The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-10-02
THE JACK WON.
Story of a Misunderstanding Gambler and
His Arkansaw TOOthpick.


His Arkansaw Toothpick.
81 saw an amusing scene In a
gambling-house in New Orleans some
years ago, and that man there, with
the broad brimmed hat and long hair,
reminds me of it, said guest sitting
upon the Walker House porch the other
evening.
81 don't know how many years ago
it was, but it was when gambling was
iivelier there than it is now. was in
a club house where they were running
a brace game-a game where it was
impossible for stranger to win. The
place was crowded, and old Thacker
was dealing and SHINING everybody
at the table. After awhile there came
in a stranger, tall, handsome fellow,
with broad-brimmed hat, and black
hair falling away down onto his
shoulders. He took look around the
room, and then walked straight up to
the faro table, where Thacker was
dealing.
'He put his hand in his hip-pocket
and drew out big wallet tied with a
string. He opened the wallet slowly
and took out hundred dollar bill, and
then closed the pocket book, tied the
string, and put the wallet back in his
pocket again.
''Then he laid the bill down on the
jack. Somebody got broke just then
and left the game, and the stranger
took his seat. Thacker made a few
turns and the jack came out loser, and
away went the hundred dollar bill into
the dealers drawer.
1.-THE stranger just looked kind of
straight across the table at Thacker,
and Thacker looked back at him. Then
he put his hand back and again drew
out the wallet, unwound the string,
and took out another hundred dollar
bill, and again tying the wallet put it
back in its place again. BY this time
the deal had ended and Thacker was
shutting the cards.
1.-The stranger waited until the cards
were in the dealing box again, all the
time watching Thacker's shuttle.
When all was ready he placed the hun
dred dollar bill on the jack again, and
in turn or two the jack lost again,
and away went the strangers money.
Then he looked again at Thacker, and
he looked longer this time, and Thacker
looked back at him. Then he reached
back for the wallet again. He took it
ont and drew forth another hundred
dollar bill, and tied the wallet with the
string again. This time he laid the
wallet down on the table, right in front
of him. He laid the bill on the jack
once more and away it went like all
rest. Then he looked over at Thacker,
right straight in the eyes. Thacker
was an arrant coward and he looked
kind of funny just then. The stranger
didn't say any thing. He just picked
up that pocket book and unwound the
string, took out another hundred dol
lars, tied the pocket book again, and
laid it on the table. Then with his left
hand he laid the money on the same
card, and with his right hand he
reached around to the other hip-pocket
and drew out an Arkansaw toothpick-
it looked to me about three feet long.
Then he reached across the table and
shook his knife in Hackers face and
spoke for the first time.
MI. DedleT, Sdlu he, 'uOu you
think you can make that. jack win?,,
Thacker turned as white as q sheet
and never said word. He went on
with the deal and that time the jack
won. 1t kept on winning, too, until
the stranger quit the game.
The next day we found out that the
stranger with the long hair was one OF
the smartest brace faro dealers in the
West.-SaH Lake Tribune.