Evening journal., 1891-06-23

This hand it is impossible 10 beat when it
is held by the person who makes the first
stake, for even should another player have
the extraordinary good luck to hold an
equal hand. ties pay.
The rules Of the game of poker are ex
tremely strict. All money bet has tc
be placed upon the table-rubis sur l'ongle
as the French have it,
Now, had a straight flush in spades
dealt me; | was so astonished at my great
good fortune that my hand shook as ]
"planked down" my ten dollars, and de
clared that l stood 'patn-that is to say,
that did not want to better my hand by
taking cards There were evidently lot
of big hands out, for each of the six men
playing, though it was plain that | held
big hand OF was simply "blufling," in
creased the stakes. put on another one
hundred dollars when it came to my turn
for | knew that / must win. Then one Of
the players was frightened out, and the
stakes went on increasing until had three
thousand dollars in front of me, for each
man went better"-that is to say, in
creased his stake. Two of the players
cayed in.
'You can't bluff me, mister" remarked
Colonel Jabez Iackpotts; "Pll double the
stakes" and he put up" the requisite
amount in notes.
Fool that was. doubled him again,
partly because l knew that / must win,
partly because / wished to dazzle Par
thenia's pepper.
But Colonel Jackpotts raised" me again,
and so we went on till $25, 900 in American
notes lay in front of each of u.s. 1t was
fiye-sixths Of my little -sixths
Of all had in the world, and though
knew that ! must win, gave a sigh of re-
lief as Colonel Jackpotts calmly remarked;
Il guess III see your swagger hand,
mister.n
laid my flush sequence to the ace upon
the table with a triumphant smile.
"Damnationw cried Colonel Jackpotts.
Then he suddenly stretched out his great
paw and spread the cards out. And lol
there were six cards-ace, king, queen,
knave, ten Of spades and the eight of
hearts.
II am sorry for you. mister" remarked
Colonel Jabez Jackpotts, with henignant
smile; that's foul hand. Hand over
them chips"
had lost.
How it happened could not tell. "It
must have occurred in the dealing" !
thought.
appealed to the bystaAders. offered
to refer the matter to a we'll known Ameri-
can diplomatist who was looking on.
"You have lost" he said calmly. "You
should have examined your cards more
carefully. The laws of poker, like those of
the Medes and Persians, alter not"
Colonel Jabez Jackpotts carefully count
ed my great pile OF notes, and they went
into his capacious pocketbook. Then the
party broke up.
That night | opened my soul to Mr.. Per
simmon. 81 am a ruined man, sir" I said.
81 have lost all had in the world except
s. 1000 had intended, Mr.. Persimmon, tu
ask you for your daughters hand. That's
all over now, through my absurd folly.
shall never forgive myself, and I've got TO
begin the world again"
WAS Party fond Of you, boy?" he asked
laconically. He did not give me time to
answer. Party was fond of you; she told
me so herself It's a lucky thing for you
that Party is fond of you. For Party's
sake I'll see you through this thing. Jack
| potts is a sharper, and Senator Straddlg
and the doctor are his accomplices."
The following evening Mr.. Persimmor
| placed note case in my hand.
For Party's sake" said he, I'm going
Il
case, Mr.. St. John; there's only one way
Of 'besting' ascoundrel like Jackpotts, ant
for Party's sake he's got 10 be bested
When / give you the signal by taking ou
my handkerchief, you'll 20 on betting til
all's blue, for Jackpotts has got to be best
ed. Try and not lose your head, said Mr.
| Persimmon. "Your straight flush hanC
was right enough last night Jsekpotts il
a smart man; it was he who put the eigh
! of hearts there-I saw him do it; but if
being your friend, had attempted to un
mask him, no one would have believed
me-" Then it all dawned upon me for tn
first time.
We began to play. We played for abou
a quarter of an hour; it was my turn t,
bet. had nothing in my hand-nothinl
whatever. l was about to throw it on tn
table in disgust, when, to my horror, ] saw
Mr. Persimmon take out lis handkerchief
l gave him look Of agony; he only smiled
One by one, as l increased the stakes, th
players dropped out / had over 5000
staked in front Of me, and the money wa
not mine 1t was Parthenia's fathers.
"Ill raise you five thousand, mister,
said Colonel Jackpotts, in hollow voice
as he took out the very last of his bank
notes from his great pocketbook.
"Ten Thousand dollars betterv" ! cried
with affected calmness.
81 guess I'll write you a check for te
thousand, mister, and then III see you,
blurted out the colonel, his eyes almos
starting from his head.
YOU'D better post the money" said Nj
PersimmOn, blandly.
"You don't object, mister, I take itF sal
the colonel to me piteously.
Il
laws of poker, like those Of the Medes an
Persians, alter not, quoted, appealing
the well known American diplomatist.
"That is sou remarked that gent1ema
sententiously.
Colonel Jackpotts saw that It was no as
making a scene. He gave one vindictiy
look at ATr. Persimmon, and then I'll
, colonel saw that that gentleman's han
was in what in America is termed the Isl
pocket Of his pants" On America, when
r gentlemans hand is in this position it
| generally grasping revolver.)
I'll "Then, darn me blue,n said the colone
! "if You amt busted me between you. Cui
your Then, in his rage, he swallowed Ii
quid, and his language became unprinti
! ble.
j / carefully packed up all the money o
the table in the note case Of Party's poppe
: "You might like to see that there al
' only five cards in my hand, /" remarked tt
/ umphantly exhibited my five worthle
cards face upward / had 'bluffed" Col
D mel Jabez Jackpotts.
There is no more TO tell. / married Pa
J thenia Party's pepper is very wealth
man. am not anxious to meet Colon
!. Jackpotts.- James Gazette.
t Sad News.