Rock Island daily Argus., 1893-11-20

have found any one to play poker with me
for II ante! DO you know q full house
from pair of trays
Our respect for truth compelled us to an
swer that we did. We also stated that we
had q new deck Of cards in our outfit ON
the grass at his feet, and that our errand
at Lone Tree was to play little game with
the editor Of The Gazette and probably re-
turn home possessed of his paper cutter.
The stranger invited us to sit down under
tsee and lTgin business. and he was
liberal enough to lend US 8 Of our own
money rs capital to start on. We cannot
deny that we had marked those cards so a.
to get the better of our esteemed Lone
Tree contemporary. On the first hand out
| the stranger got two pairs, and we took
three jacks. and we got back our watch
and 80 on his call. We were willing to
quit then. but be yelled at us:
Yer can't quit. We've only lest begun.
Gimme them ere keerds till deals.'
We were deeply Pained to observe that
on this occasion we got a flush, while our
friend had only pair Of aces and failed to
strengthen his hand on the draw We
didn't want him to raise us. but he was an
obstinate man, and the result was that we
got back our other $40 and both our guns.
"WhOOp! But it's all fools luckr' he
yells mt us as we laid down our hands.
Ante up and deal them ere keerds, and
may the Lord hev mercy on your soul.'
We didn't want to go on robbing a poor
but respectable highway man. but he insist
ed. and much against our will we shufileti
him off three jacks and took three queens
ourself. Neither Of us got anything in the
draw. but the critter at once wagered one
Of his guns. We saw him and raised him q
six shooter. He saw US and laid down his
watch. We saw that and put up 80 in
cash, and he called When he saw our hand.
he jumped up and yelled:
"WhOopee, Whoor Stranger, who
mought you be, and when did you buy this
ere airth to prance around on SO gaylys"
We replied that we were humble editor.
willing to let our feeble light shine as far as
it would. and he jumped u foot high and
screamed:
"Durn lop cared, cross eyed. long haired
cuss Of an editor! You don't know shucks
about this noble game Of pokeri Gimme
them keerSis and git ready to be riz out o.
this game and over the creek-'
We didn't want to do it, but had to-that
is. we got four aces on the deal and noticed
that he only got two pairs and didn't help
his hand any ON the draw. We bet him go,
and he smiled like June day as he blandly
said:
''Critter, mebbe you know I'm Black
Dan, the road agent. Here's 800, and here
am ]. I'll put my dollars and my liberty
agin your outfit. II you win, I'll 90 with
you. II you lose. you'll hev to travel ON
foot"
We hesitated. We just felt doSxoned
mean to beat q horny handed toiler out Of
his last dollar and more, but he whooped
and called us a coyote, and we had to do it.
When we laid down our hand, he sat and
looked at us for q couple Of minutes with.
ont saying word. Then he whispered:
"Critter, lead the way! I'm a reptile as
never breaks my wordr'
We offered him his liberty, being a bit
anxious to continue on to Lone Tree and
tackle our esteemed contemporary, but he
declined it, and we brought him in and
turned him over to the law. That he dug
bis way out Of the lookup that same night
and escaped is nothing against him. He
was probably seized with a fit Of homesick.
ness. To our subscribers outside of Arizona
We would explain that the game Of poker
Is simple, humble game, with nothing
wicked about il. 1t is mostly indulged in
by editors for Its soothing effect on the
mind, and where the ante Is q dollar and
there is no limit the excitement acts like
tonic to brace up the weary and exhausted.