Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-04-25
STAKED ON A CARD.
A. Poker Game in Which Two Re-
volvers Figured

APoker Game in Which Two Re-
volvers Figured.
story wherein he figured as the hero OF
mighty poker game and won thou
sands of dollars on a royal flush, which
he held against another mans four
jacks Every time the circle of ancient
and honorable RECRUITERS of adven-
lures gathered in that corner of the
club the major was sure to spring one
of his marvellous poker tales upon the
5arty. and on this occasion he had
quite outdone himself and likewise un-
done himself, as was evident when the
westeriier asked:
''What kind of a deck were you us
ing in that game, major?"
why, regular deck, sir, regu-
lar deck. Same as any other poker
deck"
Then either you or the other man
must have had jack up his sleeve" "
was the westerner's conclusion. s'for
there were evidently five jacks out in
that hand"
A roar of laughter at the majors ex-
pense greeted this announcement, and
it was redoubled when that veracious
raconteur got ratified and endeavored
to explain that he meant four tens.
Perhaps it was with view to cover
ing the majors embarrassment that
the wester1er struck in, when the
noise subsidized, with poker story of
his own.
II would venture to say" he began,
''tEsat no man living ever sat in a game
when more was at a stake on the turn
of a card than in a certain game which
/ once played in Frisco.
Five of us sat in and vse all had
plenty of money 10 stake, bat before
the game was ove-money was matter
of secondary interest, for three of us
had sat back and seen a card thrown
on which the life OF one man, and prob
ably of two, depenasd-
II say we all had plenty of money,
but that isn't so, Tor young Harry
Randall, ysstSo was then cashier of a
hank, was.as knew at the time, play
ing with money which meant ruin to
him if he lost. Before the game began
T tried to kssp him out, but he said to
me.
Five got 10 make a heavy win to-
might orwell, they'll have big head
lines on me iH to-morrsw's papers,"
by that knew that. he was IN
voIved too desPly to stop there, and
the game began. NEXT to Harry. on
his bsft, sat Mort Henry. . man wso.
should have besn professional garrs
bier; for he played better polk er thans
any nan ever had sat down to a table
with before or since.
HE was fanatic UPON the subject
and any interruption or irregularity in,
the game made him furious and even.
for Mort was.. in quiet
way, q bad man, and mare than .ona,
lean had fallen before his,revolver.
He: was clear nerve all the way
thEough, and during tie week in
which. the same f1xe of us> had played
every night he Was big winner, talk
from Harry Randall. 1 sat
neEt to, him on his left, and next to nD
was a. mine owner named Smith, who
would hare lost Thousands, instead Of
but for lis great caution In
play,
"A. wealthy, retired physician was
the fifth member of the: party. He
and Smith were going east On the fob
lowing day, SO thatnight.Has our Inst
PLAY, and it started high.
There was no limit, and, though
wasspretAy well fixed in tiaDse days. /
began tss get uneasy at thE pace, but
my cards. kept me about even. Smsth
and Moxt Henry we're winning, the
doctor was losing heavily and Harry
wzs petening out his chipss little by lit
tle,. the most maddening thing. in
polzerl and getting 1pa very nasty tenn
per OVERT
Whisky was going prnAty lively and
barry was taking merc than his share
Git. This made me the more uneasy,
because the more he. dlank the-nore
egly he became, his temper being di-
nected toward Mott. Henry, WHO was
taking It good-naturrdly
'sAs. time went and Harry hecama.
more abusive. sawsan Rgly lock coma
into Morris face, and once or twice
managed to slip in. word, quietly
begging him TO overlook the yonng fsl-
lows remarks, fen was siraid of
tranble>
We'll, the troublesome soon enough,
aud along with it the most ssupendous
and splendid bluff have ever saen.
Harry had lost aaite little nancy
through the evening, and the play
was steadily getting higher under the
forcing tactics ct Smith and Henry,
who kept winniag Steadily
AT length itcame to big jackpot,
Mort Henry dealing. Iopened. it with
three good ones, and was rather i'm
ciined to exuh when Smith raised me,
bat rather less inclined when the doe
tor raised him, and positively doubtful
when Harry lifted him with good.
big stack OF chips.
Mort dropped ont. not feeling QUAIL
lied in putting mp. so much on me-
dium-sized pair stayed, Smith
stayed and thefdoctor raised, only to
be hikea back by Randall, who was
stalking his all ON . lucky chance, as
we afterward saw.
Ny three were too good to throw
down, and stayed until after the pot
represented enough money to have
made mp all Harry had Lost during the
week, the final call was made by the
doctor, and the draw came
.-Of course my draw WA two carda.
Mort dealt them ont slowly, and they
didn't help mT band any. Il was