The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-09-09
A New Element IN Poker.
Brooklyn Eagle.

We've been havin' a mint o. trouble in
our church," sighed New Lots farmer, as
he laid twelve-pound onion on the manag-
ing editors desk. (" It's the most serious
difficulty we've had, and we've got TO get a
new pastor. Do you know Of a pastor out OF
a jobp" -uga ga asHaIs 58E os bst.si
"What was the trouble about ?p asked the
editor. @ 4
"Why, you see, there was Deacon Skutch
got to backslidin' and playin' keerds. His
son bad just come home from the West, and
got him to playin', and we couldn't break
him of. Everythin' else about him was all
right but that, and we didnt know how to
work him away from his idol. We wrastled
with him, but IL was no use. He said he
knew 1t was all wrong, but he couldn't swear
off now. Finally, we Deaeons proposed to
the pastor to play Deacon Skutch game Of
poker whether he should quit or not, and the
pastor said he was willin' to do what he
could for the errn' soul so they got up a
game. We Deacons was there to see that 1t
was proper, and they startedin.' 1..a 'E7a
!" Didn't the minister stake anything the
gamer" gr M t5a Te.al n z
"Hold on till / tell you. That's what
Deacon Skutch wanted to know. He saidhe
was puttin' in everythin' and he wanted
somethin' TO play for. And the parstor said all
right, he'd put up religion against the Dea-
cons ungodiness, so that If the Deacon won
he'd be in anyway. The Deacon dealt and
called on the parstor to ante. The parstor
looked at his hand and anted up the doctrine
OF Original Sin. This was before the draw.
The Deacon made IL good with premise
never to play for money, and the parson took
two keerds. He had three mines and got q
pair of fours. The Deacon drew three
keerds, and, bein' his bet, be chipped in an
agreement never to play on Sunday. The
parson seen him that with Total Depravity,
aud raised him to the extent of Justification
by Faith" aAe
"Let me understand this" said the editor.
" Suppose the parson lost ?" a3f% s't'h
Then he wasn't to preach any one o.
them things any more. They belonged to
the Deacon. Well, the Deacon pondered a
bit, and then he sees the iaise with promise
not to even play for drinks, and he raises
again with pledge to leave the keerds home
when he went to prayer meetiif. We seen
he was gettin' scarf, and the parson went for
him with Baptism, and hoisted HIM with the
doctrine of Atonement. It began to look as
though the parstor would fling him without
a showdown, cause we thought he was
raisin' him out. But the Deacon came back
with an agreement to play nothin' but old
maid, and elevated the pot with contract to
not even play that more'n once a week.
Then the parson lifted IN. lie seen him with
the Torments Of the Damned, and raised ;,im
to the limit with the whole Orthodox Creed.
That made the Deacon scratch his head, but
he could just see him and call him with q
solemn VOW never to touch another keerd
and they dropped their hands,"
How did they come out ?" asked the ex-
/ cited editor. .s. 1s...,y
"The parson winned-DeaconS Skutch only
had two pair"
.Then I don't see where the troable Isl
said the disappointed editor.
aThat parstor was so worked up on the
keerds he can't preach anything else. Last
Sunday he alluded to the four gospels as .
bobtail flush, and the week before he main
tanned that the five loaves aud the two small
fishes was misdeai. Hes just wild on the
game, and says that the raisin' Of Lazarus
49, 49, 49, h,,st,.a.. 4. all ~g~bt ~
course, our, congregation cant stand thai,
aud we've got 70 have ! new Parstcr. u
won't do for 4 minister 70 claim In our pull
| pit that she hears eat up their children be-
cause they sl,ing the prophet over the limit.
| 70. III &sor plpseh fhn JtIlas fsfssst had
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/ f6is isi{S Il. II illl IN y 4 ~ z61la Il bacon
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