The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-30


Smith if he knew the "old fellow" Mr..
Smith said he did not. but the man had
told him he was from Montana and had
good deal of money.
Yes. l saw H." said stranger No. .
And do you know, l think / could get
some of II if we could gG<nim into poker
gamer
After considerable persuasion Mr.. Smith
{ condescended to ask the stockman If
he would play little poker.
We'll, don't mind" said the stockman,
and arrangements were made to play in
a downtown hotel in the evening.
In the meantime the stranger had quiet
talk with Mr. Smith. He told him he was
professional gambler, and knew how to
"hN' the cards. They were to get the
old mans money and divide the spoils.
The plan was follows: A deck was to
be fixed up in which We're two hands Mr.,
Smith was to get four aces and the stock
man four kings. The hands were to be
sprung in the stockman's own deal.
Stranger No. = fixed the cards, and said;
Now, you keep the cards on your lap,
and when it is the granger's deal | VIII
attract his attention when he gives the
cards to you to cut, and at that moment
you substitute this deck for the one he
hands you. But we must have another
man. we can't play three-handed. DO you
know any one?"
Mr. Smith knew a great many men, he
said, but they were all business men, and
all of them were too busy to play. At
the strangers suggestion they started out
together to look for the fourth man. They
dropped into the Saratoga hotel. and
Stranger No. saw a man who appeared
much bored sitting near the window.
Perhaps he will play; shall l ask HING
Go ahead" said Mr.. Smith.
Stranger No. said he played poker for
amusement, but not for money or with
strangers.
No , produced the card of an Iowa firm
That's my card" said he.
You're all right, then" said the stran-
ger.
Mr. Smith then said: Il am Mr.. Smith,
and every one around here knows me-"
The stranger was still little shy but
finally yielded to Mr.. Smiths persuasions,
and agreed to sit in the game The stock
man was found in the barroom OF the no.
tel. The quartette went around the cor
ner to a Monroe street hotel, and the
game began.
The game dragged along for awhile
without incident. After an hour or so II
came the stockmans deal. He shuttied
the cards clumsily, and handed them to
Mr. Smith to cut. At that moment the
stockman was seized with a fit OF "sneez-
ing" and stranger No. 2 gave Mr.. Smith
a signal to run in the "cold deck. lie ala
il successfully In the deal Mr.. Smith got
Jour aces according " III OSl hAAAAAANs ~
made a good bet, and the stockman, as
he expected, raised him handsomely. But
to Mr.. Smiths surprise and gratthcation
the Saratoga hotel stranger also stayed
No. 2 dropped out of course. Mr.. Smith
thought his four aces were "cinch''
they locker as big as the Masonic temple
He bet with confidence and so dld the
stockman And to Mr.. Smiths continued
delight the stranger kept coming in. lie
didn't raise any bets, but just stayed.
The betting was lively and lasted until
Mr.. Smith came to the end OF ms pie
and had 81, 400 on the table. He was kick
ing because he didn't have more, but had
to call for a show.
well, I'm sorry for you, my friend"
said the stockman, but / have four big
kings" and he started to rake in the
pot.
you needn't feel sorry old man." ex-
gAKrmed Mr.. Smith, triumphantly II
have four aces. The money is mine.
Did you think ! was buffing?' and he
started to grab the money and checks.
Hold on, hold on" spoke up No. 3.
"Ain't 1 in this? I've got straight
flush
1t was like voice from the tombs to
Mr. Smith. and the game broke up.
An adjournment was taken to the bar,
but the straight flush man and the stock
man got away as quickly as possible,
leaving Mr. Smith and his friend. His
friend proceeded to give Mr.. smith a
terrible roasting
"Confound you" said he, IT thought you
said you knew how to play poker. Here
we are broke, and the makeshift that we
picked up gets all the money. We might
just as well have had all the stockman's
money and the other fellows too"
Mr. Smiths friend talked in this strain
until Mr.. Smith was convinced that he
was double-distilled idiot, ana knew
nothing about the noble American game.
Then Mr. Smiths friend babe him sor-
rowful and indignant goodnight and left,
leaving him to wonder how the outsider
got the straight flush.
If Mr.. Smith had only known that the
stockman was Harry Green, one of the
smoothest confidence men and gamblers
in the world, all would have been differ
ent. He has played that same kind of a
game for twenty years, and in that time
has caught many a fish. Stranger No 2
was his Baltimore partner, Fred Porter.
He and Harry Green made barrels of
money years ago on the big Atlantic
liners And Stranger No. was a well
known Chicago gambler, who came in
for "A share of the "divy."
If Mr. Smith still wonders how that
straight flush got into the game IT is
likely that Fred Porter could enlighten
him.