The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-27

chance or science, whatever draw poker
may be- Ky began TO win from the start,
but the butcher was game and never once
showed the white feather.
Hundreds Of dollars of the butchers
passed. over the table to Iky's' pile, and it
seemed one-sided affair. The last deal
Ky drew three cards and the butcher one.
They began to bet and the pot was large
Finally Ky made u stiff bet of seve al hun
dred pounds, which. in the crippled cOndi-
ton of the butchers finances, almost stag
gered him. However, he rallied and bet
what money he had and his bu,cher e,tab-
lishment merely TO call Sonnenberg There
was an ominous silence in the room
as the butcher said: ky, what have
you gOtp The answer was one that puzzled
even old poker PLAYERS: -Four kings and a
confidence card What was a confidence
cardF every one present echoed in mind
Sonnenburg looked looked at the butcher
and said again: a confidence card With
that he showed an ace. which he designated
the confidence card because it made him
confident that the butcher did not have four
aces. The butcher paid all he had in the
world to find out what Sonnenburgs conf
dence card was"
CAPT. BILLY CoNNoR'S THILLIYG STORY.
81 lived in st. Louis some years ago, dur
ing the days when big games of poker were
played on the fine Mississippi steamers run
ming TO New Orleans. Naturally | have
heard big poker stories of ante-bellum times,
where a negro or two would be staked on a
hand. | must confess, though, that | am
not poker player, and have not lost any
time at the card table"
SO spoke Capt. Conner, of the st. James
hotel, John McCulloughs old friend. "Po-
ker is a good game to test ones character,
and. the possibilities of the bluff always lend
a daring charm to the game that other
wise would be lacking. Many years ago
a magnificent Mississippi river steamer was
on her way to New Orleans with cabin
full Of passengers going to witness Mardl
Gras The usual brass band that played
stirring airs at each town landing was
aboard, flags were flying from the hurri-
cane roof, and little brass cannon was
mounted on the lower deck, where it belched
forth roar whenever a great steamer left
a landing. In the cabin there were passen-
gers from all points along the river and
some from distant cities. The scene on
board was animated and gay. OF course
there was poker playing in the social hall
in the gentlemen's cabin, which was in the
front part of the steamer.
When the boat landed at Natchez a big
game was in full blast A stranger, tall.
handsome and well dressed, came aboard.
lie had an honest, open cOuntenance and
won confidence the minute any one looked
clerks desk and teen assigned to a state
room, he lit fragrant Havana cigar and
slowly sauntered around. When he came to
the table where the big game Of poker was
being played he sat down behind one of the
players. Now, it happened that the man he
sat behind was not professional gambler,
but his opponent across the table was a
biackleg of the most expert aud cum
ming kind. The non-professional, though
Ind DlpnfX Of and hat
Several Others were in the game but
they are quite superfluous to this narrative.
The handsome stranger sat quietly behind
the non-professional and gave pointers to
the gambler opposite. He did it in such
quick and Geographic way that no one
saw, or even suspected him. The gambler,
though, saw and understood his signs
thoroughly. Finally the non-profe5sio laI
player began TO lose. If he had a good
nand the gambler would either pass out or
bet and win. The stakes were raised and
several thousand dollars were on the table
in one pot. After the non-professional had
dealt the cards he picked up his hand and
found four hearts and a club. The antes
and raises were too high TO go out, and so he
drew one card to flush and the gambler
drew four cards to a king high.
THE latter never got a pair, and the
flush was not made In an instant the tall
stranger communicated the fact to the
gambler that his opponent had a bob-tail
flush and only queen high. Betting began
in bluffy kind of way by the gambler
putting up a cool 81, 200. The uon-pro-
fessional saw it and went $4,000 better.
They kept eising each other until $4,000
was up, when the gambler was called. He
took in the money with king high and the
game came to an end. The next morning
the tall, handsome stranger was strolling on
the hurricane deck when he was met by the
gambler, who requested the pleasure Of
meeting him alone in his the gamb.er's)
stateroom. When they arrived in the
gamblers stateroom he carefully bolted the
door and said: Now, pard wish to divide
with you. Here are $1,000, half of our
winnings The tall stranger drew back in
dignantly and replied: 1 do not under
stand you. What do you owe me $1,000
for? Then the gambler explained that he
always divided with other professionals who
gave away the hands of gentlemen at the
card table. Without being embarrassed in
the least the stranger said: L just gave
you pointers because | happened to sit be-
hind that man. If | had been behind you
would ha 10 given your hand away to the
other fellow. That is the way do; | don't
want any money With that remark he
walked out of the gamblers stateroom. l
defy any one to match phase of character
similar to that of the handsome stranger.
he got of at New Orleans and that was
the last ever seen of him."
THE ONYX KINGS" STORIES.
Senior Cooper. the Mexican onyx king,
says: "Poker is a seductive game, and so /
never play it. Still, know the fine points
of tie game, even if | cannot win when /
try to bet theoretically. One time was
going to Europe in a steamer and witnessed
a remarkable game of poker. Some men
are born cautious and keep cool under Try
ing circumstances A well-known lawyer,
noted for his scientific way of betting at the
poker table, was one of the principals in the
game on this steamer. Three other men,
supposed to be gentlemen, but one was a
professional gambler in Disguise, were en-
gagged in the game 1t was one OF those
10 ante games. with no limit. A
500 bet on a pair of treys or deuces
was not uncommon. l knew the lawyer
and wanted to tell him that | suspected he
was playing against one sharp at least, but
l could not get the opportunity On the
afternoon of lhe first day of the poker game
a group of interested spectators stood
around the table l was put behind the
lawyers chair. The betting was lively and
the lawyer won 81, 900 in ten minutes, and
chiefly from the sharper. l saw that the
gambler was losing on purpose to bait the
lawyer and make big winning. The gam
bier dealt the cards and the lawyer got
three aces. He drew one card and got an
other aca