National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-08-30
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A. DECAYED INDUSTRY.
Tho Old Gambler Who Has Seen Bot-
ter Days BowaiIs Modern Virtue.

ter Days Bowaiis Modern Virtue.
The tall man loaned wearily against
tho lamppost and inquired Of the boy
with tho cigarette who asked him for a
light If he took him for q cigar store.
The tall man then placed his cigar NJ IN
angle of forty-fvo degrees, showed his
white hat ovor his left oye, switched q
peach stone with his cane, crossed hrs
right foot over the left, and turned 20 lot
tho sun coax the sparkle out Of his big
diamond.
"How's business ~ asked tho reporter,
stopping beside him.
"Bisness2 Well-say, what are you
giving me2 Why, Gull, there amt no
business now 'cepting a snide game Of s.
cent ante now and then"
The reporter suggested that tho tall
man looked healthy and well-fed.
"Biness amt doing none of that you can
betcher sweet life. Its tho Doodle that
I've caught in past days that cling onto,
that's it," said the tall man in explana-
ton. "Why, SAY, l amt played no
faro for about o year; and then you blokes
to come around and talk about bisness.
Lemmo tell you pard, that these blooming
congressman and fellows that works for
their living is catching all the bisness.
We follers Of the cloth, rs you call US,
amt Citing nothing. Cause why, we'll
them cops is just breaking us up. re-
member the time when there was as many
as fifty layouts in this town, and how Is
it now? Well, these blooming horse
racers. snido playing as don't become q
gentleman, is scooping all there is" and
the tall gentleman smiled scornfully.
Are there any games running ut all
hore2" asked tho reporter.
mo, there amt no games running
Twoor throo infant attempts at playing
poker. A lot Of dudes git together and
play five-cent ante, and when they git to
playing on So or $40 velvet, they think
that they're in very big game, and are
winning something. don't want mono
Of that in mine; you hear my feeble
chirp"
Ever made any big winningsT
well, STAY, won a cool SIT 900 right
hero in this town, did. Its boen about
ten years ago, and went into house on
the row to drop my last nickel. had a
dream the night before that if tho first
man | saw the next morning was lame
tho queen would win right straight
through. Well, l gifts up early, and to
make sure that the first man / saw
would BIO lame yelled down stairs for
'Snakey.' He was broken down sport
that had lost his log Mt chicken fight
one night. We'll, hears him stamping
up stairs, but l didn't lot him in until /
was satisfied IL was him. Well, / seed
him, and that night pawned my watch
and went into the bank with just s..
puts So on tho queen and she came up.
list let her stay. and well, SHY, before |
quit was jist $4,000 cool ahead. Well,
now, Gull, you bet we had o fine old time
we did, that night, and played on velvet
for three years, but that's past now," and
the large gentleman sighed.
whats the fashion in betting now ??
''Nuthing Some duifors works the
pool scheme for oil it's worth, but it ain,
worth talking about"
"What's the pool scheme"
SWELL, lot of dufs hang around a
billiard room and catch sucker. Then
they skins him out of all he's got. Taini
near SO square as monte, yet the bloody
cops allow 1t. and / suppose it's all right
There amt been no monte played around
hero for years, and, as was jist telling
you, the towns going to decay .jist like
old MISUNDERSTANDING. Buukc
amt near SO profitable as it used to DO
cause there ain't no good worker, and
anyway, this Amt no town for bunck,
mon. They has to git where there's life
No, pard l tell you that these fellers that'i
working hard for their living is jist tax
ing the bread out of our mouths--and
say, there's u heap worse than us in thil
world"
"How's roulette2"
"Played. Tho law says 1t wicked, yor
know; and | don't see anything for III
gentlemen to do but steal. and, say, I'm
giving 1t to you straight, that's low"