kesrd. Do we
bet now 7"
"Yer."
The st ranger bet cautiously, and
the editor raised and was seen until
there were fifteen dollars wager. d,
though there was NO money up, be-
yond the aote.
Il reckon / won't bet any MORE =
said the stranger timidly; "who
beats 7" and he laid dswn four aces.
Il beat you," said the editor, and
he laid down straight fash. "You
owe me fifteen dollars"
The stranger looked at the cards
some time, aud then dashed his fist
upon the table
"You played fair, did yer"
II did" replied the edi or.
Slowly the stranger drew out a
greasy wallet and laid down TWEEN y
dollar bill
The editor gave him the change,
and the man We { out, still running
over the cards and wondering how it
all happened.
81 thought he was q sharp, aud he
was only fat" said the editor, ex-
planning the circumstances later to the