The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1891-08-15

in front of each of us. 1t was five
sixths of nv little fortune-fve-sixths
of all had in the world, and though
knew that must win, gave sigh OF
relief as Col Jackpotts quietly re-
marked
81 guess I'll see your swagger hand,
mister"
laid my flush sequence to the ace
upon the table with a triumphant smile.
"Thunderationl' cried Col. Jackpotts
Then he suddenly stretched out his
great paw and spread the cards out
And 10! there We're sir cards-ace, king
queen, knave, ten of spades, and the
eight of hearts.
81 am sorry for you. mister" re
marked Col. Jabez Jackpotts, with
benignant smile; ''thats a foul hand
Hand over them chips"
had lost.
How it happened / could not tell
at must have occurred in the dealing
/ thought.
appealed to the bystanders; | of
fered to refer the matter to well.
known American diplomatist, who was
looking on.
.You have lost" he said, calmly;
''vou should have examined your cards
more carefully. The laws of poker,
like those of the Modes and Persians.
alter not"
Col Jabez Jaclspotts carefully count
ed my great pile of notes, and they
went into his capacious pocketbook.
Then the party broke up
That night i opened my soul to Mr..
Persimmon. 81 am a ruined man, sir, "
l said; 81 have lost all i had in the
world except five thousand. dollars. l
had intended, Mr.. Persimmon, to ask
you for your daughters hand. That's
all over now, through my absurd folly;
/ 1 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 scas 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. JacSpotts is sharper, and
Senator Straddle and the doctor are his
accomplices."
The following evening Mr.. Persim
mon placed a note-case in my hand.
'sFor Party's sake" said he, I'm go
ing to lend you some dollars Play
from that case, Mr. st. John; there's
only one way of 'besting' scoundre
like Jackpotts, and for Party's sake,
he's got to be bested. When give you
the signal by taking out my handker
chief, you'll go on betting till all's blue
for Jackpotts has got to be bested- Try
and not lose your head" said Mr. Per
simmon. ssYour straight-fush hant
was right enough last night. Jackpotts
is smart man; it was he who put the
eight of hearts there-I saw him do it
but if /, being your friend, had attemptet
to unmask him, no one would have be
lieved me-" Then it all dawned upor
me for the first time.
/ We began to play. We had playe'
for about quarter of an hour; it wa
my turn to bet had nothing in m,
hand-nothing whatever. was abou
to throw it on the table in disgust
when, to my horror. / saw Mr.. Persim
mon take out his handkerchief. / CAV
him one look of agony; he only smiled
One by one, as increased the stakes
the players dropped out l had owe
forty thousand dollars staked in from
of me. and the money was not mine. 1
was Parthenia's fathers.
I'm raise you five thousand, mister,
said Col. Jackpotts, in a hollow voice
as he took out the very last of his bank
notes from his great pocketbook
'Ten thousand dollars BETTER"
cried, with affected calmness.
II guess I'll write you a check TO
ten thousand, mister, and then I'll Sc