The record-union., 1891-02-09
PAPA. MAMMA Is DEAD. :
Heartrending Scene in a Saloon While
Game of Poker was PLAYED.

Game Of Poker was Played.
party of men were sitting in the back
room of a West End saloon PLAYING poker
few nights ago. There were five in the
game, and the limit was fifty cents, made
small because the players were working
men 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 III, the winners showing their
chips out more boldly, which made the
loser play more desperately.
80 lar the biggest loser was red-faced
burly sort OF a man, known as Jim Rob-
ertson, who lives with his family not
great distance from the stockyards. He
is 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-faced
boy OF 10 or Il 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
Hyeller than ever went the chips. An
hour later two OF the players were in the
hole to the extent of IS to 50 each, while
Jim was in deeper than any of them. The
winners were quite merry over their luck
and rushed the jackpots with considera-
BILE vigor. Then, as the hands of the
clock We're edging toward the midnight
hour, one OF the players said:
Lets play ten 50-cant jack-pots and
quit"
That's me-" said jim; II think can
win out if you do.''
"It's.a CO." echoed the others.
Two red chips each, so cents, 81 so in
the pot and only so cents to draw. What
temptation to the looser seeking to get
even.
And the loser was in every pot before
the draw, after the draw, in everything
save in ral1ing down the chipS-that
pleasure was lett to the winner only.
Five minutes to II O'Clock, and now
comes the last pot.
Lets make this 81 each?''
"A dollar it is, and 81 to open it.''
It's so, with hurrah.''
And jim opens the pot.
He is raised.
Perhaps it's only blind to keep the
others out. If so, it doesn't work, as the
pot is too big, and the others drop in with
~ each. Then jim scans his hand like
true sport, looks at his chips, and seeing
that he only has two reds and q few whites
left, goes into his pocket and brings out
a v, the remainder of a 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 tile 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.
play for the balance in the BILL" says
jim. calling sight.
Yes"
"WelI, cards"
Don't want any," says Jack.
Nor 1. What have you got?''
''King-high straight
mo good; ace-hgh flush here"
IL and ID"
Just then boy stepped up TO the table.
1t was the same lad who had called
before, but his face was CHASTITY white
and his eyes were wet with tears AS he
came up he touched Robertson on the
shoulder, and, in a low voice, but heard
| by everyone present, said
Papa, mamma is deadv'-Ci Cincinnati
Enquirer.