The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-10-08
TAKEN IN BY A "PR1NCE. ''
Cnlpeper Jones, tho Champion Poker Player Of
Florida AStouixhed,


Cnlpeper Jones, tho Champion Poker Player Of
Florida Astonixhed.
Florida Letter in N. Y. Express.
Florida is now the land OF hotels as
well as alligators and oranges. Not
so very long ago ! made q trip into
the interior and stopped at the big ho-
tel OF small town. Col. Culpeper
Jones was the proprietor and had
characteristics that marked him as q
man more prominent than any OF his
fellow townsmen. When l registered
the colonel came in and noted that l
was from New York. He unbuttoned
his linen duster, put his wide brimmed
straw hat on the desk, and welcomed
me:
"Glad you've come; we arefull, very
full, but I'll make room for you. We
keep aswell hotel and have only first
class people"
How long he would have continued
to puff his hotel have no idea; cut
him short by asking him to come and
have drink with me. He stared at
me in amazement.
There amt anything in this town
but Jamaica ginger to drink; and l
AIN t got no cramp," said he, in q sad
voice.
lanswered l that my stomach, too,
was tree from pain and wanted no hot
bath; added sarcastically: "Colo-
mel, never knew a swell hotel to be
without good whiskey."
lie never replied, but took my arm
ana marched me out on the piazza. He
then stood before me in a proud, de-
hant way, slowly buttoned his linen
duster and pulled his hat far down
over his eyes. Marching up closely he
whispered: II have good whisky, but
few know it. That clerk of niue does
not know it; keep it hid in Jugs"
We soon tried the contents OF Jug
on tap. The Colonel became commu-
nlcative and said that he had fine
young man boarding with him who
had been looking for checks for two
months.
"He is a prince, sir; dresses we'll,
shoots true to the mark, and doesn't
care for expenses" he added, to coun-
teract the effect his remark about
checks might have made.
"You don't mean a prince OF nobili-
ty, a real article, do you?" l asked.
lie said no, only prince in his
dashlng way and style. l concluded
the young man was simply beat and
would never receive any checks.
Colonel Culpeper Jones was widow
er, and had one daughter, old enough
to vote. She had red hair. Hername
was Melvina Fay Jones, but the boys
IN the town called her cold Cul's
daughter" She danced we'll, and read
Seaside library novels, and played o
little on the piano Ii the Colonel
loved anything better than stiff
game OF poker it was his daughter"
Nobody in town could beat the Colonel
at poker, and he was acknowledged to
be the best player in that section, i.
not in the State. Every night after
supper he gathered about him q few
novlces and taught them the mysteries
OF poker at cents ante and 25 cents
limit.
"I'm just teaching these fellows, and
OF course don't play a sure game
Of course, l win the little dabs put up;
could shut my eyes and do that you
know" the colonel would say to the
bystanders.
He had a colored boy trained to
wait upon the card table Whenever
Culpeper was dry he called for Jamaica
ginger. "And you boys have drap?"
he would ask, shufiling the cards.
They all took "a drap," but the
colonel drank good whisky all the
same, while the boys gulped down the
fiery Jamaica ginger Ihecame deeply
interested in Colonel Culpeper's daily
diversions and the young man who
acted like ''prince." After weeks
stay | discovered that the young
prince affected a fancy for Miss Melvina
Fay Jones and that she reciprocated
his royal attentions. The prince
wasn't bad looking at all. He bad
a good address, and l imagined
that he was some wealthy mans
son on a lark. He called Colonel
Jones Colonel Gull" and breviated
the names OF all those he came in
contact with, even addressing Miss
Jones as Miss Mel. He got along
swimmingly. Colonel Gull" loaned
him 5000, besides the two months
board bill he owed. He monopolized
the Colonel's buggy, but that was all
right, because he always took the fair
Miss Jones with him. never saw the
prince playing poker with the Colonel.
The hotel clerk explained it by saying
that at aln't policy for good poker
player to loan money to those he
plays agin." He further added that
Kernel Culpeper didn't want to rob
his guests; that no man in Florida
could hold him hand on draw
poker"
I wondered how the prince would
manage to settle his board bill. He
owed the Colonel $500, counting
all his expenses. One evening the
Colonel was entertaining his pupils ut
draw poker when the Prince gaily
tripped in, and said:
IAN, there, Col. Cul'?"
Prince continued: "You sent me my
bill to-day, $500. Igot a check to-day
for $1,000. Now I'll play you freeze
out poker to see whether give you
nothing or 81 900.
The audacity of such proposition
almost took The breath away from
the champion poker player. He but
toned up his linen duster and winked
to the colored boy to bring Jamaica
ginger.
"What have you been drinking2"
gasped the Colonel.
1.-The same as you. Col. Cul.', ia
maica ginger" he answered, slapping
him on the shoulder.
"But it will be robbery to take your
$1,000" boasLingly said the Colonel.
''That is all right, Col. Cul.';; l am
OF age and want noguardian," was the
reply.
"You hear that, gentlemen? He
4 70 .,lax- III 4al