The examiner., 1886-02-27
FILLING A FLUSH.
One or Those Occasions that Some.
 times Come tho Poker Player.

one or Those Occasions that SOme-
 times Come tO tho Poker Player.
 I was on my way down the St. Law renee one day in the Fall of 1855 to bring the family home, and had about $500 to pay up their bill at the hotel, and some $50 or $40 for my own expenses. l may add that $500 was considerable item to me, and it would have been difficult to replace it just then, as my personal eX- penses had been running very high for the last two months, trying to economize in town.
 Ihad scarcely got my things safely on board when I ran across a chum.
 "Hallol old man; going downP" he said.
 "Yes, going to bring my wife home. "
 ssSo am I, " he said. sAnd we'll have a good time tonight for the last of the season. We'll get the directors room, and you'll make one of select party of six for quiet game of '$5 imit;' the others are on board. "
 ooh, no, my Christian friend, not I. pve cut the seductive game. You couldn't drag me into game tonight with a span of mules."
 "The deuce we can't, " he said. "You mean we couldn't keep you out with shot gun, and you know it.~ Well, I'll see you after grub, " and he left me.
 Alas for human frailty. At about 8 80 found myself seated at the table behind five cards.
 By 80 was $50 out.
 A S5 Jack pot was started, and went up to kings, I opened it with pair of aces, was raised twice, stayed, bettered my hand. bet, was hoisted, called, lost, and was $40out. -.r -.-
 All this time was swearing internally at myself, calling myself all kinds of bad names, and was thinking of hiring some body to kick me around the boat.
 The game proceeded. was soon 1925 out, when another jack pot was started. was getting desperate, and scarcely cared cuss whether lost the rest of my money or not. Round it went, jacks, queens kings, aces and there it stayed three times-$21O on the table-when the man two places ahead of me the con- tractor) said: "Pn open it for $5. " v
 I looked at my hand; nothing at all yes, dirty little bobtail flush. had been drawing for fushes several times, but never caught them,- but there was too much money on the table to stay out, and the fellow on my right clipped in. "Stay. said, and dumped another S5 "Ten, !" said the man on my left. "Drop, said the next man. s'pll stay," said, and in went $15 more. I was getting pretty low in my finances by this time. The other fellows stayed. It was a nice, big pile, but no chance of my getting it. growled "Cards,'' said the dealer. {" Two, ".calls the opener. held up my finger, and @ card was thrown. By acci- dent 1t turned face up-just my luck, the queen of diamonds; wanted 8 diamond to make my flush, but, of course, could not take 1t up. ''Give me another one," l said choking down my disappointment. The dealer carefully passed me another card, apologizing for his stupid mistake. I don't remember what the other men drew, my attention was caught by the ap- pearance of the opener, who was looking at his hand with most fiendish expres- sion of glee.
 hated to pick up my card; sure to be wrong. But here goes; chucked out jack of clubs and drew my fate toward me. Six of diamonds; caught my flush then, after all. Then, looking at my hand again-by all that's powerful nearly fell off my chair. Hadn't noticed was only one short of a straight, and now l counted them-5, 4, 2, 8, 6 of diamonds, a straight flush. I took one look at the pile on the table Can it be possible? Held the cards (squeezers) close up to my nose, and skinned them on, sorting them into their consecutive order. Yes, there they were-4, 5, 6, 7, of diamonds. Tears came into my eyes, and big lump into my throat Icouldn't have spoken for $50. A half glass of water was in front of me; I raised it. How my hand shook, but managed to swallow 1.-the water, not my hand. As was doing so the opener spoke: ..-
 'tBet i've" he said. % @
 'Arc you going to call, Bobs' said one.
 ''Yes," I whispered. had sense enough left to give the fellows on my left
 ~L- "A kIrv did. "Ten," 'fifteen," "twenty," came in prompt succession. 'sTwenty-fiye,' said the opener. %s
 stFive harder still," chirped. T-*
 "HalloI what the devils struck you?' said my chum. 7 >
 'Pn show you later," I said, eff you'll lend me fifty, because Pm nearly burst"
 Certainly, here you are," he said.
 Round it went till only the opener and myself were left in, and I hadn't more than an X left. s5-4 s s. -
 ''This is getting monotonous," he said; '.you make decent bet, I'll raise it like amount, and you can call Pm tired of this $5 see-saw."
 "An right" said. "What do you call a decent bet-$5O.?'
 stNo," he replied. elf your hand is worth fifty more it ought to be worth two and fifty"
 "buL haven't got that much on me" said.
 '.Never mind. Take your bond. I know you"
 knew I had him. He'd opened the pot and drawn two cards He had fours, l knew, and big ones; but. would you believe it, my heart almost failed me. I looked at my hand again. Yes, they were there. None of them had escaped. "Au right" said ''bet $25O."
 "Make it $5OO'' he said. My hesitation had made him more anxious, and opening his wallet he placed five crisp $10O bills on the table.
 'I owe it." said, 'and call" ~
 ''Well, my friend" he said, with smile on his face, we've both got fours, I know, but mine are aces"
 "By no meahs," said. q haven't got fours, but little straight commencing with four and running up to eight, and they are all diamonds, a straight flush, MT. K." And I placed them on the table.
 "Great heaven" he replied. ''You drew two cardsi''
 "Oh, no, I didn't. You drew two; only drew one"
 sHe's right" says the dealer.
 ''Well, the moneys yours," said MT. o. with a very sick smile, stbut I was never so internally deceived in my life. I could have sworn yours was two-card draw"
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