Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-12-06

I was passed through a series of halls
and rooms, and shown into large
gambling psrlor That was apparently
doing good business in spite OF the
refCrmers.
q seated myself at a table where they
were playing Senator" The game is
nothing more or less than poker, with
the exception that it is all jackpOts, and
man can open the pot on any kind Of
a hand ne wishes, instead Of having TO
see before him ne traditional Jacks or
better" This scheme makes the game
a much liveHar one and more attractive
to men who are good at blufEing.
There were six of us playing. The
cards were dealt by man employed
BY the house, who dealt for every man
in turn ANY player had the privilege
of dealing for himself if he wished, and
this permission was supposed TO allay
any doubt as to the disinterestedness of
the dealer.
The game was comparatively new to
OF quo SuEsnJUoo e S! .! Sc puE 'aW
man who has been accustomed TO sizing
up the man who opens the pot as surely
having some sort Of a hand, l lost
steadily.
From several things, l gathered that
the man at my RICH, was playing for
the house." That is, he was supplied
with chips free, and paid to the prophet
or certain per cent. Of his winnings.
AS the game is one of biuffing, and i
man free from care and betting other
peoples money can bluff bejter than .
man Who sees his little pile steadily
diminishing, the man who played for
the house very generally won.
When came into the room had with
me $500, money that l had collected for
my employer, for I was out on collect
ing tour. In one brief hour | was down.!
TO 500 and then came my first good
hand. | had three big aces pat and I
opened the pot for a good sum. The
most of the players at the table who had
noticed my timid style of play at once
dropped at my exhibition Of strength,
and began TO kick myself for giving
my hand away 50. The only man that
STAYED was the one who l believed was
playing for the house.
He drew three cards and drew one
and BET $25. The other man locked at
my pile of chips and said, How much
have you on the tablet" I answered,
Fifty dollars" We'll, l will raise you
that $50" said he, with laugh.
Of course, I called, and he laid down a
straight, ace high. with the remark that
it was pretty lucky to draw to an ace
and king that he had held up. l re-
marked that it was a wonderfully lucky
draw, and asked how often ne paid S25
for a chance to draw to an ace and
king.
Every one could see that l was sus-
picious of cheating when l arose from
the table and remarked that | had had
enough 1t was enough, for l didn't
have another cent with me and little at
the hotel.
loitered about the different games
for for a while, for it is a great source
of interest to a heavy loser to see other
men win and notice how easy they take
IT,
While standing near the outer door l
took out my note book to see what
chance / had of collecting enough to
cover my loss until | had time to make
it good. I had hardly made a couple of
figures when I heard the man who had
won the last pct from ne get up from
the table in hasty manner and address
another man, who was presiding at the
wheel.
This man was the proprietor. and he
at once came over TO me and in a con-
fidential tone inquired if l was report
er. l saw my notebook had given MIN
the impression, and answered in an as
sured sort of way, Yes"
Well" said he, chow much is il
going to take to make you forge, this?"
didn't realize exactly what he meant
but answered that 1t had taken $500 to
make me remember 1T. He rushed me
INFO the hail, handed me $1,000, and
said, "Well, forget 1t now"
was saved, and have never been q
reporter since.-Boston Globe