Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-08-25
A POKER STORY.
Ralph w. simplin.. LArimore, n. ..

in Chicago. The ordinary run of con-
yersation had gotten low and time
worn subjects exhausted, when some
one with a seemingly disinterested
yawn, suggested quiet game of draw
poker in secluded place.
The proposition was received with
favor, as it was put TO each one in
turn. but Just before it came TO me
a portly man who hitherto had been
rather silent, put u strong objection
on his part.
Just a little game with fiye-dollar
limit, and a man may withdraw when
he wishes" urged the originator, well
knowing that n mans eouseniality
rarely allows him TO pull out of game
unless he is forced to by lack of cash
and then-well, the other fellows new
er object.
Il can look upon no game of poker,
responded the portly gentleman, with
a limit less than that Of death itself
since -"
Since you dropped your last wad,
eh;" put in an insurance ma1. who was
little irritated at the mans refusal to
play.
mo, sir, since l saw death as the
result of a game. suggested under cir
eumstances similar to these--a human
life. sir, sacrificed at the gamesterS
altar of pleasure and excitement"
1 always like to hear poker stories,
well told. and imagined that this man,
although not deemed talkatiye by the
rest of the crowd, had a good one on
hand, and l fancied he could dress it
out. in fitting style, so l asked him to
relate the incident.
One or two of the others became in
terested, and as a result he consented
to tell us about it.
1T was natural enough, he began.
Sitting in the office of a hotel in one
of the Western cities We're 4 drummer
for a wholesale liquor house. collector
for an Eastern firm. two other drum
mers whose line l do not recollect,
and myself. then the representative of
a Cleveland playing-card manufacturers
1T was in the evening, and as we
had been together pretty much all the
afternoon, the conversation sagged,
Some one proposed a game of poker.
No one objected, and we retired to
room where we would be free from OBJ
servation The materials for the game
were quickly produced, as also was a
table, which looked suspiciously like
one which had been used for similar
purposes ON many previous occasion.
None of us were professional gam
blers, at least 1 am sure l was not,
although liked little game once in
while, just for the excitement 1t
afforded. And right here | may say
l do not think that since that fatal
game one member Of that little COM
pany has ever touched card for the
purpose of gambling.
THE game progressed finely. None
of us were losers of any great amount
and the pots seemed to be distributed
about equally among us. That was all
right for a starter. but poker game
as you all know, does not get real in
teresting, nor does the excitement reach
the highest pitch until the players be
gin to buck one another on the freeze
out plan.
This point Of the game came along
as slowly and surely as fate. Shortly
after midnight A jackpot was made
and the liquor man opened it, Every
body staid and drew cards.
Somebody l do not know whom
moved that we take the limit off. Thai
all excepting myself were well fixed
with cards / knew by the eager way
they gave their assent.
The first drummer to my left-it wa;
my deal-had drawn three cards; tn,
second drummer two cards and the col
lector and the liquor man, who sal
next in order drew one card apiece.
AS for myself, held up two cards
jacks, and drew a seven spot of dia
mOnds. 10-spot of hearts and queen d
spades. That settled me | passed NJ
my hand.
THE first drummer opened the Skin
mish with twenty. The second drum
mer raised him thirty dollars and wa.
in turn raised by the collector. TIL,
liquor man did not show any lack o.
interest and he saw the collectors be
and raised him hundred.
This made two hundred in the pot
I was out, of course, and on the mex
turn around the first drummer signi
fled his intention Of passing The sec
Ond drummer raised the pot fifty dol
lars and the collector saw him anC
threw in two hundred to kind o. scare
out the liquor man, but he didn't scare
worth n ounce and he raised the col
lectOr back cool two hundred anC
fifty
with $3.50 in the pot the game be
gan to get interesting, and was made
even more so by the collector ringin!
for the clerk.
when that worthy came he was in
structed to fetch up an envelope thu
collector had deposited in the hote
safe during the day. With the arriva
of that the game began with renewed
intensity.
THE second drummer threw up hii
hand. This left it to the collector ant
liquor man. The former tore open hi
envelope and extracted therefrom
large roll Of bills, evidently his collec
tons for the month
1T was then that the game of poke
stopped and the game Of freeze out be
gan. The liquor man had plen-y o
money, and raised each other bacl
and forth until there were fully $500
on the table. Then to my surprise tn
liquor man called.
"He evidently had just enough lef
to do so and it was a fatal mistake o
the collector in not throwing on hi
whole pile in the first place, thus forcin
the liquor man out.
"For moment they eyed each otlle
and then laid down their hands as cool
ly as any gambler you ever saw.
ffNNa oil Iaaund fot.xxyorI nd tho