The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-09

stack of the chips which eludcd my grasp. There
neEro, porter was standing by nv chair. i was
seated in n private room, at n table on which lay
a hnlt' burned cigar, and in one hand | grasped n.
contained a few checks and drafts made payable
to me firm which ! had robbed. The porter
Soiieu my attention to n bottle OF wine rcpOsing
IN a cooler. and to an nnadarcsscd sealed en-
yelopo on the table: ltook n big draught OF the
S SifG tc fn "a c i9isSG nGM Si6o G SYT, fs the w Ssv S Q
looked up at tho negro. He met my inquiring
Excuse me, sir. but Mr.. Eddie. who rolled
Iho wheel for you. said you. might need n little
money 70 go to the races with, aud that " hoped
SSSyy w. have better luck next time. WIN YOU
found a solitary dollar. I tossed that 20 tho
negro. and cruinplling the gamblers donation up
pocketbook and went out after my two nights
battle with roulette, disgraccd. ruined, a thief"
Drilter FASTENED to excluim:
Oh, hut he squared that all right. lie puts
II a little strong. gentlemen. He paid it all back,
The Colonel resumed: "Gcntlemon. surely you
must wonder that after such an experience l
ever entered . gaming house or even touched a
card. But human nature Is weak. That
was my irst lose OF anti'gamhling treat
count of sales and collections. and then asked
the head, OF the house for a private interview.
he was old enough to be my father. | made a
house, which overlooked the river. There he sat
and. Wondered. Finally he said:
johnson, | have concluded to accept your
personal notes for the amount Of your shortage.
You can meet those notes by economy, close
again and may fall. I am not going to push you
down hill. Your shortage is known only TO me.
feel that you haven't the courage to resist the
temptation to gamble with money not your own.
half an hour you have conquered yourself come
TO my private office and sign the notes. II not.
that window is open and the river is deep.
Nnnr fin tnilN Qhnl1 lpnrn mt hing from M "
That old man was the real stun. BY Jore,
It makes The shivers run up and down my back,
myself tonight after hearing that.
Wei" the Colonel wen, on. Il didn't jump
notes Inever touched a game o.: chance until
those notes were taken up. Then got n clean
bill from my friend, the head of the house,
Give us the next dose, Colonel" insisted
"All right was the response. 1t wasn't rou-
lctte this time. but the good old s~portsmanlike
game of bucking the tiger. Yes, | had h"en
skinned the brute Elm in many 4 faro sshoTp" f in m mnn
ing camps and in big cities, and | didn't play
other to,ks' money unless they wanted me to. eh.
of tho present Mayor Harrison Of Chicago was
at the helm of that city when | took my second
OF he many GEmcs then run under police sur
veillance. for the city was wide open, as ] hear it
Is now. I had been up North working like u
Niger In the heat OF summer and tho fierce
winters for four years. On a friendly tip l sold
ont NV claims for u block OF real estate md
$50, 900 in cash. The real estate, | should have
told you. was soon tied up in li,ira'ion. and
when l reached Chicago I had the S32. 600 in a
belt around my waist, for | had plenty of money
Drifter nodded in acquiescence and the Colonel
continued; "A few of US enjoyed life for several
days. and | had occasionally taken a fall out OF
the game in one OF tho Hankins boys houses or
In Boss Mike McDonald's always-open game.
so popular in those days with Pat Sheedy.
George Morgan, and other kings OF the green
when l bought my ticket for, New, York. for
Drifter here knows that a couple OF chums from
the old mining camp driftcd across my path that
day. They were not turning up with money,
but bought wine Just as though they were wins
agents. and l travelled with EN- all day, and that
faro game, I declined to play, My friends went
broke, both OF EN-. I staked en- again ard
I had Whipped out that belt With all T'I my avail avail
able cash in it and was letting those busted
a% rahRssn saiioPs. fFlha sy w my d %9RIE, f bsSs b l.es
on my trail. Why. the frst thing i / knew had
those cusses lost 1t may surprise you gentle
men to learn that n man Of my years could have
tn It is, along toward morning. while was pl0y:
ing draw with the proprietor, Drifter here and
and whist cred:
Say. Colonel, hadn't you better call your
Q in the hole, and the old guy has got
another 81 1000 stack OF chips on your say So
We'll. didn't need any shower bath. I
owe and III make good. 1t didn't take long.
camp had done, and / parted with just about
$50. 900 OF money ! had dug. shaved, fought for
and froze for during four years;
the proprietor. who, as Driftcr will tell you. was
rs square a man as ever stood behind II faro
his living at gambling, but il was his recreation,
too. He said to me, 'Pshnw, Col: johnson.
know y 1ot G veins br dSwn in to nv New Dla Y9rk on +" 81 ,rf kim ,sW
Twelve thousand dollars between me and
VERY well. says, he, what 10 you sayto
It up, win or lose, against my deal 7 IN
Of w i2is " you %S p 5HHs = You ~ can tns'; either Il" get t~ back
what your friends dropped or you can go broke,
II I'll did s'Gf ies ySg t to 4 toSm' mot S ST ,% for al a imheaa'i,
for over forty hours" said the Colonel. I'VE
strictly to business, too. For at least
dozen hours ! could neither win nor lose, that
Is, nothing Of consequence, They fired my
busted mining friends OF TO their hotel, Drifter
here cuTled up on 2 lounge, and the square gam
sands. When / began to lose in earnest l felt
nrnsnsciir ] S eOnld im 9hs bevs m Ssin hack m again
camp whiskey, and, perhaps, never again gettin;,
even a decent little belt full OF money, but Just
the same ! felt a goneness when the casekeeper
Colonel. your markers foot up just about
"'Whewl' I said. We all took a brace. and
even Drifter woke up. I'm near the end of my
"'Guess III get your pile was the comforting
remark OF my friend the proprietor. Go you all
rot in sight on the last turn
Sudden death suits me-, replied. I counted
out my remaining bills and laid them before tho
dealer. lie called the amount about 81 500.
There wasn't any loud talking OH my part.
just breathed, that's all. The turn vas
made. the last turn on that deal, and l won. We
played. man against man, amateur against pro. |
INhAlOnAl Inn FRGf N n N IInINl A. I |
told you, forty hours had licked off on the gam
ing house clock. When we quit the proprietor. |
as cheerful a loser as / ever met, said:
80 Now. Colonel, you've got your roll back
again. THO twenty thousand your friends
and the twelve thousand you came 30
near losing. and. by all that's great rs
he sized up the chipsl you're a thousand o!d
ahead ON the game. I'll match You for q bottle
Of wine and call everything square, but IN
And LEI mo tell you something he concluded. !
You'll never duplicate this luck. IL amt IN
The box. Take my advice. Sew that money up. |
a farm somewhere and never play faro
again as long as yon 1--we. You hear met"
And you haven't. either" exclaimed Dr!tter
with emphasis.
mo more ] heve," asscnted Col. Johnson.
' My second dose OF anti-g milling medicine set
me dead against faro. though ] enjoy looking AT |