The record-union., 1898-03-23

fun to hear Little Phil softly utter
dark and woolly things under his
breath when, time after time, Conkling
would show hand consisting of moth
or a full hand at. such times as Sheri-
out, or produce a gorgeous set OF tours
or full hand at such times as Sheri-
dan, deciding that the Senator was
bluffing, would call him.
Bite him, Sheridan Chamberlain
would say amusedly on these occasions,
and Sheridan would tell Chamberlain
to go to the dickens, and call for anoth-
er deck of cards.
1--WE started the last round of jack
pots with a new deck Sheridan dealt
the first mess himself. and, after it
had gone around and none OF the three
OF us could open 1t, Sheridan opened it
himself Neither Chamberlain nor had
any right to stay on our hands, and
SO it was left between Sheridan and
Conkling, who stayed
"Conklng took three cards and
turned his little pair into threes Sheri-
dan dished himself out three cards, and
be bit his cigar hard when he saw his
hand. He made 50 bet to draw Conk-
ling out, and the Senator raised him
SO. 1t passed between them With these
$50 bets until there was nearly $500 in
the pot, both men scrutini2ing each
other pretty carefully at each bet.
Il don't know SO much about you,
this time, said Conkling finally, and [
think I'll just call you for safety
Both laid their hands down at the
same time Conkling had three nlnes,
and he looked at Sheridan strangely
when he saw the color of Sheridan's
three aces. Both Chamberlain and my
self also saw what was wrong at the
same instant, but we only smiled and
let the two men have it out. Sheridan
had a broad grin on his face, and was
just about to rake in the pot. Conkling
was gazing at the little man of iron
with puzzled look in his eyes.
g Oh. I say, there, Phil, just wait
minute, said he. DO you really think
that pot belongs to your
4" Belongs to me?' said Sheridan
Well, it does if the nose on my face be-
longs to me and again he reached
over to hoe in the pot.
"Conkling ran his hand through his
hair, and again stopped Sheridan with
a gesture.
I 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 blazes are you
talking about, Conkling?
For reply, Conkling put one finger
upon one Of Sherjdans aces and then
pointed to another one of the aces.
I never saw a jackpot won with
q l. sat, 10, 20
be aces of diamonds said Conkling,
smiling
Sheridan looked at his hand. lying
face up on the table before him, and his
face became fiery red The consterna-
ton on his countenance was really
funny.
Why said he, after a minute,
blamed if I don't believe I'm nothing
better than an involuntary swindler.
That other ace, you see, is a club. I
opened the pot on a pair of red aces.
and they were, of course, these aces of
diamonds. Chamberlain turning to the
amused boniface, turn me out Of doors
as fraud and a short card player, will.
your
And have the army fire volley
over the ruins of my house?' replied
Chamberlain. Hardly Anyhow, I'd
rather see you and Conkling engaged in
a rough and tumble fight over the
thing. Go ahead, the pair of you Well
see fair play turning to me.
"Of course. the extra ace of diamonds
had slipped into the deck accidentally
before it left the manufacturers
hands; but Sheridan, when he had in
a measure recovered from the surprise
of the revelation, made a humorous
pretension that he had known the
whole thing all along, and convulsed
the three of us by feelingly appealing
to Conkling to refrain from exposing
him to the world, for the sake of his
family, and all that kind of thing. The
hand being foul, the pot was, of course,
divided.
"Conkling was a peculiarly generous
poker player. One night, when Senator
Zach Chandler was one Of the players,
Conkling was the beneficiary of mir
acle that does not often happen to
man even once in a lifetime. Chandler
dealt him a pat royal flush. 1t was
jackpot. Neither Wade Hampton, who
was the other player. nor myself
caught anything that would justify US
in drawing cards, and so the thing was
between Conkling and the Senator
from Michigan. Conkling, of course,
stood pat, and Chandler drawing two
cards, filed, and had four tens, on
which he began his betting. He bet
500.
"Pat or no pat, Conkling,' said he
in making the bet I've got that mis-
cradle sl1inflint straight of yours wal
Come at me-
"Conkling folded up his hand and
looked Chandler in the eye.
You're a pretty rich man, Zach, are
you not? said he.
'Middling rich said Chandler.
"'And you've got pretty good hand
--eh. Zach?
Worth a couple of years of my pay
as a toga-wearer, supposing I've got
good game man to buck against
Unbeatable, zach?'
Practically
well Chandler, said Conkling,
you may be pretty well fixed in that
hand, but I've got one here that l am
convinced no gentleman ever ought to
play and he spread out his pat royal
flush.
Chandler looked at the hand for a
moment in silence.
'Conkling,' said he finally, you're
a queer mixture of Don Quixote and
Prince Charlie-which means, or ought
to mean. that you're a id good fell
low Washington Star.
RESTORING A LOST ART.