Evening journal., 1896-09-14
AsGAMBLER'S JOKE.
HARMLESS ENOUGH IN. INTENT, BUT
TERRIBLE IN ITS EFFECT.

the Cattlemeu Provided For the Widow.
did you over see man suddenly |
stricken blinG.' remarked the man who
was studying the 'dope" book. MOP
Well, neither did l, but saw man once
who thought he'd lost his sight, and let
me tell you, IL was one OF the worst expert
ences Of my life 1t was in a Texas gam
bling house, and there were about dozen
we'll to do cattlcmen who used TO come in
and play faro on Saturday nights They
never darSened the doors on other nights,
attending strictly to business all the week,
but on Saturdays they'd cut loose and do
more gambling in a few hours than most
men could cram into the rest Of the week. i
/ was the best faro dealer In Texas nt i
the time. and as these cattlemen were the /
most desirable patrons the house had was l
assigned 10 deal for them on Saturday /
nights My alternate was an old hnnd at i
the business, and we'd take turns In the |
lookout chair We got 70 know the cattle |
men very WELL and our game over in the !
corner got 20 be quito a friendly affair. II
used to run on until and O'Clock in the
morning sometimes although o'clock
was tho closing hour in the house. In or
der not to antagonize the ordinary patrons
Of the house we used to close up the corner
table with the others; then after we'd turn
cd everybody else ont we'd open up again
for the cattlemen. Black sheets over the
windows and doors prevented the slightest
bit Of our light from telling those outside
that we were still open, and so we went
on undisturbed.
"Now, tho hero II you would so describe
him, Of this story was my lookout man.
He was q man over 60 years OF age and had
dealt bank ever since he was old enough to
handle cards We'd change places from
the dealer's % the lookout chair every hour,
but toward the closing hours 1 made a
practice OF doing tho dealing because he
was likely TO get tired and sleepy.
He did this with greot frequency, and
II was a common sight TO see Smith-that
WASH his name, but It will do-peacefully
slumbering. with 10 heavy bettors throw
ing chips around under his nose and me
calling out the cards as they turned up.
was competent to deal for le or 20 men,
and so / didn't mind Smiths maps during
his lookout trick.
"Woll, on the night that I m going to tell
you about Smith fell asleep ut about
O'Clock, and he was still slumbering an
hour later. The game was about to break
up, when one of the cattlemen remarked:
"'Lcts have some fun with Smith
"'What'll we dog' asked one Of the 9th
ors.
'Gontlemen, 1 said, Smiths too old
to stand much Go easy on him if you do
anything.
"With that one Of the party made sug-
| gestiOn which seemed harmless enough.
"'IIl tell you whnt Wen do he said,
| put out all the lights and 20 right on with
tho game as though nothing had happened
at all. Some ono can wake him up, and
he'll think he's struck blind.
"The others fell In with the joke, and
the lights were oxtinguishcd Not a glim.
NOR was left anywhere, and the room was
so dark with even the cracks in ths
windows and doors covered with blacl
cloth, that you couldn't see yosIr hand II
front Of your face.
cat the signal began hauling cards on
Of the box and calling them off withou
tho slightest idea Of what they were. Afte
each call I'd rattlo some chips, and som
of the players would swear while other
would exult Then each one would throw
some chips out on tho table, and the gam
would 90 on in regular fashion. IL was
faro gamo IN everything save that not I
soul in il had the slightest idea of what h'
was doing. It was wonderful acting
though, and when l think of 1t now
don't wonder at what happened.
At the proper moment one of the moi
felt for Smiths leg and gave it a shake
| which woke him up. twas slow process
his waking up, and, as he did it to th'
music Of cards, chips and my duh monoton'
as / called of, he woke with the impres
sion that the game was still going on. w
couldn't see him, OF course, but we ia
stinctively know that he was bowildered
Suddenly he said in voice shall neve
forget:
" Jack, where are your
Seven wins Queen loses--high card
sir, / said, rottling lot CT chips. 'Righ
here, Smith, in my natural voice wax
| up and take turn like good follow
Good win, Norton, exclaimed one o
tho players, aud one or two others mad
remarks such as are Invariably heard acros
a faro table. Then they ratified moro chips
and there was dead silence whilo / cliclSe
tho box little. suddenly out OF the dark
ness in that same voice came;
My God, Jack, arc you playing
Where arc you, jack where are you
" Are you dreaming, Smith? exclaine
one Of tho players.
d" Dreaming, dreamingr shrickcd poo
Smith. God in heaven, mol Jack, boys
I'm blind I'm blindP
"There was a heavy fall, and we knoN
that Smith had dropped from his chair
leapcd from my scat. meaning to light Il
the place, when suddenly there was
sharp report and a binding flash When
got tho gcs lighted, thcro w,a Smith M
conscious on the floor, bullet hole in hi
breast, his hand clasping his revolver.
/ Ibid he die No not then We got
doctor who pulled him through all right
but whom Smith got out of bed and cam
around again he was a wreck OF his forlnC
self His checks were hollow, and he ha
I n rasping cough. The doctor told me
{ was lung trouble, and that he couldn't liy
long.
J "Smith died without telling anybod
how he happened 20 shoot himself. il
never mentioned the joke that was playe
on him to anybody save me- and then D
simply said, 1t was a rough ono toplay o
an old man.
"A wife and throo children were lo
: destitute when Smith passed awuy
week later, however, ] was summoned I
/ Norton's rarch, and when ] got there
/ | found my 2 Saturday night players a
5 seInblcd In the dining room.