The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-20
PLAYED POKER FOR A WOMAN.
An Old Gambler Stakes HIS Wife Against
$1,000 and Wins.

An Old Gambler Stakes HIS WIFE Against
$1,000 and Wins.
"My heaviest bet?" said a Well-kpown
gambler, holding his wine-glass up 20 the
light to regard the amber beauty of his
champagne. "Well, now, that happens to
be rather delicate subject with me. Still,
it was many years ago. Conditions have
changed. Nothing is left but the sentiment
of it. think I'll tell you, boys"
He touched his smooth, thin lips to the
rim of the glass, withdrew them, and sighed.
L once loved" he said, without looking
at any of tile faces about him; ~ once
loved a beautiful woman, and she loved me.
After counting Mabei-did L say Mabel?
didn't intend to. However, the name goes.
After counting her nearly year l began to
get jealous of her. 1t wasn't her fault. She
behaved perfectly; but all the same was
jealous because Steve Benedict was
a PHOSPHORUS game then in Fulton
street. He always had his pockets full
OF money and was usually broke. We were
something like friends. | owed him little
money and he used to cali on me and Mabel
on Sundays when we We're at home. Mabel
rather disliked him, but he was crazy over
her. could see it as plain as though he
had made a full confession. Well, times
were very hard with me then. Mabel had
sold every jewel she had and we were going
IL Oil Oilt meal Il udy anu Il lOuSH ldUie u HOto
at that. One afternoon L raised hundred.
did it on a flip of coin over the bar with
one of the boys. With the hundred in my
pocket l went down to Steve's and played
roulette till had a thousand. With this L
went up town and took Mabel to belmont
cos for dinner. Then put her home and
went back to Steve's again. played faro
for two hours and then l began to lose. |
had been drinking, mind YOU, and was in
bad shape. Steve was standing looking at
ME play and | saw him smile when my last
chip went. was mad with him. l thought
KNEW the meaning of that smile. jump
ing up from the faro table said to him:
steve, III play you Just one game of
whisky poker for $1,000
He looked at me moment and sneered.
"'Yo GU haven't cent, Jim,' said he.
We'll, what of it. | replied. L can give
you pretty good security for $4,000
WhatY he asked.
Mabel, l responded.
Steve jumped about four feet. l was
looking him squarely in the eye, and he saw
that l meant business. Indicating that l
should follow him, he led the way into
small side room and closed the door. Sit
ting down at small table, he took the
wrapper off fresh pack of cards and told
me to cut for deal.
"'Jm,' said he, if | win and you don't
keep your word there'll be something terri
Bile happen
Il told him to trust me, and then we
played. wen the game, boys. Steve went
out to the dealer at the faro table and got
$4,000 for me. He was very grumpy about
1t. Did Mabel ever hear OF it? OF course
Steve let her know about it, But had told
her beforehand. And that is now | knew
she was true blue to me. Instead of getting
IN rage, the way your real self-respecting
lady would, she came to me and said | had
placed her at too high value. If | had
put her up against single blue chip, she
said, she bould have seen the beauty of the
game. Then she cried like baby, and
knew, l, the low-down, good-for-nothing
brute of gambler. what thick-hearted
devil l was. / don't believe you can treat
women that way, can you? New York
Cor. PittSburg Post.