The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-21
A POKER PLAYERS NERVE
How His Presence of Mind Averted
Raid.

educator, remarked an Olu tllleI elie
other day. ut teaches great nerve
and presence of mind, and that re-
minds me of an exhibition of both that
came under my observation some time
ago. A crowd of US used to congre-
gate in a cigar store not far from the
city hall, kept by a man whom we
called Charlie, and we never failed to
get up a seven-handed game at
quarter limit. On the night in ques-
ton we had The full complement Of
regulars, around two of whom this
story centers. One of them was q fei-
low named Stone, loud-mouthed,
reckless player, who bluffed with the
same cheerfulness that he bet up a
full hand. Whenever he made win
ner ne carried OH most of the money.
The other was a youngster who had
his first vote, was a quiet, careful
player who did not bet unless he had
EN-. His name was Hunter
well, the game went on in lively
fashion, but, strange to say, Stone and
Hunter won everything in sight. They
had all the CHIPS between them, Char
Lies supply having run out, and the
rest of US putting UP cash when we
opened a pot.
1T was my deal, and, as was the
custom, put UP 50 cents, the dealer
putting up for each player in order
to avoid trouble with the ante. Hun
ter had first say and passed, the next
man opening for a quarter, Stone MAX
ing it half We all stayed out except
Hunter and the opener, who did not
like to quit. Hunter drew one card,
the opener three. and Stone stood pat,
with the remark that he had cinch.
The opener bet the limit and Stone
made it a half without looking. Hun
ter shuff1ed up his five cards slowly,
like a man after a flush or a middle
straight. Then he opened out his hand
carefully; his eyes dilated slightly as
he looked it over. Then he made ii rs.
The opener stayed and Stone raised.
Hunter raised back and the opener
stayed. Stone came back again and
Hunter boosted. The opener quit leav-
ing Stone and Hunter 10 fight it out.
They raised back and forth, Stone
keeping up a steady commend, calcu-
lated to give the impression that he
could not be beaten, while Hunter
frequently ran over his cards to make
sure of what he had
" It's like finding money said Stone,
as he raised again at a certain point.
1t pains me to take it
" You can have it if you win it,
said Hunter, quietly raising again. DO
you think l can tie your
:" TIL bet two to one I've got the
winning hand, shouted Stone.
. That's another of your bluffs, 1
guess, said Hunter.
. Well, here's what I've got of it,
said Stone, flashing a roll of bills.
. tn take $40 worth of that replied
Hunter, and the $50 were placed in
Charles hands.
I've got another proposition to
make, just to show I can't be beaten,
said Stone. Let's make the limit ST.
II 1o.oI L;
and said: Go ahead The crowd
which surrounded the table became in
terested at this stage and there were
many efforts to see what kind of hands
the men held. But each chung to his
cards now, With the backs up, and
there was no seeing what they con-
tanned. In a few minutes the chips
We're all on the table and the bills be-
gan to flash. After awhile Hunters
stock became exhausted, but, as he
reached his last dollar, he said:
That's my last dollar. III have to
call you unless you'll take my l. 0. u
Certainly. You're good for it,
said Stone, with a flourish, and the
betting went on.
Reports of the big game had been
noised around and by this time the
! little back room was crowded to SUI
! location with frequenters of the place
After Hunters l. o. u. had reached
the respectable proportion of $50, he de-
clded to call, and everybody held his
breath for the show down.
SO you quit at last said Stone
| Well, I've got EN- all blue from nine to
king. He had king high straight
flush of spades.
I'VE waited for Hunter to throw his
cards iato the pack, but he didn't.
Funny said he calmly, I've got the
same kind of a flush, only mine finishes
up with an ace With that he showed
down an ace high straight flush, at the
same time informing us that he had
filled in the ace.
'Of course, everybody had something
to say about the two hands, the like
OF which had never occurred before in
that place. Then speculation became
rife as to the size of the pot. Hunter
picked up all the coin and put it in his
| pocket. Then he took his hat and,
scraDing all the chips into it, asked
Charlie to count them. Charlie took the
hatful of chips behind the counter out
Of sight, putting them away for an in
slant while he waited on a customer
''It was at his point that the exhibit
ton Of presence of mind occurred. Hun
ter was dealing the next hand. and was
just finishing when there was rattle
over the cobbIe stones outside. and a
patrol wagon stopped in front of the
store.
3" Cheese it, the hurry up shouted
one of the lookouts, but before anybody
could recover the police We're at the
back room door.
AS 1 said before, Hunter was just
finishing the deal, and as the sergeant
appeared in the doorway. Hunter turn
ed ND the next card, which hapepned
to be the king of hearts, and shouted
rather boisterously:
Hearts are trumps, boys, and you'll
have to play better euchre if you want
to stop my run of luck. Where's the
chalk? All, here it is picking up a
piece of chalk, which had been used in
the previous game of pinochle He
marked two Ks on the table, and pasSe
the chalk to the next man. We all We're
pretty frightened for a moment. but
his GOODNESS and nerve gave us conf
dence, and each in turn put down a
double X.
Then Hunter continued: Say, Char
lie, that makes 80 cigars I've won SO
far, and if things go my way as they've
done so far I'll have q box.
This sly reference to the big pot he
had just won set US laughing, despite
the presence of the police, and we went
on with our game of euchre as if we
had been playing that game all night
Everybody passed, and then Hunter
picked it UP with the remark: SO would
l if l had your hand.
In the meantime the sergeant of po-
lice looked on while his men stood be-
hind him. Then he said: I thought you
fellows were playing poker
H.