The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-02
The Gamblers Car.

The Gamblers Cat.
| One afternoon several weeks ae,
Michael Finn. a dealer in a faro bans
owned i,y Robert Sidley. in St. Clail
street. Cleveland. heard scream in al
adjoining room. occupied by a b other
gambler and his wife. Finn rushed in,
and found large Maltese cat on the
| wlndow-sill. about to catch the baby
canary. He seized broom. and dealt
the cat blow that sent il sprawlino
on the stone tagging below. where il
lay motiouless.
That cat'll never catch any more
birds. said Finn. triumphanilv. ia
Sidley, as he walked back into the
| bank.
~ hat eat" asked Sidiey.
Michael related the incident. Sidiev
frowned as he said: so you've been
killing cat. Well, now, you're a
hoodoo, sure"
That evening Finn was without a
situation. Gamblers having heard of
his experience were bold in betting with
him. for he was sure 10 lose. To their
surprise he won with regularity. He
had always chung to the superstitions
of the craft, one of the strongest of
which is that no man can have good
luck who Kills a cat 1t seemed to him
ilse flying in the face of Providence to
risk his money. and it astonished him
that he continued day after day to
win.
There is a restaurant directly under
the room occupied by Sidley's faro
bank. Jim Smith. lookout In gam
biing-room on the opposite side of the
street, was eating his lunch there.
when he heard hideous noise in one
OF the private dining-rooins. He in-
vestigated and found large Maltese
cat with several bones broken. He re-
marked that it was too bad to let the
poor brute linger on that way. and
taking it out doors, ended It's suffering
with clasp-knife. Too late, he re-
tlected that it was bad sign. Like an
honorable gambler he told his employ
er, begging him to say nothing about
the matter. and then resigned.
Last evening Smith and Finn were
dining together in the restaurant under
the rooms occupied by Stdley.
Il cashed in u cool century last
night" said Finn. showing large roll
of bills.
II was S75 winner on game of
poker, remarked Smith. THAT
makes me $500 for the week. even up.
Pretty good for hoodoo. eh?"
Are you a hoodoo?" asked Finn
eagerly. Smith nodded in the aiiirma-
tive.
80 am l." said Finn. "And yet 1
never had such run of luck in my
life, ever since L killed that Cat several
weeks ago"
Ibid you kill a cat?" asked Smith,
excitedly. so did |. Must be the
dream and omen book is wrong; let's
change it"
Zach took out his well-thumbed Ma
poleonic dream and omen book and
with a lead pencil revised the para
graph about killing cat to read as
follows:
To kill a cat is a most favorable
omen.
'Meowl meowr'
There's cat now.'' said Finn.
"Why, that's the very cat killed."
declared Smith, examining two wounds
on its neck.
Finn leaned eagerly forward, took a
close look, and shouted: No, it amt!
It's the one killed. l knocked it out
OF Il third-story window" Then he
turned to the waiter and asked: Where
did you get this cat?"
'.Dunno. sab. I'm new waitah
heah. It's de head cooks cat
The cook was summoned and said:
''De poh cat crawI'd into de kitchen
sev'r'l weeks back all lame m bloody.
/ war goin' fer TO throw it out, but dc
secon' cook mind me 'twar good sign
to hab cat come to ye, an we nursed
it, an it's bout wells ever"
Finn and Smith gazed at ear other
in bank astonishmont for moment.
Then smith said: 1.-The books all
right: lets change it back"
While they were making the second
revision Sidley. Firms old employer,
dropped in and heard the wonderful
story.
''Why, Mike, you're mascot now"
said he. Il thought something must
be at the bottom of your good luck.
Come back and deal for me and I'll
double your wages"
Finn accepted the offer.
Smith rushed over and breathlessly
related the cat story to the gambler for
whom he had worked MS lookout. He
got his old place at advanced pay and
the bank cleared more money the first
made before in a month.
The head cook at the restaurant has
a standing offer of S25 for that cat.