The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1898-03-01
Why lie ForeSwore Cards.
~ ~ ~ -
THREE ESCAPES THAT INDUCED A
MAN TO GIVE UP POKER.

Il
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
were ready, but the little man declined.
The pause that followed was a little
awkward. They did not even know one
another by name, and the wording OF
the refusal seem j curt. The little man
seemed to realize this, for after mo-
ment of silence he continued:
Nothing would have given me great
er pleasure year ago than to join you
in q game of poker. In fact, nothing
would give me greater pleasure now,
but am done with cards, and 7 believe
anyone of you would refuse, as do, il
cards had cost you what they have me-"
The others spoke few polite moth
ings, to the general effect that it was
free country and nobody was obliged
to play anything he didn't want to play,
and one-the youngest in the party
said:
"Unlucky. / suppose"
Him! Well, don't exactly know as
you'd call it that" said the little man,
rcflectively. II most always win when
play. orused to, that's; butIve had some
of the cussedest. narrowest squeahs
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 Us / 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"
''AIan 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 L mind spin
ming the yarn" said the little man after
little hesitation. seeing that you don't
any Of you know me, and you won't
any of you be likely to see me again
after we separate at the end of the trip.
Ii you knew me l wouldn't care to tell
1t just as it was, and it wouldn't be
first narrow 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-
seriousness that j deserved to go, and
according to my notion the knowledge
that you deserve punishment is deal
worse than the punishment itself.
THE game fascinated me, as it fas-
cinates everybody, think, who plays
it much. I played more and more, and
as i generally held my own, and won
more often than lost, got to playing
harder and harder till was not con-
tented with anything but big game
the bigger the better have Travelled
three times all the way between Chi
cago and Washington to get into game
with genuine high rollers. OF course
couldn't do that sort of thing without
good supply of ready money and a
considerable amount of spare time. L
had both, for / had fair cash capital
and business of my own that paid me
well. And my business was in such a
condition that could leave il to my en-
ployes for week at time.
"One night there was particularly
stiff game at the club freguented most
in New York, where / then lived. The
limit was off, and raise of thousand
was made several times during the even
ing. / had expected hot work, and had
put $4,000 in my pocket that afternoon.
There was one man in the game that l
particularly wanted to beat, partly be-
cause he was a noted player and had
never met him before. l watched him
carefully, and twice in the course of
three or four hours play was satisfied
that he took in fairly large pot on "a
bluff. had nothing in my own hand
either time, and didn't care to pay to
see his cards, but felt sure that If he
had bluffed twice successfully, as was
positive he had, he would do it again.
presently he tried it. OF course L
could only guspect him unless called.
but decided 20 rick IL, though had
only pair of eevens when came In
after the Jackpot wsn open, end hadn't
bettered IN tho dlnw. Vt had been
opened for $500, aud my antagonist had
raised Il thousand before the draw.
ThSt'a What made me como ~ ca 90
small hand, for 7 concluded he was
toying 20 steal Che pot, which WINS big