The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-10
TEST OF THE JACK POT.
Gamblers Search for Proof of Thee
Concerning WOmanIy weakness

Gamblers Search for Proof of Theory
Concerning a WOmanIy Weakness.
New York Sun.
Bent, but tail. with sparse whskers sell
dom trirnmed nearly seventy years old,
UNCLE Uriah used to sit in the poker game
placing his chips and his old eyes glittering
as he timorously skinned his hand. Patheti-
cally like Little Nell's grandfather he
locked sometimes. but he was at no des-
perate shift to obtain a stake, for he was
the posSessor of a competence and he
brought into the game the saving grace of
the parsimony to which he had been hab-
ituated in his earlier days in a New Hamp-
shire home He never bought more than S.
for the most part ante away waiting for
aces or better, and when he finally did get
good hand bare call represented the
climax Of his enterprise.
In those days there was always a game
on Sunday afternoons, and Uncle Uriah
counted upon to arrive directly after serv-
ice, and to sit in until the time for after
noon Sunday school. The boys used to joke
his stake ont of the contribution box, but to
this question and all others of similar lev
itty he opposed scared seriousness which
showed that his passion for the game was
more a weakness than vice.
Uncle Uriah lived with his two sisters
Abigail, aged sixty-three, and Ann, aged
ffty-five In New Hampshire they had been
called 1.-The girls but in Omaha the irrev-
erent, with rude directness, referred to them
1t did not take the boys in the game long
to discover that Uncle Uriah was in much
dread that she would discover his besetting
weakness. He would always shy at a new
player and he frequently held forth to the
boys ons the improperly of talking on the
outside about the features of the game.
II shd hate to hev the parson know" he
used to say Il wouldn't keer so much
wouldn't hev Sister Abigail know for the
biggest jack pot twas ever played on this
here table,
There was never any solution to the mys-
terry of how Sister Abigail discovered the
obliquity in Uncle Uriah's life. Some off,
cious neighoor may nave told her, or In an
have aroused her definite suspicious. AT
any rate, on particular Sunday afternoon
he arrived at the room at the regular time,
but without the key with which he in COM
mon with other participants in the game,
had been provided. The negro attendant
admitted him, and he was soon cngrossed
in the play.
There was a good jack pot on the table.
Uncle Uriah was in and was dealing. 1t
was his last say and the two men ahead
of him had bet $40 each. He had drawn one
card and the play was up to him. He had
not, however. looked at his draw when the
key turned in the snap lock of the front
door and Sister Abigail, pale with right
eous and terrible rage, strobe into the room
"Gambling?' she cried. And on the Lord s
day, with the church bells ringn' outside
and decent people fockin' to His worship.
she went on, turning to Uncle Uriah. You
better get on your buds right now and come
home"
II was comm in jffy," the old man said,
weak with fear Il guess might as well go
long with you as with anybody else" He
arose and steadied himself by holding the
chair.
Seth Coe was the coolest hand in the
game. Even Sister Abigail had not discon-
certed him. He reached over and turned up
Uncle Uriah's hand. 1t was a flush.
You better straighten this pot out be-
fore you go, Uncle said Coe Your call,
of course l suppose flush is go0d?' Coe
asked. turning to the other players. They
nodded assent. Coe stacked up the chips.
"FOrty-three dollars here" he said, push
ing them toward Uriah
The old man started inStinctively toward
the pot and then remembered Sister Abb
gail. He stopped and waited tremblingly
for her decision.
1t seemed to the players who turned from
the weak and timid old man to the domi-
nant woman that at this critical test some
thing of her moral rigidity relaxed She
did not sweep the chips to the floor. She
said nothing about ill-gotten gains. With
Gus construction of the throat She grasped
her skirts firmly and swept toward the
door.
''Uriah," she said with dignity IT will
wait for you in the hall at the foot of the
stairs"
After Uncle Uriah had obtained his s4S
and departed Seth Coe said in his leisurely
The old man didn't have a flush. I
slipped in a card to fill ii out for him.
reckoned you fellows wouldn't mind payin
once more for positive proof that, no matter
what kind of a woman she is, she's al
ways in with yer play when you win the