Birmingham age-herald., 1894-12-30
HARRY GREENS WAY
HE PLAYED HIS FAvoRlTE GAME. ON
 MIR. SMITH OF CHICAGO.


 Four Aces Will Always Beat Four Kings,
 but In This Case There Was Another
 Hand. Held by an "Outsider," That Was
 In at the Showdown.
 Do yousk know how to play poker3 If you do and chance to meet an old man who looks likea stockman from Montana, with money to burn, just looking for a good time, don't. If you do, you will be sorry.
 A we'll known business man, who at one time kept furniture store on State street and has retired from business, paid $1, 400 for his experience with the Mon tana stockman.
 As every one knows the furniture man, he may as well be called Smith. MT. Smith, since he is not engaged actively in business, has been spending a share of his time in down town bucket shop every day One morning while Mir. Smith was watching themarket and listening to the voice of the caller a stranger who "happened' to sit next him engaged him in conversation. e
 Wheat is dull today, isn't itP" said the stranger.
 "Yes," drawled Mir. smith.
 The ice had been broken, and the stran- ger, whose appearance indicated that he was Q westerner, became communicative. Ho told MT. Smith he had just come from Montana and was taking little rest. He declared he had enough money to have some fun and pulled big roll of flfties and hundreds out of his pocket to prove it.
 "By gosh, will have good time, and if I don t it won't be no fault O mine," said tho Montana man as he got up to take q walk about the room.
 MT. Smith paid. little attention to the incident until mar who had just entered and was leaning against the wall, and who had seen the stockman display his money, stepped up to him. He asked Mir. Smith if he knew the ''old fellow" MT. Smith said he did not, but tho man had told him he was from Montana and had good deal of money.
 "Yes, I saw it, '' said stranger No. 9. And do you know I think I could get it if WIG could get him into poker gamer"
 After considerable persuasion Mir Smith condescended to ask the stockman if he would play little poker.
 "Well, I don't mind, ," said the stock man, and arrangements were made to play in down town hotel in the evening.
 In tho meantime the stranger had a quiet talk with Mr. Smith He told him
 
 how to "fix" the cards. They were to get the old mans money and divide the spoils The plan was as follows: A deck was to be fixed up in which were two hands. Mir. Smith was to get four aces, and the. stockman four kings. The hands wero tobe sprung in the stockman's own deal. Stranger No 9 fixed tho cards and said: Now, you. keep the cards on your lap, and when it is the <granger's deal will attract his attention when he gives tho cards to you to cut, and at that mo- ment you substitute this deck for the one. he hands you. But we must have another man. We cart play three handed. .~
 MT. Smith knew great many men, he said but they were all business men, and all of them w"re too busy to play. At the. strangers suggestion they started out to- gether to look for tho fourth man. They dropped into the Saratoga hotel, and stranger Nos saw as man who appeared much bored sitting near the window.
 Perhaps he will play. Shall I ask him?'
 "Go ahead" said MT. Smith,
 Stranger No. 8 said ho played poker, but not for money or with strangers.
 No. 9 produced tho card of an Iowa firm. That's my card" said he.
 >"You'ro nll right,~ ~then," said the stranger.
 MT Smith then said, t'I'm MT. Smith, and every one around here knows me-.
 The stranger was still little shy, but finally yielded to MT Smiths persuasons and agreed to sit in the game The stock man was found in tho barroom of tho ho- tel. The quartet wont around to Mon- roe street hotel, and tho game began.
 ba oo,on 6roooo6 a1pru for awhile without incident. After an hour or so it camo tho stockman's deal. He shufIled the cards clumsily and handed them to MT. Smith to cut. At that moment the stock man WAS seized with fit of "sneezing," and stranger No 9 gavo MT. Smith sig nal to run in the ''cod deck" He did it successfully. In the deal MT. Smith got four aces, according to programme. He mado a good bet and tho stockman, as ho expected, raised him handsomely. But td MT. Smiths surprise and qualification the Saratoga hotel stranger also staid. No. 3 dropped out, of course.
 Ho bet with confidence, and so did the stockman, and, to MT. Smiths continued delight, the stranger kept coming in. He didn't raise any bets but just staid.
 The betting was lively and lasted until MT. Smith came to the end of his pile and had S1, 400 on tho table,. He was kicking because he didn't haye more, but had to call for a show.
 Well, am sorry for you, my friend," said the stockman, but havo four big kings,' and he started to rake in the pot.
 You needn't feel sorry, old man." ex- claimed M. Smith triumphantly. II have four aces. The money is mine. Did you think was blufling2' and he started l, to grab the money and checks [
 Hold. on, hold onl" spoke up No. 8. "Ain't in this2 I've got a straight llush"
 It was like a voioe-from the tombs to MT. 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, leay- ing MT. Smith and his friend. His friend proceeded to, give Mir. Smith terrible roasting. 48 .sk4 7-Ast
 "Confound you, "said he, 1T thought you said you knew how to play poker You've made nico mess of it. Here wt are broke, and the makeshift that we picked up gets all the money. Wo might just as well have had all that stockman's money and the other fellows tool'
 MT Smiths friend talked in this strain until Mr Smith was convinced that her- was double distilled idiot and knew