The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-01-29
THE CAMBl lERS,
The Professional Was Lightning, but the
Boys Seemed to Have Taken 3 Hand.

The Professional Was Lightning, but the
Boys Seemed to Have Taken 3 Hand.
Helena, in 50, was 4 rough mining
town. The Northern Pacific Railroad
had just been built into the place and
civilization had not yet had time to
drive the rowds clement into the saw
age haunts of isolated mining districts.
1t was in those DAYS the people first
spoke the name of that city with a no
ticeable accent on the first syllable.
Habit became second nature and the
custom still endures.
/ remember walking along busi-
ness thoroughfare in the evening with
the sounds of boisterouS voices. clink-
ing glasses and repuisiye oaths on
every hand. | entered a gambling
den, its broad doors were wide open
and the great electric arc light invited
me to a study of the crowded room.
Noise, noise, noise; rafting chips; a
snip. snip. snip as the imperturbable
faro dealer dealt his cards; laughter.
sallies of wit. shrili profanity aud now
or then II sisi: or groan. If he has
the moral courage 20 faces scene like
this. the student of human nature can
read more character over green cloth
in half an hour than in any other place
in week
| watched a game of draw-poker.
Till the day of my death, | will never
forget it. The PLAYERS were three in
number. AT the right hand side sat Il
man whose tout ensemble bespoke the
villain. He wore black slouched
hat which, was drawn low down over
his eyes. with the brim bent SO as to
shade them from the gaze of the other
two. Not movement, not the turn
of Il card escaped him. At every stage
of the game he had figured his exact
chances; he knew precisely what to do
at any given time. He played for
gain. He was constantly on the look
out for treachery. He was silent. He
had the devil in his heart. He was
gambler by profession. At his right
was young man with face flushed
with liquor. His countcnance reflected
his feelings. His eyes were mirrors.
and in them the gambler ut his left
saw every hand he played. The youth
talked much. boasted occasionally.
and sneered often. Nevertheless, he
lost and lost heavily.
The remaining player was a middle
aged man, swarthy of feature and
rough OF dress lie wore Il flannel
shirt and held his cards with two great,
rough hands that knew toll with pick
and shovel. He played recklessly and.
like all reckless players. his luck was
wonderful He watched only his own
hand; he smiled good naturedly at the
voluble and liquor-heated youth, for
l.
ally smiles. The gambler and the
youth lost steadily TO the miner, the
first because his cards were poor, the
latter because his face was an index of
his cards. good or bad, an index which
the miner though attending strictly to
his own play, could not help noticing.
When superior skill is united with
villanouS nature. fraud will result if
skill and nature come under the ban
of fortune. So, after a time, the gam
bier captured pile after pile of varie-
gated chips. but always on his own
deal. When his companion dealt he
rarely played. The miner grew sus-
picious and cast furtive glanccs at the
man in the slouched hat. The youth
Dragged, bullied and cursed, but the
other two paid no attention to his
words
At last there was Il 'jack-pot." The
youth dealt and every one passed.
The miner dealt with like result; but
when the gambler dealt, he opened"
To do this he was obliged to have
pair of jacks -or better. The miner
had watched him deal much rs cat
watches mouse. saw in the miners
eyes Il gleam so determined. SO reck-
less. that | involuntariy started. He
played calmly. Cards were drawn
and bets made. The miner wagered
of wrath. threw down his cards, and
the gambler drew out of his pocket
some shining gold pieces. He placed
them on the pile OF chips. The miner
took a large, uglyiooking six shooter
from his pocket and put il on the table.
then he laii down an equil amount of
gold and demanded to see his oppo-
nent,s hand.
Three kings and two aces!
"A full house." said the gambler
calmly. He reached cut his hand 10
take the money.
No You don't" cried the miner;
''see this ianh,"
He laid his five cards face upward
before the players. He had not even
pair. The gambler smiled contempt
uously and made another movement to
take the money.
Wait! You've seen that hand, now
look at Mis onc!''
His revolver was pointed full at the
gamblers breast AMI his eye cleaned
along the barrel. The gambler never
WINGED. He waited in apparent con-
sternation for a second
Boys" said the miner appealing to |
the bystanderS, ''hc took them kings |
from the bottom of the pack. an he |
slipped the cut before dealin'--'
Sping! Sping!
Quick as flash the gambler had |
drawn weapon and shot his oppo-
nent killing him on the spot,
| was dazed an;i can remember |
nothing more, but. us | left the hall |
amid the confusion that followed. / |
recall these words, spoken hy some
one close beside me.
Joe Henderson. Cool 'nu.f fel- |
Ter, but | allus lowed he'd die with |
his boots on. Can't stick to ganblin' |
an live, nc HUIianl Wallace |
Cook. IN Detroit Free Press.