The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-11-08
MEN WHO BET.
Small Fortunes That Hsve Been
won in strange Ways


xer Yerk Press
A national campaign always brings
ouf the men who want 10 b>< Aer-
charts and professional men are then
w{Ijing 10 wager money, although
they weuid not do 20 al any other
time. The American. some one has
said, Is naturally q betting man, and
stories abort the men who bet eontin-
nally on any and every oeession are al
way interesting Here Is one good
story from the West on betting.
John Condor, the partner Of Jefi
Hawkins In the big gambling house,
70 Clark street, Chicago. came out OF
she place one night not great many
years ago with rumlnative smile on
his good looking face. He was
thinking of the way the figure
. had pursued him from the very day
he was born. which was on the sfh oi
the month, Just 81 years ago that
uirht. He had never bad cent until
he was u wears old. and 10 years later
when he was -, after having seen biz
fortunes fincfuase, as only a gambler :
can. he had found himself completely
stranded, and that among strangers
from whom he eouidn't get even the
NOT insignificant stake However,
he had pulled himself together and
hustled around, and nov he was very
prosperous, With an interest IN game
viii, a. big bank roll rs there was
east Of Denver.
Condor wasn't In the least supersti-
flous. He had declared himself often
a. not giving snap for ali the hoo
docs In the country II II was down
on the cards that man was going to
beat faro bank. he had often said, he
would beat IL, and strpotirg and
changing OF dealers on him wouldn't
stop him. One day when a fneasly,
ero-s-eyed yellow cat had wandered IN
behind 4 careless negro servant. the
latter. when he discoyerss ~ stafted
10 Kick IL out. with remark about IL
being a picture OF bad luck Condor
saw him and told him not 10 burt the
aauah, Mistah Condor" said the
waiter, 1--WE don't want no such ting
~ dat In h<ah. Its a regular Jonah r
Rot, said Condor, give i some
milk.
The servant went away to do as he
was told. but he shook his head dole
fully and muttered that the house
would never Twin no mo- bets as long
as dat stayed around.
but the cat throve, and 80 did the
game, Just a. IL always had.
No. Condor was not supersiitious,
but he could not help thinking what a
remarkable thing 1t was that the figure
4 should have so much to do with him.
He ran over twenty minor happenings
IN which the figure had part. IL was
brought 10 his mind first by the re-
membranes that ID was his birthday
and aud next by the fact that upon
counting up the receipts of the day
and night II was found that the game
was lust 81 $50 winner that day, and
when the money was put away
room Condor noticed that IL was
a0s. This was earlier than the usual
closing hour, but the players had al
either gone broke or won what they
wanted, and the dealers and other
employees, glad TO get away 30 early.
had hurried away to enjoy themselves,
their bedtime not coming until along
about 7 or o'clock. Condor did not
play against other games very often.
He reflected that he had quite enough
OF Il In his own house and he pre-
ferred to be behind the table instead
OF In front OF ii. Built was early and
ne conclnde,i IS walk ,2E5tEsSd % -
Randolph street, say how dye do TO
his friend Kirk Dunn, and play in a
thousand or two. That figure eight
kept running in his mind. Oh. no, be
was not superStitious, but he felt iit-
tie bit lscky.
He was welcomed and made room
for By the other players, he being
recognized and deferred TO rs high
roller. . and a sort Of magnate. lie
bought $1,000 worth of checks. 40 oi
them al SIS apiece. They melted
away ike snow Ia the spring time,
only faster. Another thousand went
too. The only sign OF perturbation on
Condon's face was a slight knitting oil
the brows. He had brought no more
money with him. Would the dealer
Let him have another thousand
Why. assurediy he would. Presently
there was only hundred OF that left
IL was the top OF a deal. Condor was
beginning 10 doubt the efficacy Of hi:
eight. but he made up his mind 10 try
Il again. He put $50 ON the card
leaned back and watched the deal box
with curiosity. The first turn brought
up the eight a winner. That gave him
$i60. He let il stay there. IL won
again and be had $3.50. The limit wa.
$40, but at Condon's request IL was
extended "jmst for fancy he said
Another eight won and Mr.. Condcn
was worth 500 in checks. Mr. Dunn
gave him permission good naturedly
70 let that sit. The other player.
Jumped ON TO The eight with copnered
bets believing IL couldn't win again
HUT ID did and Condor was st2S
strong. lie was pinehed down TO q
$500 limit then.
lie kent az the : and beat il Is
times in succession for 500 apiece. II
only took him about an hour to win
something in the ncighborhOod oi
s. 500. That vas enough for him. and
he got UP. II being his birth lay, he
paid for enough wine % raise the
spirits OF che players who had gone
broke PLAYING against him. believing
religiously that che : s'must lose thi.
time Nhca he got home Il was I
O'Clock. and when he counted his
money he found he bad $3.50 80.
There's no sppertition about me. y
he said afterward when he told the
story sit was only a little queer,
that's all !"
Card playing Is the entering wedge
10 much of the swindlirg and general
misery which exists ! cannot under
stand how men viii open games in
their own houses for money, when
thew have invited visitors and guests
there, and YET il j. done all over this
land. The Russians invariably COM
mence cards. and generally gambling
games. like poker. after they have had
dinner. and for some time this was con.
sideresi outrageous morals The wife
OF ono of Our former ministers 10 Rus
STA. an excellent lady. who lives in a
mountain town OF the country. told
the that when she was in Russia. aud
was invited oai Tor the FIRST time %
dinner. the hostess said when they had
left the table, ''Of course We shall
play some carts. What shah We play
suppose yoa sill play poker
madam -
Poker" replse.l the ministers wife
II never PLAYED poker in my life. The
men piay that
"oh. replied the Russian lady,
''yca must rlav poker for We only
riay Il ia compliment - the Amesi-
cara
Yet that wonder which the Amefi-
can w0man had g. express l6 years
ago has seasssi to he a matter Of won
der in this country. where the women
ami The hien nov plav earl in the