The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1883-05-25
Opening A Jackpot.

IL guess So" replied Mrs. Spoopen-
dyke, hitching up her chair, and dust
ing the top of the table with a towel.
isn't that the game where you have
the right and left joker, and pass when
you take it up2"
IF yOu have any kind of luck you
dc" retorted Mr.. Spoopendyke. 81 learn
ed this game over at Mr.. SpecklewOt-
ties the other night. The way you play
it is to have one pair, or two pairs, or
four aces Four aces beat anything
When you get your four aces you want
to bet your last cent. Now I'll deal
five cards apiece"
al hope I'll get four aces" giggled
Mrs. Spoopendyke. IF do, l win,
don't ?"
"Yes, if you get EN-" grinned Mr..
Spoopendyko. "Now, what do you
do?"
Let me see what I'll do" murmured
Mrs. Spoopendyke, nibblng the corner
of one card, and regarding the rest with
puzzled visage. Suppose l have the
three of eights and the two of queens.
can't play, can I?'
"Iou might play in the menagerie,' =
snorted Mr.. Spoopendyke, running
over his hand, aud frowning glooming-
ly as he tailed to detect pair, or any
thing likely to make one. "If you've
got such hand as that, your proper
sphere would be playing before crown
ed heads. What do you do?' Areyou
coming in? Where's your ante, any
way? Don't you know it's your edge ?"
"Of course" proclaimed Mrs. Spoop-
endyke, boldly. Il know that. Now
lead my edge" and she laid down an
eight spot; though l presume your
edge will take it," And she rested her
chin on the table, and stared at the
card earnestly.
what you doing?" demanded Mr..
Spoopendyke. You don't play that
one! Where's your ante?"
do you mean her?" tluttered Mrs.
Spoopendyke, hastily catching up her
eight spot. and laying down the queen.
81 thought l wouldn't play her till l
had drawn your four aces. Then l
would win wouldn't I?'
Take up that card" retorted Mr..
Spoopendyke, sternly, take up that
card, and put one of your checkers in
the middle of the table. There; so.
That's the way to play. Now, how
many cards do you want?"
LET me think" futtered Mrs. Spoop-
dyke. "Let's see, | believe I'll take
ten."
"Better take a grossw snorted Mr..
Spoopendyke, eyeing her wrathfully.
perhaps you'd like half a barrel I!
Don't you know you can't draw but
five? If you've got any bad cards,
throw them away, and III give you
some more for 'em. Ifyour cards are
all good, you can stand pat. Do you
want to stand pat?"
"Guess So" sighed Mrs. Spoopendyke,
helplessly. IF | stand pat, do l play the
eight, or the queen%
"You don't play either" replied Mr.
SpoOpendyke, helping himself to five
cards, and drawing a couple Of kings.
"Now it's my bet. | bet two; what
do you bet"
"Then [ bet two; | bet queen and
an eight; and she laid them down with
confidence"
"That calls my hand, only you don't
bet your cards; you bet your checks
Put in two checks and show your
cards.
Mrs Spoopendyke showed her checks
into the table and laid down three
eights and pair of queens.
"Where'd you get emp" roared
Spoopendyke, recognizing his defeat
"What'd ye want to keep talking about
the three of eights and the two Of
queens? Why didn't you tell me you
had full hand?"
"You gave 'em to me, | only had those
FIVE. What does it do?"
at makes jack-potl r growled Spoop.
endyke, seeing chance for himself in
his wife's utter ignorance of the game
Now we've each got TO put in one
check, just because you played in that
way"
"Tm sorry, dear, and yet 1 might
have known it would have made a jack
pop. if had stopped to think"
"When you stop to think, you only
want a stick of chewing griRand rat
trap to be a female seminary. Do you
know what Jackpot isY Got some
kind of notion that it has three legs
and is used to cook mush in, haven't
you? Well, 1t isn't, and it isn't to sill
there to grin at eitherl 1t takes a pail
Of jacks, or something as good as them
to open 1T. Now, take these cards and
tell me whether you open it or not2"
Mrs. Spoopendyke examined her cards
crifically t Ns '