Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-01-06

TIE KID From v1RG1S1A.-Poor
Billy Mayer, the boollmal,er, who
pencils liberal Odds against the ponies
at Hawthorne these chilly November
days is in a disconsolate mood. Billy
stood alone in front Of the Palmer
House one evening last week, and the
careless manner in which his hands
we're thrust into his pockets, and the
clouded aspect of his usual jovial brow,
very clearly indicated that something
unusual had occurred to throw him into
au unhappy state OF mind.
His boon companion, Eddie Locke,
coming up remarked to little ZAP
Fisher that perchance Billy had laid
SIP against some ''hot thing" that day,
while little "Al'' allowed that may
0c old Green Morris had made o
KILN wild one NV his good uns, and
thereby ruflIed the genial knight of the
box"
What are you looking 50 glum
about?" handsome Eddie ventured to
inquire.
-'Oh, nothing in particular, +" respond
ed Mayer. Only, was thinking how
q lot OF old suckers got done up by a
uineteen-year-old kid last night How
was it? Well III tell you.
He was the slickest kid | ever met
in my life. lie comes from down III
Virginia and is only nineteen; but oh,
loW smart That youngster can't be
taught any new tricks at all, III tell
you.
lies been around race tracks for
years. and knows more about horses
than we ever will. a sort of second
nature with him, | suppose, and more
than that, he's one one of the finest
sheet writer's ever saw. Well, one Of
my BOYS was sick and | sent for the
kid one day last week 10 do some work
for me. He came Wednesday night, and
[ wish he hadn't Whenhe entered my
rooms at the hotel the rest of the party
wanted 10 know what was going TO
do with that green kid
''TherS were four of us beside the
youngster. and some one suggested q
game of draw nj 80 limit. All of us
agreed. and the chips were produced
forthwith.
SAT this point the kid wanted TO
come in. He showed up a wad of bills
containing 5000 perhaps. He hadn't
much use for the money, he said, and
ifany of us were hapkering after it,
why, we were perfectly welcome TO it.
I'VE al thought it a shame to take
his money, but / knew if we didn't that
the 5000 would certainly show up and
hit my book the next day. and, besides,
he might have spent it foolishly.
well, the upshot of it was we allow
ea him to buy $50 worth of chips and
the game was soon in full swing.
The kid played his cards close for Il
while, and then came s. jackpot. Ev-
eryhody came in The pot was hoisted
twice. and was pretty goodsized one.
/ stayed in on pair of aces, but didn't
better myself on the draw. All of us
drew two cards is except the kid, who
stood pat.
"Well. sir, he just lifted that pot for
all it was worth, and as we had all
sized him up for flush or a straight,
we Just laid down. He raked in the
pot, containing over $50, and what do
YOU think he had in his hand? Queen
high, that was all.
I'VE were a disgusted lot, [ can tell
YOU. when he showed down his hand.
1t was a wintry day for the crowd
when they ran against that young man,
and no mistake He played an awful
slick game, and when he had quit he
had increased his original wad to 81 ,000
and the funny part OF it was that nearly
all of it was my money, too.
Gentlemen he said on leaving, I
learned to play poker while page
down III the Virginia legislature. If
any Of you want points on the game
Just 90 down there, and you'll be sure
10 get them.
THAT'S what's the matter with me, .
observed Billy. ITO be skinned by q
Kid in knee breeches Come, let's have
q drink
And they went, Mayer in the mean
time cautioning Locke and Fisher that
fthey gave the story out to the '.ring"
there would be trouble, and the
"bookies" at Hawthorne still wonder
why Mayer never smiles as of yore.--