Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-28
HERRMANN'S POKER STORY.
A Mighty Uncertain Game Even for
One who is Master of the Cards.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer
Il never play cards in earnest" said Herr
mann after the show last night. 'Those who
know me wouldn't play with me anyhow and
of course, wouldn't take any advantage of
those who don't. But l remember one night,
not thousand years ago, that, in order to
amuse few friends, 1 sat down to a quiet lit
tie game of poker. You see, it was this way:
L met the friends and was introduced to an in
nocent looking youth of the dude persuasion,
whose face was as vacant in expression as a
pound of putty. This youth had been bragg
gins OF his powers as a poker player and had
made the others SO tired that they whispered
me to take the conceit out of him for the fun
there was in it. was ready and we sat down. +"
In Philadelphia"
- Bless you, no; They don't play poker in
Philadelphia. This was in Well when
we began the game allowed the youngster to
win III order to get him Interested and the bet
ter to enjoy the circus, the others dropped out
and my victim and had the table to ourselves
OF course was to give him back whatever |
won from him-th:t was understood. We
didn't play with chips, as we had none. but
made the game a quarter ante and a dollar
limit, so that we could use the money without
making any awkward change. Every time nv
caiiow friend won pot he put the silver and
bills in his pocket and would chip in the stuff
az ne needed il. After he had won respectable
pile began to get my work in. and bv hand
ling and dealing the cards In my own peculiar
way soon had his pile in a fair way to innocu-
Gus desuetude. Occasionally l would let him
win, just to keep the fun up. and don't know
but what l enjoyed my opponents innocence
as much as did my friends. But all things must
have an end. Finally cleaned him OUT. much
to his surprise. and ordered bottle NV friends
couldn't keep it in any longer
Il say. Old man. said one, do Won know
who you've been playin' with?"
Yes, replied my victim, calmly; "Herr-
mann, the magician, and he's good player"
This was somewhat of a surprise all round
But laughed and handed him back the money
had won. He wouldn't take it. No. sir. Said
had won it; had he won mine he would have
kept II. and under no consideration would he
take II back. That was not his way of PLAYING
poker. 1t was no use for me to protest to tell
him that had deliberately robbed him. He
was sorry that he had got in with man who
didn't play square game, but that it was his
lookout. He ought to have seen that he was
being feeced, but as he had been fieeced and
with his eyes open, too, he not man to
squeal. tell you felt mean. didn't think
1t half SO funny then as did before. But all I
could do or say made no impression on my vic
tim, and with dignifed bow he left US ~
"'All can do L said to one OF my friends
will be to give this money to soae charitable
institution
Then / gave the waiter one of the bills
had won to pay for the wine. He came back
with 1t, and the information that it was a coun-
terfeit. Yes, sir. That guileless youth had
won my good money and rung in over a hun
dred dollars worth of paper on me that WASH I
worth cent pound. I'm pretty good on
handling cards, but poker is a mighty uncer-
tain game-mighty uncertain"