The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-26

constipation and make the blood rich and
pure. They never grippe. By druggists.
money That makes business for the
gamblers. / was called over to Gentry &
Crittenden's late one evening in August
1870 by a friend to see a stiff game among
the big bugs of the Comstock lode, and 1
wouldn't have missed seeing that game
for small fortune. Gentry & Crittenden
ran the most prodigal gambling house
ever known on this continent, and I've
been in all of them from Mexico to Van
couver, and Boston TO Honolulu. This
firm every month set aside 5000 for ia
bic expenses alone, for wine flowed as
freely as spring water at Saratoga. A
bettor did not ask if there was a limit
to the game. A sport who had sand and
cash enough might bet $4,000 on single
card. The banks hackers counted their
millions as eastern gamesters counted
their thousands. A big buffer of a silver
miner named Calkins had come to Vir-
ginia City~at the time I speak Of He
owned the richest silver mine in New
Mexico at that time, and could have sold
his property any day for a million and a
half. He was known as a millionaire in
good standing with the San Francisco
banks and bankers, and his telegram was
good with Mackey, Flood and OBrien
for S500000 The old fellow, with his cor
duroy trousers tucked in his boots and
his greasy, dirty sombrero and smoking
stogy cigars, was a welcome guest any
where in Nevada He chatted an hour
with Senator Sharon, and after getting
| two bottles Of Pommery Sec inside of
him he sauntered into the faro room.
Give me stack of thousand-dollar
! fish" (chips) said Calkins.
" Certainly, all you want replied the
suave Crittenden, nephew of the Ken
lucky United States senator of that name.
zone thousand went on the jack and
was lost. Call1ins lost $1,000 without win
ming bet. He swore and got outside an
other bottle of Sec. Luck changed, and
at a. m. he was $4,000 ahead of the game.
That was about the time I got there to
| see the game. Heavensi but il was
game.
FLUSHED with victory, Calkins ordered
case of wine for the house. But the
genius of faro is tickle. The old man made
a call with s1,OOO bill and picked up 5000.
Luck failed him from that moment At
break of day the burly fellow, without
handing in a dollar, had blown in just
Sal 900 He was cross as a bear with
sore head, but tried to smile. One thou
sand on the ace. IL lost. Old Calkins rose
and said slowly, as if each word weighed
pound: 'Crittendon, l reckon I've had
fun enough for this one jamboree,' and
ordering a basket of wine for the house
he seated himself at Gentrys ebony desk,
and cool as q cucumber drew a check on
John w Mackay's bank for $4,000 When
the wine was opened the dealer, in a mild,
matter-of-fact way, said: This game is
now closed "
"Win you tell me about some oe the
most remarkable hands and luckiest draws
in poker games you have ever seen?' said
the visitor 10 the gambler.
well you want to know about great
hands and big draws in honest games
only, l suppose, because you know moth
ing is strange In crooked games such as
were more in fashion when / was 20 years
younger than nowadays. Every man
around a table would hold five aces II you
dealt them to him, and there would be
nothing remarkable about that, but speak
ing of five aces reminds me that knew
OF five aces being held in a square game.
I'm Denver there is big poker going on
every night and there are only genuine
gentlemen in the game. Three Of them
have been ColOrado's prize statesmen at
Washington, and two of them have been
millionaires since they were youths. At
the beginning Of the game each one takes
$500 worth Of chips. No money ever passes
a the table. The game is unlimited Wen.
Il has limits, 000-but 5000 is about the
same as no limit They always play with
two decks Of cards, and while one Is dealt
the other Is shufiled ready for the next
deal. About two years ago four gentle
men were playing in the game. One had
a straight flush pat and another held three
aces before the draw. They soon exhaust
ed their little $500 worth OF chips, and then
bet their thousands. Finally the man with
the three aces called for the draw. In the
draw he got two more aces. making FIVE
aces In his hand. He showed his hand
right away, saying there was evidently
mistake In the deck. The man with the
straight flush claimed the money. Then
the two left the decision TO the other gen.
tlemen about the table, and the referees
decided the bets Off BY a mistake the
extra ace had been shifted from one deck
into the other. Now, perhaps it wasn't
very remarkable that one card should get
into the wrong deck, but think Of that ace
being next another ace, and that these two
aces should be dealt 20 a man who already
had three aces In his hand All over Col
oradO that hand Us famous among profess
sional card players.
Several years ago I was IN Helena,
Mont, and had been playing IN hard luck
for twenty days 1 was dead sure my luck
would change on the twcnty-nrst day, be-
cause that has Away been my mascot day.
Well on that day had TO borrow $500 to
get Into n game. ono time when ! was
dealing q man across the table had aces
up and held a king fun on queens.
knew what he had, and ! knew there was
another ace right az the bottom OF the
pack ! knew what he had before the
draw. and knew whore third ace lay In
the deck. I didn't know what card 1 gave
him when he called for one. Now. you
know q man might play hundred years