The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-12-30
why He Swore ON.


mo" said the old drummer, fercely,
to Free Press reporter, Il play no
games of chance any more, not even the
simplest kind, for money"
Wont you pitch pennies?" persisted
his companion.
That least of ALL he said, visibly
affected
why not?' asked the other.
DO you see this dollar?' he said,
taking cart wheel from his pocket.
well, thereby hangs tale. Listen:
Ten years ago was, and had been for
five years, travelling for big diamond
importing house in New York, and as
usual carried with me a large number
of gems, often having as much as fifty
thousand dollars worth. One day four
of us all in the same line met in Denver
and that evening we were drinking and
matching dollars in my room. 1t was
. hobby Of mine, as it was of one Of
the other men, Frank H., who was
rs inveterate hatcher as ever the late
John I. Raymond was. Well, we drank
and matched, and kept at it until we
began to toss up at five dollars a toss,
and the other two soon backed out and
watched us. I guess we we're both
pretty drunk. for before I knew it we
had made q pot of hundred dollars,
and were tossing best two in three for it.
lost and lost again, and then, having no
more money, 1 put up a diamond
against his pile. lost that, too, and
then put up two against his money and
what had been my diamond. and that
time won.
Il think we were both half crazy now,
for Frank pulled out one of the pocket
books from the inside of his vest and
laid it open on the table, and asked me
me angrily if dared to match it. OF
course dared, and I dared more.
put down beside it all mine, valued at
wholesale rates at fifty thousand dollars,
and he emptied his other vest pocket to
an equal amount. Our two friends tried
to stop us, but we were wild, and would
listen to nothing. Frank threw first,
and called tails 1t came heads
1t made me shiver. Then 1 threw
'hesds and he called tails and we
were even. don't know how felt as
he picked up the dollar, and I looked
at those glittering gems, for I don't
know anything clearly, though I had
vague idea that somebody would be
ruined forever on the next throw.
Frank tossed the dollar to the ceiling,
and l called heads 1t struck the
floor and rolled over toward the regis
ter. All four of us made rush for it,
and Frank fell headlong. The dollar
had dropped through the grating, and
was lying on the closed shutters of the
register, just below.
"'Get match almost shrieked.
Il stepped back, and my foot struck
Frank. He did not move. l bent
down and shook him. He was still. 1
tried to cry out, but could not. The
other two men caught hold of him then,
and turned him over. His face was
blue, and the blood was gushing from
his mouth. He had died in an Instant
The three were sober men in second,
and at once alarmed the landlord and
sent for a physician, but he might as
well not have come. He told us death
bcCl Dub
monds back into my pockets, and took
care of Franks; and the balance of the
stakes l divided, taking what had put
up and setting his aside, and the next
morning we started home with poor
Franks body"
How about the dollar in the regis
ter?' asked the listener. Who won?'
oh" said the old drummer, with
start, Il almost forgot that part of it. ]
never thought of that dollar till just be
fore we left, and going back fished i
out and put it in my pocket, and this i
it. 1t was heads. "
mo wonder you don't gamble an.
more exclaimed the listener, with
of relief, Lets go and take drink
a forgotten.
And l don't drink any more, either,