The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1889-02-23
THE BoWsERs.
For Change They Play Game ofEuchre
and the Old Man Gets the Worst of It.

ana the Ola Man Gets the WORST OF III.
Whats the reason we never have game Of
| cards ?" suddenly INQUIRED Mr. Bowser the
other evening, after finishing his supper
Because, you-you-"
Because / what "'
'sYOu get mad"
81 do Ell? That is another of your off hand
statements. You nor no other person on the
| face of this earth ever saw me get mad over
cards."
Don't you get out of patience?"
'''No, ma am, DON'T On one or two occa-
sions you have seen fit to raise row because |
beat you four games out of five, and have said
that would never play with you again. How
ever, if you think you can keep your temper.
and if you want to learn the game Of euchre so
as to be able to take hand in company, / will
spend the next halfhour trying to teach you"
And if | happen to beat, you won't
won't"
81 won't what? Mrs. Bowser, you are act
! ing very strange for sensible woman. If you
are afraid you will lose your temper and want
to cut my throat why, don't play"
shall we play according to Hoyle?"
Certainly. .Hoyle is the standard. What's
| the use of playing if we don't play according
to the standard. Now, then it's my deal"
BEG pardon. but Hoyle says we must cut
for deal.''
He does, eh? ! will bet you $1,000 to
| cent he says the man deals firstl"
Very well, here it is: The players cut for
deal, and he who cuts the lowest card is entitled
! to the DEAL >"
''Oh, well, if You are going to sickle over
little point like that shall know what to ex-
| pect. CUT
| got the deal and spades turned up trump
Mr.: Bowser passed, and it so happened that
| took every trick.
''Cackling already, are you?" he exclaimed,
as he took the deck. "Mrs. Bowser, Pll make
! you very sick woman before we play three
| games"
| He turned up hearts, and as / had four Of
| them ordered him up.
'YOu ordered me up, eh What kind of
| playing do you call that? | never heard Of
! such thing in all my life ~
Il order you because Hoyle says q player
may order up when he hopes to take three
| tricks hope to take 'em all"
| ! got every one, and Mr.. Bowser showed back
from the table and looked at me in amazement.
! | dealt the cards and turned up diamond. !
| had the joker and the right and left, while he
happened to hold five Others. | saw him
smile sweetly, but as / took three tricks and
made my point, he rose up and whispered:
81 don't wonder that some ministers de-
nounce card-playingl ] can see where it is
wicked r'
"Where ?'
You stacked that hand :"
"Mr. Bowser"
"Of course you did! You deliberately rob-
bed me of two points in the gamen'
''Mr. Bowser, you ought to be ashamed OF
suck talk No one could have dealt more
honestly. | sent you to Chicago and you are
hurt about it"
"Sent me to Chicago Why, I'll play you all
night and give you silk dress for every game
You get I've got my eyes opened now and
if you can cheat me again you are welcome to.
Just sit right down"
''But don't want to be called cheat and
swindler"
'Sit right down and play You think you
know all about euchre, but I'll show You that
you never saw card It's my deal. Clubs
are trump. What do you do?"
II should say you wonld! Play 10 that
and thatr
He took the first two tricks, bnt l took the
three and euchered him.
81 expected you to," he said in explanation.
Indeed, can give you four points on every
game and then beat you.''
He scored one point ON the next hand. and
| one on the next. / was then three to one,
and, having strong hand, ! made a march
and went out.
"And do you call that playing cards ?" he
demanded as he sprang up.
Certainly, Mr.. Bowser You saw every
card as it was played. l have beaten you two
straight games"
Il never will believe it You nigged me
out o. them ~
"Well. try one more, and watch and see ifI
He shufled, dealt and turned up hearts,
Luck was with me. | had the joker and two
bowers and passed.
''Oh. you do! Well, should think you
would. It's wonder you didn't order me up
When he found himself euchered he turned
white and gasped:
How did you get those cards?"
"YOu gave them to me, Mr.. Bowser."
Never! You took EN- off the pack "
| finally half satisfied him that | didn't
and dealt and turned up spades. He passed
with four in his hand, and turned it down.
Il order you up.' he shouted.
But You can't. I've turned it down.
Cant 1? You take up that card! Hoyle
says you got tor
Find me the place"
lyon won't take it upY'
"Of course not. What do you make it?"
81 make it an occasion for saying that I'll
never play another game with you as long as
live calculated to give you couple of games
to encourage you, but | can't pander to such
deprayity as this
"What have | dOne?'
''What have Catfish Jim and Bunko Bill
done? wouldnt have your conscience for all
the money in Detroit"
He returned TO his reading and ] to my sew
ing and nothing more was said about it.
night or two afterward, however, when num-
ber of us had gathered at neighbors to play
few games, Mr.. Bowser cOnfidentially re-
marked to my partner at the table:
say Jones, you are in luck. I've learned
her to play almost good game as can
Before the winter is out she'll be able to beat
me twice out of five.
And on our way home when told Mr.. Bow
ser that we come ont five games ahead, he re-
Piled
"Didn't | tell youl That comes of taking
my advice. I'll make a player out OF you with
few more lessons. ."-DetTOit Free Press