The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-03-11
POKER On THE TRAIN
AN OLD CONDUCTOR TALKS OF THE
HALCYON DAYS ON THE ROAD.

How He Was Taken In by the Hand That
Couldn't Lose--The Game In Which Jer-
sey Jerry's Four Aces Were Beaten by
Uncle joe Reddy, the Old Drover.
| was conductor on trunk line rail
9oad in the flush days that Immediately
preceded the close of the war and prevail
I'd for n few years after the close. had
been on the road but week or two and
was not yet acquainted with all its pa
irons In going through the train collect
Ing fares this day speak of l came to
four passengers who were absorbed in n
game Of poker, newspaper spread on
their laps to play on.
Fares, please" said.
People didn't bother much about buying
tickets In those days, and large proper
ton of the fares were paid on the trains
Three of the men handed over their mon
ey. The fourth, who seemed somewhat
excited, said:
Conductor, can't you come round a
little later?''
l told him I must have his fare then and
there. He looked at his companions, hest
tated a moment and then said:
"Wil you let me take little rake off
for my fare, fellowss"
They declined to do so.
Conductor, said he, holding up
handful of gun wads, "them stands for all
the money l got. I'm Fon to bet 'em on
this here hand, and the mischief of it is
I'll have to call before I've done it justice.
This is the hand "
He passed it up to me, shielding it care
fully from all other eyes. 1t was four aces.
/ became interested at once. / had $50 in
my pocket ] reached in and took out SEQ
and handed IL to the holder of the big
hand.
$50 ahead" said l. "Bet that on it
too. :"
He did SO. Two of the other players
dropped out The fourth staid, and
passed my remaining $40 to the man with
the four aces. That was my pile, and he
had to call. He hated to, he said, and
hated to have him do it, with hand like
that, but there was no help for IT, He call
ed. The other man showed down straight
flush. He got my money and the money
of the man l backed, and 1 hadn't even
got the mans fare. 1 stopped the train
and put him off, and that was all the sat
isfaction got out of it. The next station
was the end of my run. That same even
ing saw the man had backed and put
off the train and his three companions
board an east bound train.
do you know any of those chapsP"
asked the station agent
know emf he replied. "Rather
They re four of the slipperiest card sharps
on the line of the F., G. and W."
They had initiated me- that was all
A great many drovers travelled on the
railroad during the war. They carried
plenty Of money and were generally easy
and profitable game for the professional
card players. Some of the drovers, though,
had the reputation of being very handy
with cards themselves and Dragged of it.
used to hear of Uncle Joe Reddy, Big Ike
Sloat and others as among the quick wit
ted drovers who were said to be able to
take care of themselves against the tricks
of the sharpers. One day noticed among
my passengers noted card sharp, known
| Familiarity as Jersey Jerry. At way sta
tioD a little old man. gray and wrinkled,
| but still active and spry, got aboard the
train He was very loquacious old gen.
4 tleman and gave me the impression that
/ he had been indulging overmuch in apple
| jack, that being belt of country famous
for that insinuating and lingering tipple.
/ He talked to everybody within hearing
and finally expressed a willingness to play
/ any one game of old sledge for a quarter
corner. Nobody paid any attention to
| the garrulous old fellow for a long time,
and then Jersey Jerry began to take an in
| terost in him. This surprised me, as the
| old man seemed to me to be rather small
| game for that farreaching individual. At
any rate, before long Jerry was busy play
| ing him old sedge for quarter a corner,
! and the old man was winning every game,
much to his apparent delight, and in the
| process of putting away and producing his
stakes he displayed a wallet the plethora
! Of which explained the interest Jersey Jer-
~ was manitesting in him.
After awhile, in going through the
train, noticed that the game had changed
to poker and that jerry had evidently led
his intended victim along until they were
playing a pretty stiff game, but the old
man was winning, and he was elated be-
yond measure and more garrulous than
ever. l stopped to watch the play. 1t was
Jerry's deal. knew somehow that now
he had worked up to his game and that
tho climax was at hand. l felt sorry fol
the old man, but it was not my affair. He
had paraded himself too much anyhow.
AS Jerry tossed his opponents cards tC
him | caught n glance of each and would
have sworn that four of them were kings
The old man took them up cautiously and
held them close. He seemed to gloat ovel
the possession of them. He drew no cards
Jerry drew one Then they began to bet
The old man was game, and came back al
Jerry without a quaver. Four kings was
1 a tremendous hand, but / knew that Jer.
sey Jerry had given himself better one as
we'll as l knew / was there. BY and by
there was more than 5000 in the pot, and
the old man seemed satisfied. He called.
What "a ye got, ye young smarty?" he
said.
-Four aces, pop" said Jerry. "That'l
ALL"
"Ye haint got enough on 'em, Jerry, y
exclaimed the old man, and Jerry started
to hear his name called. "Ye hain't got
enough on 'em, cause 1 got five on 'en
myself"
And the old man, with grin that
meant great deal and look in his eyes
that meant great deal more, spread five
aces on the newspaper they were playing
on and coolly raked the money in and
slowed 1t In his wallet. To the utter