The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-24
GREENHoRN'S POKER HAND.
HELD AN ACE FULL AND DIDN'T
KNOW HE HAD WON.
Rich Experience of COuntryman
in a Nest OF Gamblers on "a Nissis-
sippi SteambOat-IIow the Pot Was
saved to Him.

From the Kansas City Journal.
Years ago. saw a man walk up 10
table in gambling house out west" said
the gray-haired, young-looking man,
where number of other men were play
ing cards. He looked on for few mo-
ments in silence, and then, addressing one
OF the players, he said; What is this
game, anyhow
Loo said the other, briefly.
4" We'll. how do you play it?' asked the
newcomer.
The man addressed looked up impa-
tiently. If you want to learn the game he
exclaimed, rather rudely why don't you
buy chips and sit in?'
- L will said the other and according
ly he bought a stack and took a hand in
the next deal looked at him he play
ed and was satisfied from his expression
Chat he really was ignorant of what he
was doing He grinned as he threw down
his cards, evidently at random, and made
no move to take tricks he won until they
were showed toward him. AT the end OF
the deal. however, there came 10 him $S4
over and above has stakes.
He looked at the chips a moment and
then laughed. I guess I'll cash in he
said. This is the only game | ever played
that know absolutely nothing about and
it's the only game I'm ahead of. l think
I'll stay ahead And taking his money ne
quit the table.
ut did seem such a remarkable thing
to happen In the game they were play
ing though / confess / don't know much
about loo myself, but il had a sort OF
amusing interest to me-, and | caught my
self wondering two or three times after
ward what would be likely to happen if
| a real greenhorn should get into game
| of poker without knowing it. OF course
a man couldn't play al all without know
| ing something about it, for he couldn't
| even bet right so a precisely similar case
couldn't occur, but 1 did see something
| that afterward reminded me of it good
while afterward on a Mississippi steam
| boat.
1T was in IA if 1 remember right. At
| all events, it wasn't long after the panic
| of '7S had played havoc with good many
| business interests and had made money
| scarce with most people. AS rule l
| don't think hard times interfere very Sc
riously with gambling, but, on the contra
| ry, as it seems to me, men gamble more
| when they are in need of money than
when they have plenty. The reason is
| obvious and 1t isn't necessary to tell what
| generally happens.
"At the time l speak of, though. money
was very scarce, and the river gamblers
| caught very few victims. AS a conse-
quence there was game of dog eat dog
going on. -Four men whom 1 knew as
| professionals had started down the river
/ from St. Louis hoping TO get a game with
a certain commission merchant who was
! on the same boat 1t wouldn't be fair to
mention his name, for he was a good
| fellow but he was generally looked upon
as a good thing, and had never before
been known 10 refuse a friendly game
! when he was on the river
"This time. however, he absolutely re-
| fused to play. Whether it was because he
actually hadn't the money to play with,
or whether he had some other good rea-
I son, deponent sayeth not, but it is a fact
that there were four of the most sullen
and exasperated gamblers on the boat
that 1 ever happened to meet. They
started to do one another in default of
easier prey and, as l said, it was dog
eat dog
Nobody interfered, for there was no rea-
son to do so, and it would have required
strong provocation TO induce anybody to
say anything to any one of the four, but /
was one of half dozen or so who looked
on with deep interest. There was sure 10
be some beautiful play, and there was a
!
of the four would fight at the drop of a
hat. And row between men who really
know how to fight is an interesting thing
to see.
THE play went on for the best part OF
an evening, however, without any partic.
uiar excitement, beyond the winning Of
three or four large pots. Each man play
ed close to his breast and only twice die
l see anything that looked like a bluff
t. 9TH fpaAG nlaVArs
studied their hands and their chances
carefully each time and laid down, though
| believe they were certain that the play
was a bluff, and that there would hav'
been a call if anybody had held ever
small pair.
Presently the boat stopped at New
Madrid, and, after the usual delay il
loading and unloading freight, started Of
, / again. New Madrid wasn't much of
place for passengers then, but Two other
, got on. and among them was one wh1
looked to. me like a farmer He wa
a man of perhaps 40 years of age plainl,
dressed, and rough in appearance. witt
apparently no surplus endowment o
, brains, though he would not be pickle
up as an exceptional fool He looked t
be Just an average countryman.
ale drifted into the main saloon wher
the gamblers were playing after he ha
been to the bar for a drink, and afte
) sauntering around the room for a fey
minutes, looking at things as a .greenhor
will he came up to where we sat watch
ing the game. Immediately he seeme
to be fascinated, and looked wit
great amazement al the way in which tn
money was being staked They were play
inf S. ante, and each man had good
wad in sight.
{ pretty soon his excitement got the bet
ter of him. and he spoke to one of tn
players, That's poker you're playing
= amt it?' he asked with an innocent accen
that cannot reproduce.
Yes; said the gambler, CURLY. II
did not look up, but l knew he was OF
y serving the stranger closely. The idea c
: any man 40 years old in that part of tn
: world being doubtful as to whether a gam
was poker or not seemed a Transparent
humbug. and l am sure the men though
as | did at first. that he was pretendin
p ignorance.
q His next words seemed to bear OF
the presumption. I've played little a
7 it, back in the woods, he said, but neve
rightly got the hang Of 1t. and I'd like
, learn something more Would the gentle
men let me join the game. and go littl
: easy with me at first, till I see how
| MI