The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-16
A GHOSTLY GAME.

ana 1t Is nOth1nR Tor me 10 cream OF the
most fantastic games with the most terri
bic odds, but the dream I had last night
was so peculiarly horrible that will write
it down in my diary. 1t will be a good
story to tell the boys in the chapter next
meeting, and yet when I get to thinking
it over, it doesn't seem SO much Of q joke
after all.
It is a little too grewsome, in addition
to the fact that it brings up memories Of
departed friends, of whom can scarcely
think without unmAnly moisture coming
into my eyes.
We were great friends-Hughes, Mason,
Bum and I-all friends and brothers In
the band, and many a friendly game of
cards have we played around the little
table in the anteroom of our chapter hall.
Now all are gone but myself. Hughes
died three years ago-he was my especial
partner and chuIn-while Mason and
Bum died within a week of each other,
both of typhoid fever.
But to get back to my story. dreamed
last night that / wandered up into the
chapter hall for some reason or other, and
having nothing else to do sat down at the
little table in the anteroom, shuff1ed the
cards idly for awhile and then commenced
playing solitaire. 1t was rather late at
night. but the one Pickering gas jet j had
lighted showed me the well known "details
of the old hall as distinctly as in reality.
nd0 O0COIA0 4DSOEDSQ III buo
game, as solitaire can absorb a rather soil
tary man, when all at once seemed to be
conscious of other presenceS at the table
besides myself. 1 glanced up, and there,
opposite me, in the very seat where he had
played partners with me hundred times
or more, sat Hughesi I was somewhat
startled, but not especially surprised, and
it seemed the most natural thing in the
world, on looking to my right and left, to
behold Mason and Bum in their accus-
toned places. Their faces were calm and
expressionless, as they always were at the
card table-splendid players, both of them,
always quiet and self contained that
you could judge nothing from their looks
of how their luck was going. But
Hughes, who was more like myself in
temperament, smiled at me and said:
swell, old fellow, what's the ganie?'
"Euohre," replied calmly, and. gath
ering up the cards, shuff1ed and dealt
them, turning up hearts trumps.
The Others looked at their hands in 81
lence but I regarded mine with jubilant
satisfaction, for every card was a heart,
with the left bower and ace at the top.
All passed.
"Give me your best, Tom, and I'll go it
alone" exclaimed 1 in confident tones,
but Hughes face was anxious, as he slid
a card across the board to me, and Ire said
in a low tone:
BE careful, Will; you are playing
against deathl''
But when / looked at the card and
found it was the right bower my glee
quite overpowered the impression intended
by his warning
"Come on, Them laughed; ''I'Il show
old skull and crossbones a good game"
But my grim antagonists said never a
word in reply. They sat there silently,
holding their cards in that prim, method
ica1 way remembered SO well as gharac-
teristic of them.
Mason lead with a club, Bum followed
suit, and I smiled triumphantIy as (
trumped the trick.
If that's the way his nibs of the white
horse puts up his game, - I remarked sar-
casticaIly L led with low trump, ''I'n
engage to give him g few lessons
But my laughter soon changed as I saw
the slip had made, for Mason put on the
nine and Bum the queen of hearts. Then
1 braced up, and when Bum lead with
diamond l raked in the trick with -four
ish. Still Hughes was watching me anx-
iously from across the small table.
Now thought I, II will draw that
joker, if either of those fellows have it,
after which the game is mine"
Accordingly, with we'll feigned diff
dence, I led with my left bower. But
my acting was changed to reality when
Bum dropped upon it the right bower.
My astonishment knew no bounds, for
could have sworn that Hughes had given
that very card to Inc. l was about to APP
peal to him, but on looking across the Ia
bic 1 saw, to my surprise, that his place
was vacant.
Still L thought have often made mis-
takes in sizing up my cards, and as the
game is mine anyway I'll say nothing
about it, but play it out pluckily.
Bum led with a spade-the ace-and
somehow, as my eyes fell upon that omf-
nous sign, my heart came up into my
mouth. laid my ace of hearts upon his
card, but had I played my own heart it
could not have been with more fear and
trembling Then, breathless and without
raising my eyes from the table, awaited
Mason s last card.
Suddenly a shout of 6endish laughter
froze my blood, and the cold perspiration
started from my every pore, for as the
card covered mine I saw it was the joker
"a grinning deaths head
had lost. started from my seat, but
my antagonists, changed in form and
feature to grinning skeletons, held me
back. I gasped and tried to Strickland
then awoEzel
I found myself sitting up in bed, wet
with sweat, and my heart beating Violent
1y. 1t is tride affected anyway, and I
don't care to have any more such dreams.
Well. it's all nonsense being afraid of q
dream, and if I have q within I may as
well crafty it as 1idget around and not
sleep any tonight. So after supper III
walk down to the hall and smoke cigar
there.
Extract From the W Courier
William Hooker, the well known lawyer
of this city, died suddenly last night of
heart disease. He was found sitting at
card table in the anteroom of the I. o. o.
T. hall and had evidently just finished
game of euchre, of which he was very
fond. Three other chairs were at the TIA
BILE, but as no one was known to have boen
with him he had probably been playing