Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1891-12-10

rode &C the head OF the procession,
and all the employees of the Wave,
the carmine-cheeked dance-girls.
bartenders, croupiers, callers, short
card men, and even the colored
porter followed the hearse in hacks.
In respect to his memory all the
games were stopped during the time
of the funeral and for two hours
after. 1t was the first time since
the Wave had opened its doors,
day or night, that the whirr of the
ivory ball around the roulette wheel,
the click of chips in the restless
fingers of the faro players, the slap
Of cards on the hardwood tables,
ndstho- monotonous tones Of the
man at the wheel, calling Fifteen
in the red," or "Twenty in the
black" had been hushed for even
an hour.
The bar, however, was opened
up as soon as the morners retuurn-
ed from the funeral, and afforded
means, which were not neglected of
gradually but surely removing the
general depression the funeral had
caused.
In front of the bar q number of
employees of the house were drink
ing industriously to Old Poverty's
memory when boy brought me
letter from the post-office. 1t was
from Big Bill Rogers folks and en-
closed draft for $3.50 with direc-
tions to expend it in putting a mon
ument over his grave. l read the
letter aloud to the boys and they
were all astonished at the contents.
The death of Big Bill had been al
most forgotten, but this letter re-
called all the circumstances, and
naturally brought out comparisons
between him and Old Poverty.
The kindness of Old Poverty was
recalled by many "reminiscences.
His willingness to give up his last
cent to help any man out of luck
was in striking contrast with the
disposition of Big Bill, who was a
bully and was overbearing in his
treatment of every one with whom
he came in contact. In fact, it was
gsllefaIly glesd tint sz0Id Roxssty
was on the square and Big Bill was
crooked"
"It's pretty tough, gentlemen"
said sgd Harris, a faro dealer, "'that
this here onery Big Bill Rogers,
that no one had any use for, is 60
ing to get regular handicapped
monument and, Old Poverty, that
we all banked on, gets nothing"
Everybody agreed that this state
of affairs was tough, but beyond
setting them up again for the crowd
no one advanced any remedy until
Jack Ryan who called the wheel on
the afternoon trick, said "Gen-
tlemen, i move that when we buy
this here monument for Big Bill
We put it over Old Poverty and let
Bill go to hell"
A more popular proposition could
not have been suggested, and there
was not dissenting voice against
it. It's adoption was finishing
tribute to Old Poverty's virtues,
and all hands returned to the fasci-
nations of poker, faro, or roulette
with a load of care apparently lift
ed.
In about two months the monu-
ment came from Omaha. 1t was
placed over Old Poverty's grave,
and as it was the first marble tomb
stone put up in the cemetery, it was
pointed out with pride by the fra
ternity, until with the growth of
the town more pretentious monu-
ments eclipsed it.
Now it is stained and discolored
by time and weather. The inscrip-
tion can hardly be read, and when
deciphered by those unfamiliar with
its history it seems strange cpl
taph, for it is rs follows
In MEMORY
of
OLD POVERTY,