Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-05-04
POKER PLAYING.
The Experisnce or Henry Alexan-
der Ia Texas
nos Ne Net Cattle Dsal@r Who Hal
J-st sosd . Herd aad wss ssll deed
sa-ho~ as W.s Cleaned Gas
-s.tisEaetloa a. Lat.


tf1ttsoorS1 DispaEehl
Shortly after tbe discovery a. Leaigiiis
~as Ia that sr=al miniag camp. La less
than E0ur after my arrival | alst Henry
Aiexander, an Old frisai, whom l first sa -
Ia kaasas during tne nlsh II the Texas
cattle drive. Alexander Was cattle
grower; BAT ne was also a profess oaal
poker player, whose business called him %
the towns that spring into active life along
the ines Of ns~ railroads lived With
Aisxander for three days Every night
after the games closed We drew our chairs
before the irs and talked OF ths old times
when ~e drove Ca tile together and hunted
togsthsr on the plains. Ooe night our talk
drifted % the Texas cattle men and the
gambling at the cattle towns OF Kansas,
when the bus ness u driving long horned
steers 10 the Northern market was highly
prontable. Aiexanier's eyes blazed with
fury when he spoke or the Texans. lie
raised his ellnched hand high above his
head and struck the table that stood BY bis
aide sasageiy, as ne exclaimed with
fierce oath. .HOw 1 hate them! :" Then,
turning to me, he said;
Nv hea l left you on the Cimmaron
River, the day after the buffalo hunt,
went % Baxter Springs There l met
three Texans, who Goa xed me 10 go u
Ellsworth % play poker with the cattle
men, who had sold herds and were lush.
l agreed 20 20, and they on their part
agreed TO stand Ia with me, and also 10
prot 60 me In the game. You see, the
Texas gentleman you are playing with is
apt 70 have partner. This man, IL the
game IS going heavily against his friend,
Is liable 70 step IA behind you and blow
the top Ol your head or. In the vernacu-
lar OF the courag geOus Texans, this Is
called getting the drop on YOU SO l
stood in with Bill Good, his brother Asham
and Tom Clavering. All had xiii Ell their
men.
We'll, these three were 10 see that no
one got the drop on me. They were 10
play IN the game II necessary. We were
q divide the winnings. SO I went TO
Ellsworth Ihad fair luck, but had not
been able TO get at the men who had made
big sales. One evening, while | was at
supper received note from Bill Good
he told me g. come 70 a certain saloon as
soon as possible, as Hutchinson "a cattle
man, who had just sold herd was there and
wanted tOplay poker. went at once aud was
soon playing with Hutchinson The cards
ran against me, and speedily lost few
hundred dollars. Then the luck changed,
and made up my losses and a couple of
hundred dollars in addition Hutchinson
was apparently growing angry. He dealt.
picked up four aces. we had no straight
Pushes in those days. | pressed the bet
ting. There were 81, 900 in the pot before
the draw. took one card. He stood pat.
IL was HutchinsOn's bet, bat before be bet
50 much a chip be wrote a note and
called a boOtblack TO him, and told him to
90 TO another saloon and give it to his
brother.
Instantly | knew he had determined to
fight for the pot, and had sent for his
brother To come 70 him, and to come heeled.
| was not worried. Irelied on my part
ner 70 Prevent my assassination. SO
slammed fear that was far from feel
ing. | made my hands tremble, made my
legs shake, and tried 70 turn pale; but
that was not success. Hutch
inson's brother-a cool. determined
man-came IN and stood behind
him. Then, with an oath and
sneer on his face, Hutchinson leaned over
the table and said, Il bet $500 and
dropped the money in the pot. 1 saw it
AMI raised hin $50. | now had Sl, so OF
my money IA the pot. about al the cash l
had with me. Hutchinson drew a note
book out OF his pocket and took three GER
tifcstes OF depost Of =, DO each out OF it.
The he indorsed. Then, raising himself
from his chair, he sat on the edge OF the
table and shook the three certificates over
the pot, saying the while: Il bet 5000
He almost dropped them into the pile,
then withdrew Tn em, and sat gazing in
tently at me. l trembl 81 away the best |
could, and watch 3d him as hawk
watches a chicken The click Of cooking
revolver broke sharply Oh my ear 1t was
behind me. Then I counted two more
clicks, both behind me
II said 60 myself: There is going to be
trouble here Still watched Hutchinson.
and trembled away quite cheerfully. He
leaned toward me, shook the certificates
In my face. and said The pot is mine
I felt the cold muzzle OF six-shooter
thrust against the back OF my neck and
another one against my right ear. | stop
ped feiguing fear. and began to tremble in
earnest. Hutchinson took the pot and de-
Hberstely divided the money / had in il
into four piles. he took one. Ny pals each
took one. Tn made me stand up and
dissrmed me. They gave me no chance.
They ordered me 20 leave town within
fft en- minutes. left in three, but re-
turned 10 = couple OF weeks aud squared
accounts with the thieving cowmep. I
got my money back, and Eot satisfaction
also
Ny friend ceased talking. His yellow
ish-zray eyes blazed with the light OF bat
tie "a the scene of day arose before him.
Curse the Texans! how 7 hate them I" %
rspssted, and rsiapsed into silence