St. Paul daily globe., 1890-12-21
Mr.. BOWSER PLAYS CARDS
he Endeavors to Show His Proficiency
in Draw Pedro.
FATE WAS AGAINST HIM.
Perhaps II Is Better for Man Entering
Into New Pursuit Not to Fancy
That He "Kn0Ws II ALL"

&nct AC huOWd II h1ks
| Detroit Free Press.
What do you say to going over to
Bakers this EVENING"" asked Mr..
Bowser, as he came home to dinner the
other day.
"Just for call?''
I'VE walked up together just now,
and he wants us to come over and play
| pedro. He says they have kind called
draw pedro, and there's heaps of fun
in it.''
IL guess we handn't better go. Mr..
Bowser.''
1--WE hadn't! Got headache or
mumpS or measles?
mo"
Expect company"
"No."
"Well, then. what's the trouble?"
"You know, Mr.. Bowser, you
know"
Il know what? What on earth ails
| you. Mrs. Bowser? You act as if you
had got hold of some great mystery"
well, then, you get mad when you
| play cards.
'Oh, do! That's it. ell? When did
l ever get mad over cards?"
Every time we have played"
"And why shouldn't L? When one is
| playing with a person who doesn't
| know the ten spot from the right
| bower, he is quite apt to lose his pa
tience. AS for getting mad, that's all
! nonsense"
''And if we go over there you promise
not to get mad?''
Are you crazy? You are the one to
be on your guard and make promises" !"
''It anything should happen you
won't blame me, will you?''
Anything should happen? Blame
you? Shall L go to the telephone and
| ask the doctor to came up and examine
the top of your head?'
| said we'd 90. and Mr.. Bowser was
very much pleased over the prospect.
| AS he went away he said:
you'll play with Baker, Of course,
and Pll give you S. for every game you
get"
But l have played draw pedro and
you haven't"
"Makes no difference. I'll learn the
game in two minutes. and You and
Baker will never want to play another" !"
When he came home to supper he
looked at me with his eyes full of pity,
and as we got ready to go he said:
Nov. then, let me caution you once
more. Don't act up, no matter what
happens"
| never saw Mr.. Bowser in better
spirits than when we sat down to the
card table, and when Baker started out
to explain the game he was interrupted
with:
Never mind about that. old man. I'll
give you the benefit of your experience.
and then show you that you don't know
A b G about draw pedro"
We had the joker and both pedros in
the pack, so that all the points would
count twenty-nine. MIR. Bowser bid
twenty-five on the start Off, and he was
allowed to make the trump. When we
had all discarded and drawn, he led out
bravely enough and got all we had. but
the joker, which counts fifteen, hap
pened to be undrawn, and he was "set."
"YOu go back for Twenty-Five" quietly
remarked Baker, who was keeping the
count.
"How's that?"
Because you didn't make what you
bid.''
Il can't see what that has to do with
it," said Mr.. Bowser, as he gave me a
look of warning.
''ofI, you'll learn the game after a
few hands,"
''On the next hand out Mr.. Bowser
| bid twenty-five, and Baker felt it his
duty to say:
Now, Bowser. let me explain this
game little
"Oh. know all about this game" IN
terrupted Bowser.
"You just play your very best, and if
you get one game out of ten Eli buy you
| a hat"
He got the trump at his bid, and made
| just Seven."
THAT makes forty-seven in the ring
said Baker as he put it down.
''In what ring?"
''In other words. you are forty-seven
worse off than nothing. You bid too
high. BOwSer."
81 do, eh? You keep right on and I'Il
show you whether [ do or not"
l got the new trump on a bid of mine,
| and we made twenty-eight out of it.
| Mr. Bowser didn't say anything, but 1
| observed him breathing hard.
Baker got the next trump for eight
| and made twenty-five, and Mr.. Bowser
| grew pale and remarked:
| Its pretty early to crow. The game
| is young yet. l once knew an idiot who
| discovered gold mine."
| He was desperate, and bid eighteen
| on the next hand, got it and made only
| four.
That's sixty-six you are in the ring -
| said Baker.
l expected Mr.. Bowser to explode and
wreck everything in the room, but the
boiler still held out. We got the next
trump for thirteen and made the full
twenty-niue. BOwSer got the next for
seventeen and was put back.
"YOu see, BowSer," began Baker,
ssyou can't bid"
mo. j see 1 can't!" interrupted Bow
ser. I'VE might as we'll stop the game
right here. When can't play cards
honestly want to quit"
But there has been no cheating"
MAYBE not. | am not blind, how
ever. 1t was put-up job from the
start. l saw Mrs. Bowser rub her chin
on the very first hand"
why. Mr.. Bowser, you don't say 1
cheatedp'
That's all right, Mrs. Bowser. We
won't say any more about it. No,
| have some letters to write tonight. I
think We'll go home"
| .'Come, Bowser, don't be kid,n said
| Baker.
That's all right-all right. 1 am
| willing to play against chance, but
| when there is deliberate cheating added
to bull-head luck, beg to drop out"
On the way home Mr.. Bowser was 81
lent. but after we were fairly in our
house he turned on md with:
| 'This is another of your put-up Jobs
on me! You can go up to bed, and if
you shouldn't find me here in the morn
ing, you can consult your lawyer as to
| the future"
But when I awoke at midnight he
was getting into bed, and five minutes
later he was snoring away as contented-
| ly as IT pedro had never been heard of.