The San Francisco call., 1898-08-14

He carried a large life insurance, so the death certificate read heart fail- ure," but the wife and some others knew that his last agony was from Iaudanum poisoning.
 The old gentleman could not shake off the fascination of faro and the large insurance soon went, the way of the large competence. A bullet through his brain, sent there by his own hand, saved him the horrible pangS of re- morse. The daughter did not long sur vive these misfortunes and passed away leaving her children the legacy of helpless aristocracy and poverty. The haplesS children in their turn were broken by misfortune.
 But the reign of faro on the Com stock is over. In the flush times when the dealers got SIS a shift and the bank turned in a big winning every night the county license of $100 per month cut no figure. But no money in the town meant no money in the faro banks and one by one the games failed to pay their licenses and were obliged to close. The dealers wages ran the gamut from $15 a night to $10, to$1 50, down, down, almost to just grub money"
 One night last week there was just one game running Daniels, better known as""Old Kentuck," was dealing, with his partner, John McCauley, on the lookout" in the rooms over the "Sawdust Corner" Outside the street was deserted and the voice of a Vau- deville artist singing forlornly in saloon across the way sounded like the wall of a mourner at a wake.
 Boys this is the last game" said '.Old Kentuck."
 And then he became reminiscent. T remember my start we'll" he said. T oh h11t Johnny PiHRR I dug up a dollar and half between us and l won $500 in Gold Hill at one sitting. That was the beginning"
 He sighed and fingered the card box fondly. , asked an old check guerrilla
 Yes, he was a shooter rom way back
 How many in his graveyard?"
 'Five here and they say he'd done some killin! back East. That man used to go out and shoot feller to change his luck when he was losin'."
 aThat so? That was an old trick of George Kirk's, too. What became of Kirk?"
 Gone below, by the vigilante route. They strung him up early one morn ing. time enough for him to get to the other place by the first call for break fast.''
 The little group laughed mournfully. This dying business in old Virginia has had a depressing effect and their spirits were not as high as in '64.
 "And I wonder where Jack Williams and Bill Brown and Jack Butler and Tom Peasley. are now?" ventured an other.
 All planted" piped up the old check guerrilla
 From the peaceful cemetery several times on their account
 The guerrilla is addicted to the quot ing habit and always spouts Shakes peare when he is drunk. Poor devil! There are happy, long forgotten col lege days way back in his history.
 "WelI, boys, here's the turn," broke in Kentuck.
 The bets were graveIy and carefully placed as Deftted the occasion
 The bank won.
 45 cents.
 Here. Tank, take this and bring us a drink" ordered Old Kentuck.
 Tank disappeared and presently came up with the glasses.
 Still the remnants of the old crowd hung around and ''reminisced" little longer, 10th to leave the place and see it close up for. good
 Old Kentuck was silent-was deep in thought
 , Finally he said. huslxily: Goodnight boys" Then he reached up to turn of , the electric lights.
 The little group filed out and Old Kentuck stood there in the dark nin- ute or two, then groped his way out and locked the door, And the days of faro on the Comstocb were over.