The Iola register., 1891-02-13
"PAPA. MAMMA Is DEAD. /"
Heartrendering Scene In saioca While .
Game of Poker Was Played.


A party of men were sitting in the
back room of west end saloon playing
poker few nights ago. There were
five in the game and the limit was 80
cents, made small because the players
were workingmen who had dropped in
to pass the evening over beer and cards
| Things went on slowly for the first
hour. when the beer commenced to get
Its work in, the winners showing their
chips out more boldly, which made the
losers play more desperately.
so far the biggest loser was red
laced, burly sort of a man, known as
Jim Robertson, who lives with his
family not great distance from the
stock yards. He is a heavy drinker
and the more beer he drank the more
reckless he played and the deeper he
got into the hole. At the loss of every
pot he swore and cursed his luck and
the good luck of others. The clock
struck 10 when thin-facCd boy of ten
or twelve years approached the table
and, stepping up to Robertson, said:
PA, ma wants yOu.'
| "All right; I'll be there soon, was
the gruff answer, and with that the boy
left and the game went on, the players
hardly noticing the interruption.
Quick and often went the drinks and
livelier than ever went the chips. An
hour later two of the players were in
the hole to the extent of So to 50 each,
while Jim was in deeper than any of
them. The winners were quite merry
over their luck and rushed the jack
pots with considerable vigor. Then,
as the hands of the clock were edging
toward the midnight hour, one of the
players said:
- Let's cts play ten tifty-oent jack pots
That's me-" said jim: II think can
win out if you do"
Its a 60" echoed the others.
Two red chips, each so cents, $3.50
in the pot and only 20 cents to draw.
What temptation to the loser seeking
to get even.
| And the loser was in every pot, be-
fore the draw, after the draw, in every
thing save in raking down the chips
that pleasure was left to the winner
only.
Five minutes to u o'clock, and nov
comes the last pot.
Lets make this 81 each"
4
''It's go, with a hurrah."
And Jim opens the pot.
He is raised.
Perhaps it's only a blind to keep
the others out. If so it doesn't work.
as the pot is too big, and the others
drop in with 81 each. Then Jim scans
his hand like true sport, looks at his
chips, and seeing that he has only two
reds and few whites left, goes into his
pockets and brings out V, the re-
mainder Of q twenty that he had
brought in early in the evening, his
whole weeks earnings, and, with the
grace of an old-time winner, says:
''Play for three"
''Play for FOUR" says the next, the
man who made the original raise.
The others concluded it best to drop
out. They were not in it. Shook
hands. Had no business there.
"Play for five," says Jim.
''Six," says the other.
'sPlay for the balance in the bill, =
says Jim, calling sight.
swell, cards?"
Don't want any," says Jack.
"Nor L. What have you gOt?"
'King high straight"
mo good; ace high flush here"
"H- and ID"
Just then a boy stepped up to the
table. 1t was the same lad who had
called before, but his face was ghastly
white and his eyes we're wet with tears.
AS he came up he touched Robertson
on the shoulder, and, in q low voice,
but heard by everyone present, said:
"Papa, mamma is deadF
Chicago Tribune