Mexico weekly ledger., 1884-04-17
THE LAST DEAL.
Ihe Confession Of a Reformed GambIo
IA Sight that Made Him Swear
OF Forever.
Il never dealt againl"

ems, the one cOOi neadeu, lmpefturOa-
lie I oAmbler, who in his day, figured
rominently along the Pacific coast,
nd was almost universally recog-
Iized as the shrewdest faro dealer in
he west.
"As for the games morality,
hats neither here nor there. When
iealt upon the square it is much
ike any other game. 1t is not to be
thought that the law will hinder men
; bit il they want to>play, and often
they are forever cured of playing
when they find it doesn't pay. 1
dealt the game for twenty years, but
I've quit now. 1 made nothing, nor
lost anything, and but for a sight I
once saw / should probably be
gambler still. Hereby hangs tale.
Let me tell it:
"Some three years ago / ran
high toned game at a certain place
you probably know, for it strikes me
l saw you there. 1t was square
game, as will leave anyone to say,
a thriving game for dealt for half
the bloods in town, and often 1 had
as many as five lay-outs at a time,
with too much business on hand to
even get time to rest. One evening
young chap strolled in with curl
GUS stare On his face, and concluded
right there that he was greeny. He
was fair-haired, and had pair of
blue eyes, and clear cut features, an
innocent looking young fellow, if
ever saw one. 1t only required a
glance to convince you that he was
stranger in the gambling room. He
was soon at home, though, for saw
in his blue eyes love of play, and
after that evening he was constant
player. He played his pile right up
and up and never growled if his
luck was hard, and on every second
card he'd stack the limits up in blue.
Take it altogether, his luck was hard,
sometimes the hardest, I think, l
ever saw. I've known him to lose
at a single deal seven double shots.
ssBusiness for me, Of course, but
somehow it almost seemed too bad.
II couldn't say a word, though, and
vt 1 liked the boy. He had lots OF
fltfy. 1 think from the day he be-
gan He must have droppsd 2 cocj
1890, 900 on the game, and he never
Igrowlea.
"We both quit gambling the same
night-he, poor lad, had sufficient rea-
sons, and I, because I loathed the
game. It was in this wise:
"His coin gave out in a deal or
two, and he put up diamond ring,
Ijust to see his i'll luck out, you
know. The chips soon went. He
had a pin, flaming stone in mas
sive metal. He passed that in with.
out word and drew $500 cold.' Sc
help me God! wished him luck as
heartily as any player there; but no.
his last stack went my way on a los
ing ace. He drew $500 more,
think on his watch and chain, an6
tried his line of bets again, but biz
luck was gone. My God! I'll never
forget the pale. haggard look tina
crossed his face, but be was game
He never uttered a word, and KEEP
his chair like pillar of stone. Fo
q moment he seemed dazed at his re
verses, but suddenly his eye caugh
the thin, worn circlet of gold on hi
little finger. He looked at it LITTLE
while, and dark wave of hot Grim
son blood passed over his face, foI
j this circlet seemed to cling even fas
ter than the flashing gem he hat
passed in before. He at last strip
ped it off his finger and handed it tt
me. 1t came reluctantly, this worl
old ring. What can l have Of
this?' he asked. L don't know wha
its value is, but I'll redeem it first Of
ALL 1t might have cost s. whe1
new, but it was worthless then.
"Still passed out fifty stack ii
lreturn, just to let him try again. H
i, lplanked it down in the pot and thel
low upon the table he laid his face OF
bis folded arm. Well, for wonder
bin luck changed and he won thre
= times. He took no notice of me a
tod him when the limit barred, ant
so We played two fifty on each card
Woun you believe it? In the des
the poi won out and never lost! An
still he ay with his face hid In hi
!, arms. The deal was out and shool
him up, bat not muscle moved, an
7 raising hisface I started back i
. horror at tie CLASSY expression @
his eyes. forthe boy was dead!
.'I've often wondered to mysel
, since that nigh what thoughts wer
fitting througllhis brain as he bowe
q his head and hidhis face from ou
sight, what pledges of better life
regrets for q fortuae he had throw
away with lavish had, and loathin
of his irrevocable course. Who ca
| tell? We can but guess at them, bu
- may never feel. His face Shove
years of hell endured in that hri'
game, but it was not until the CO
oner's jury sat that I learned al
!. Before them was developed the ia
1x,,ox %io r:rr~ ,s,t,snt, t,od changed