The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-03-15
EATEN UP JOE.

through the streets OF the little frontier town
was staying In. The cold was Intense. Business
was suspended. l had tirod Of the hotel. 80
turned up the collar OF my ovcrcost and walked
| out into the storm. and was soon at the pokor
rooms OF my gambling friend. q man who knows
things. and who welcomed me ioyfny.
We sat In front Of . coal fire. with roaring
stove on the opposite side OF the room. and
smoked and talked. Finally tho talk drlfted to
gambling and gamblers. Nv friend settled
himself In his easy chair, and smoked slowly
and with Intense enjoyment. as no gravely adj
vised mo- In q low, earnest tone. Ho said:
MY dear child. never play pokor. No man
thoroughly understands the game. Now tricks.
aud old tricks newly played. are continually
being sprung on the game. and the best OF US
are occasionally cheated" He ceased talking.
blew u long. thin column OF blue smoke high In
tho warm air OF the room. and drank little
hot Scotch whlsk"y. Then turning his head
toward mo he said. sorro wfully: II had Q
pocket-exhausting game played on mo the
other day In Kansas CITY,"
Tell me about It," said.
Il will" he replied. simply 10 point Q
moral. and to Impress on YOU the truth that
you should never play poker. We'll, last month
heard that some Texas cattle mon wero max
Ing large sales Of steers In Kansas City. and
that they wore engaged In painting the town a
BuDuueu MY INFORMANT Bnlu tHAt tney
could DO relieved OF considerable money In an
honest game OF poker. but that the game would
have to bs honest or thare would be trouble.
have grudxe against Texans. the outGrowth
OF an affair at Ellsworth that was forced
into some years ago. 30 decided to 90 to
Kansas City. and win some OF the Texan
money. Win!" he excla lined. contemptuously.
1t would have boon like finding It in the
street! 1 nut a roll OF 5000 In my pocket. took
my grirsack. and tho first train. About 4
o'clock that evening arrived In Kansas City
and wont at once to tho gambling rooms. There
Learned that the Texans had been corrallod by
some OF my friends. and that could not get
AT them. 30 went into Clark's place. intend
ing to play faro. There I saw q large
raw-boned. shock headed. pop-oyed man who
was apparently half drunk. He was roughly
dressed. He wore = shabby slouoh hat and an
old brown overcoat. He was noisy and boast
ful. He was playing faro. and winning. He
swore loudly that he was the best single hand
ed poker player In the world. He shook big
roll OF bills In the faces OF the faro dealers. and
dared them to play poker. They declined.
marked popularity OF this man was the size
aud dirtiness OF his hands. 1 do not think
exax4erata when say that they were almost
twice as large rs ordinary hands.
My hoart warmed when / saw his hands.
Honest. toil-enIarged hands. l said to myself.
Tint honorable designation Is tho result Of
io"os'uS quo p"usn. VI "auu"s !S"s' Vi ioeo-
,"s 'Ane'u'us A'o"nee' Il 70 .ue ro""Fo oI
uo"eS' WI! I"'o iaruiet' anu ISSo''so 70
take care good care. nina you. OF this axricui-
'urai 'nhoceh'. i was introduced 70 hr. ihomp'
son rs gentleman VINO mao pretty fancy
for poker. and one who would probably &C.
commodate him. Now. l meant to pluck
this barnyard pigeon artistically: SO played
him as fine as silk. talked aad laughed
as .nou@n W u"iu Lnaiueh' LOT lear ne
u's"t oooonie a'"i neu. ou. VIC oio cnap alo
nv "pp'"' W w a. OIL ih"ues'. or III inc ie4ss
'A"'ish' he. WIN uu'o' anu asricuitufai-
eo"s o"'"". consciously a's"''ei tu'! 10
T =, "'at "n' uiS'" az sin. e-hahueu poker.
~ was 'no ouIS'hs uo'e Vi Pise"hs' he was
MO" w ''"'. 0n.A ,ooA he " ohe aioe anu
"",heu me 'nal mr.. THOMPSON was kicker.
"hu 'nA' IL p'aseu Win nun anu won would
"o W ,o"'' ''"". az ae ~o"'o ihiorM mo
ro'''e o, us 'osses al once ozark also objected
" o'i p'"y'ns III MS pl"oe' saying that the oio
~, r,n nouu " ssr" W or'h. the p'nee on MIN
:, -" ,oe'' 'ua' 'he o'"'e '""s "s"'nst samoihs
~ ','''' "e'o 'sf' Sc'eto' anu mat "hile
~ 'n' 10 ne nus p's''e' re'use
~ n",' 'u' DISCRIMINATING ie"'ners piue"eo
VI ' "ou'o.
~ ny '''""' 'i' i"o"',o" anu went
'"'o"'". sn''o" nm" p'ty"" IN q
rom AZ n'Sl won 'ew uo''"rs. bus
81" '""s vi. ''''n ~ V. S'',S man. OF WHAT
e', "o M"'' An'" NO" W ''ay poNel' ana
'"''u wa, "'''o'' "o s'o" .o'A','S through
..' ,',, Wv WIS p'urin" 'n' "n'sAoy
NV ",'n '''' ! "'u'u ~, WIN in"ch money
nt .nl num- aus, "o nad "lHea '"r ABOUT
'"''", NV 'o"' H'"S '""'o" h"u
Do o.,' Nv .o',' ,r .o'' uou'e !" s'N"er 'o'
Gether' beaten. Ihas cost ma all my winnings
and 500 In addition From that on n adj tha
c-s,,sr nar,io, -, mv s,rnr 'nI h.n,s ha, .o
go" -, r'..',I w my S''nhS "ahus "e"'eu
with dlscpuraglhs regularity. l noticed rs
socn as We began playing that Mr. Thompson's
nn,ar. anil hand. th,u.,b s..,,ir,,,v ,oiI
,i"S's NM """us' 'h"u!" se'm'hsy ton
hard-b"d were AS supp'a Ms mine. AMI Frank.
their size grew on me until they appeared to bs
az L,r,, asa Y, q stow. H., AsIa,i, Va h.,,
w. ''' -" W. ''.'o M as ''''' n' p'"'
the "rser portion OF my strong hands. and
he refused to bot on the remainder I
tried TO cheat him. He irnor.d INV Nns
80 "' "'A. ~ 's"'''u my hne
work by refusing TO bet. He would not
oven mako his ante good whom set
n, n hand for bi,, H,t h. mo5, -.
~. ' ' no ','"io u"