The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-06-11
Why lie FOreswOre Cards.
THREE ESCAPES THAT INDUCED A
MAN TO GIVE Up POKER.

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DON'I care 10 play, said the quiet
little man in the smoking COM
partment on the first evening OF the
trip eastward from San Francisco. There
were only four men on the car who had
thus far shown signs Of being COM
panionable. and he was one Of the four.
They had dined and were enjoying their
cigars together. The talk was desultory
and amounted to little. One proposed
game OF cards, and two of the Others
ere ready. but the little man declined.
The pause that followed was a little
.wkward. They did not even know one
another by name. and the wording Of
the refusal seemed curt. The little man
seemed TO realize this, for after mo-
ment of silence he continued:
Nothing would have given me great
err pleasure year ago than to join you
in game of poker. In fact, nothing
would give me greater pleasure now,
but am done Mth cards. and believe
anyone of you would refuse. as do. if
cards had cost You what they have me"
The others spoke few polite moth
ings, to the general effect that it was q
free country and nobody was obliged
70 play anything he didn't want to play,
and one-the youngest in the party
said:
-Unlucky, suppose"
H'ml Wen. don't exactly know as
you'd call it that" said the little man.
refiectively. 7 most always win when /
play. or used to. that's; butI've had some
of the cussedest. narrowest squeaks
In the game that could easily be i'm
agined, and made up my mind some
time since that I'd had enough of EN-.
And as / can't play cards without get
ting back into poker. just naturally
quit cards"
STORY about it?' asked the young
man.
~Y-yes. Sort Of. But I'm no story
teller
Man won't play cards. Ought TO do
something" This was the young mans
appeal TO the other two. They nodded
~Well. / don't know as mind spin
ming the yarn" said the little man after
little hesitation. seeing that you don't
anv 81 Won know me-. and Won won't
any Of Won he likely IA see me acain
after We Generate A. the end ~ the trir
II you knew me ! wouldn't care TO tell
lt just as It was. and 1t wouldn't be
worth teIl,nv any other wav The
1rst marrow escape had was from
state prison, and good deal worse. At
least ! count Il was worse. for would
have taken with me TO prison the con-
rcIousnees that / deserved To 90. and
according 10 nv notion the knowledpe
shat YOU deserve punishment is a deal
I>roree than the punishment itself
.srha rame fascinated me ne II +as-
cinatca evervhodv. I thirk vbo nlars
II r,nck. 7 nlavrd more and nore and
81. I .rne~.ilv h.ld nv go, ar5 80,
|nnrs often than Lost I COT 70 nlav;ng
harder and harder tin / was not con-
Tented with ANYTHING but a big game
|the BIGGER the better. I have travelled
E<hree times all the wav between Chi
|car1 and Washington to get into a game
'wifh genuine high rollers. OF course
"a couldn't do that sort of thing without
4 good suppIv Of ready money and a
considerable amount of snare time.
had both. for had a fair cash capital
ana business Of nv own that Maid me
meIl. And NV business was in such a
condition that l could leave II to nv en-
Moves Tor week at a time
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