Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-05-01

nessP
mo; the game isn't popular here"
The speakers were Gerard G-of Mo
bile and the writer; the time, last August,
and the place the office saloon at the
Hot Springs, where, in addition to the
other attractions, monte" game was
going on. Its exponent was a short,
stout Mexican with a skin colored like
the rind of a railway refreshment-roOm
ham and about as greasy. He was for
ever smoking little short stubs of cigar
cites, all the smoke of which he some
how swallowed without its seeming to
impair his digestion, as he munched a
sandwich between the puffs. His hand
kerchief was thrown across his knees,
and he dealt in his shirt-sleeves from a
very thin and Strengthening pack Of
Spanish cards, as ours are too thick for
the purpose. These he held face up
ward and pulled them off the pack one
at time, without exposing even so much
as the edge of the card below the one in
sight. No chips were used. The silver
dollars, halves, and quarters were tempt
ingly displayed in a wooden rack. The
Mexican ffaunted his wealth in vain, as
the lOungers around his table seemed to
be looking on out of mere curiosity. Now
and then some one flung down quarter.
Ifthey won they pocketed the stakes
lost they thrust their hands in their
pockets and sauntered over to the more
congenial excitement of faro. A couple
of those Cossacks of the Rio Grande,
otherwise cowboys, strolled over to the
stud poker game, with the pleasant re-
mark: On them greasers, anyhow"
"Still this was the great California
game in 40" said @. 81 have seen many
big stake made or lost at it."
"What was the biggest single bet you
ever saw madeW
Sixteen thousand dollars. I'll tell you
how it happened. There was little
gambler in Frisco who used to deal it;
Sandy Jackson wash his name. He came,
if am not mistaken, from somewhere
in New England. George Walton, the
banker, wandered into his place "a little
full one night, and, after looking around
rather unsteadily for moment, laid his
hand on Sandy's shoulder and said:
"'Sandy, how much in the bank to-
"The other players turned to look at
the newcomers handsome, intelligent
but rather issipated-looking face. San
dy took stock of his pile. 1t had been a
lucky night for him. "A thousand ounces,
he replied ($16,O00).
"'Will you take a tap, Sandy" asked
the banker.
SANDY seemed to study for a moment
He was evidently a little staggered at the
reckless proposition. The light shone
full on his peaked, old-manish fea.
lures (he was barely turned of 20), count
less freckles sandy hair and little twink
ling ferret's eyes. He fixed his gaze on
the window so intently that his eyes
seemed to pierce the panes and the dark.
ness beyond, to seek some far away OBJ
ject; his hands opened and shut nervous
ly. Suddenly the lines about his mouth
frightened; he leaned back in his chair
and turning his face to look up at Wal
ton, uttered the word, Yes
"The banker seemed little surprised
he evidently did not think his offer
would be accepted Still he was too proud
and too game man to weaken now. Sc
he walked over to a side table, and draw.
ing blank check from his pOcket-boOk
filled it for the amount named at the
bottom, and tossed it over to Sandy with
the remark: is that all right?
SANDY glanced at it. All right,
guess he muttered Does it go?'
"The banker nodded. The gamblers al
the other tables stopped playing and clus
tered around this one to see the result
In monte tt e first card shown is for the
dealer, the second for the player. Sandy
turned up two--the first was aqueen, the
second nine. Whichever came first now
would win. Sandy placed them next
each other, a few inches apart. The
room was as still as death.
SANDY gave a quick glance around the
gallery and then began to pull away
the cards from the bottom one by one
He was as white as a ghost, but other
wise betrayed no emotion, nor would
anyone have supposed that all he had IL
the world was at stake.
''The excitement grew intense as caro-
after card was removed and not a nine
or face card showed itself Ten, deuce
four, ace, Ska dozen or more cards had
been shown when Sandy paused; the
card beneath the one he was pulling haC
a thin layer of color along its edge-it
must be a face card; but was it a queen
or only a jack or king?
SANDY paused, and, taking his hand
kerchief out of his pocket, passed it light
ly over his face and then replaced it
Again he pressed his fingers against the
bottom card, and as it slowly yielded a
hoarse voice behind Sandy's chair called
out: "A queen, by!
"Sandy's face was the color Of ashes
but all he said was:
4 leave for the States in the morn
i'm
Then he picked up the check, and
folding 1t up carefully, placed 1t In an
enormous red morocco pocket-book.
Games closed for tonight he remarked
in answer to a question. Come, boys,
let's go to the Belle of the West and I'll
set wine for the crowd
"As the boys filed down the creaking
stairway one very old white-haired gam
bier whispered TO another, loud enough
for me to hear:
The slickest I ever saw. Must "a
done it when he wiped his face with that
thar handkerchief"
Two Lords and Their Coats OF Arms.
London Truth.
1t is really a curious coincidence tn at
the coat of arms which Lord Cairns
caused to be invented for himself when
he rras first made chancallnr consists of