The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-23

your retirement. This time you are not
alone twenty miles away; you are 10000,
20,OOO,OOO miles in the distance, and YOU
really can't traverse the ground. Cali me.
-" 'Conkling.f replied Little Phil with
those two red fighting spots of his burning
brightly on his cheekbones, you're a stu
pendous buffer, and I'll see you dangling
from that sour apple tree of yours first.
l raise you the limit
" In that case. said Conkling, stutflng
his hand into the desk, the pots yours
not that l haven't got you beat, of course,
but
"And Conkling, caught red-handed in
one of his Brobdignagian bluffs, took with
the greatest good nature the long laugh
that we all gave him.
II was in the game one night during the
winter of 70, when both Conl1ling and
Sheridan were players. 1t was four
handed game. and John Chamberlin was
the other player. The game at Chamber
Inns was always for S. limit at first v it'll
the understanding that along toward
morning, after a couple of hours of warm
ing UP, anybody could suggest the removal
of the limit if he wanted to. The way
Conkliug and Sheridan bluffed each otner
that night was a caution. Both men seem
ed to strike out luck altogether as an ele-
ment in their good-natured play against
each other, and as both of them caught
fine hands occasionally when engaged in
this tug-of-war of bluffing, neither of them
could get an exact line on the other and it
was better than play TO study their faces
at the show-downs. Conkling was hev-
ing all of the success during the latter part
of the night, and ii was fun to hear Little
Phil, softly utter dark aud woolly things
under his breath when time after time
Conkling would show a hand consisting of
nothing at all after having scared Sherl-
dan out, or produce a gorgeous set Of
fours or a full hand at such times as
Sheridan, deciding that the senator was
bufIing, would call him.
" Bite him, Sheridan Chamberlin
would say. amusedIy, on these occasions,
and Sheridan would tell Chamberlin to
go 10 the dickens, and call for another
Geek of cards.
I'VE started the last round of jackpots
with new deck. Sheridan dealt the first
mess himself, and after it had gone around
and none of the three of us could open it,
Sheridan opened il himself Neither
Chamberlin or l had any right TO stay
on our hands, aud so it was left between
Sheridan and Conbling who stayed.
Conkling took three cards and turned his
little pair into threes. Sheridan 1ished
himself out three cards, and bit his ciger
hard when he saw his hand. He made a
IS bet to draw Oonkling out. and the SEN
atOr raised him $25. 1t passed between
them with these $25 bets until there was
nearly $500 in the pot, both men scrutiniz-
ing each other pretty carefully at each
bet.
I don't know so much about you this
time said Conkling, finally, and l think
III just call you for safety
Both laid their hands down at the
same time. ConkIing had three mines. and
he looked at Sheridan strangely when he
saw the color of Sheridan's three aces.
Both Chanberlin and myself also saw
what was wrong at the some instant but
we only smiled and let the two men have
it out. Sheridan had broad grin on his
face, and was just about to rake in the
pot. ConlSing was gazing at the little
man of iron with puzzled look in his
eyes.
oh, I say, there, Phil, just wait a
minute said he Do you really think
that pot belongs TO you"
" Belongs to me?' said Sheridan. wen
it does if the nose on my face belongs to
me and again he reached over to noe
in the pot.
"Conkling ran his hand through his hair
and aga.n stopped Sheridan with a ges-
ture.
81 don't remember ever having seen
that sort Of thing before, he said. Did
you. PHILIP
See what sort of thing before?' said
Sheridan. What in bIazes are YOU talk
ing about, Conkling?
For reply Conklng put one finger upon
one Of sheridans Gees and then pointed to
another one of the aces.
" 4 never saw a jackpot won with three
aces, two of which happen 10 be aces
of diamonds, SAID Gonklng, smiling.
Sheridan looked at his hand. lying
face up upon the table before him, and mis-
face became fiery red. The consternat ton
on his countenance was really funny.
why, said he. after a minute, blamed
if don't believe I'm nothing better than
an involuntary swindler. That other ace
you see, is a club. l opened the pot on a
pair Of red aces, and they were. of course.
these aces of diamonds. Chamberlin
turning to the amused boniface, turn me
out Of doors as fraud and a short-card
player, viii YOU?
" And have the army fire a volley over
the ruins of my house| replied Cha nber-
lin Hardly. Anyhow ia rather see
you and Conkling engage in a rough-and
tumble fight over the thing. Go ahead
the pair Of you. Wen see fair play, turn
ing 10 me.
"Of course, the extra ace of diamonds
had slipped into the deck accidentally be-
fore it had left the Manufacturers rauds;
but Sheridan, when he had in a measure
recovered from the surprise OF the revela-
ton. made a humorous pretension that he
had known the whole thing all along, and
convulsed the three of as by feelingly APP
pealing to Conkling to refrain from expos
ing him to the world, for the sake of his
family, and ell that kind of thing The
hand being foul, the pot was, Of course
divided.
"ConkEng was a peculiarly generous
poker player One night, when Senator
Zach Chandler was one of the players,