Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-08
A $500 ROLL.
Up Against "A Half Dollar For q Whole
Evening without knowing It.
The sporting man stood ut the bar

Up Against Half Dollar For a Whole
Evening without knowing 1t.
The sporting man stood IT the bar
toying idly with the dicoboX.
"Funny thing, Joe, he remarked
to tn" bartender, "how little saloon
gambling there is nowadays. Now,
th"r" WAS a time only few years
ago, when you couldn't go into
saloon up this way without hearing
tn" rattl" of the dicrbox
y plainly dressed young man
came III and ordered drink of whis-
ky. He gave ii a dash of ahsinthe,
tossed 1t of at one gulp, threw Is
cents ON the bar and glanced over
ut the sporting man.
"ShakUf' said the latter.
son" or two to kill time" said
the stranger.
The sporting man tossed half
dollar on the bar. The stranger did
likewise, In" dice rolled out, and the
stranger won. He won the second
and the third time, then lost twice
AMI won once more.
"lUcky start. remarked the
sporting man. Have something's"
Nothing fer me, thanks.
The sporting man Drank a hot
Scotch, anj the game went on. Half
an hour passed away, and the sport
was $40 behind the game.
"Makr it Il dollar and one shake, :"
he suggested.
Il never change my game, " said
the stranger.
EVERY wUll,' said the sporting
man good naturrdly. It's Il little
faster, that : all.
''ThiS is fast enough for me"
"Hav" Il drinllI'
"No, thanIls'
The sporting man drank another
hot Scotch. and the game went on
The lUCk WAS against him, and bis
losses grew with every shake. Once
i'll hi" hv.d make squirt and
win tarvr on four straight pots.
Then the stranger would win half a
dozen 10 m@Kc up for it. Two hours
had PASSED, and the sl orting man
was $40 i'll the hole. He grew ex.
cited
Ill shake YOU for $50 or quits, "
he SAID, hauling out roll as big
around rs his leg.
II never change my game, said
the other quietly.
IN another half hour the stranger
was 500 ahead, and the sporting
man WAS very nervous.
"Friend, will you oblige me by
having Il drink" he said.
Il really don't care to drink, "
SAID the stranger, and the sport
drank his Scotch alone once more.
Then there was turn in the luck.
Ten dollars went back to the sport
ing man in less than Is minutes.
Ten more followed it, and the sport 8
brow cleared. The stranger never
turned hair Gradually the half
dollars went back to their original
owner, and finally. after three hours
of play, the men were just where
they started.
"Now have drink" said the
sporting man, with a sigh of relief.
mo, thanks, said the stranger,
tossing Il half dollar on the bar and
picking up the box. Let's shake. "
In three throws he rolled out four
deuccs. The sporting man threw
four trays and hauled in the money.
'Thank you, remarked the stran-
ger, for Il pleasant evening""
You re not going to quit" said
the sporting man i'll Amusement.
Cant do anything else. Only
started with Il half dollar Icouldn't
drink with you without asking YOU
to drink, and / couldn't do that
without using money which meant
To give you II chance to win back.
Good day. and he walked out of
the saloon
well, I'm blankcd." said the
sport to the bartender. ITO think I
had Il roll of 500 up against his so
cents. Great Scott! If the luck
hadn I changed, he might have had
the whole roll, and l never had a
chance TO get more than that half
dollar. Give me another Scotch 4"
And, looking very pale, the sport
drank up his liquor, buttoned his
coat and went out.-New York Sun.