The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-26
BEETLE WINS A JACKPOT.
Sam Williams. Relates n Yarn Of Civil
War Card rlay.

The trade of killing men. which Is
The chief end of war, so far from de-
pressing soldiers, seems to actually en-
liyen them. causing a return To the
pranks Of their schoolboy days. This
has been the history of war In all ages.
and many Of the best stories i'm the
world are those Of military life. sam
williams. the old-time editor of the
Chicago Newspaper Union, tells of an
amusing incident that occurred in Mis-
sissippi while he was a soldier I'm the
rebel army.
About a mile from the camp a poor
man suddenly died. He had lived alone
in "A little cabin. and there was no one
To bury him. Learning of this, Sam
and three other members of his COM
pany obtained cave of absence to go
and perform the last sad rites. They
arrived at the cabin about nightfall
and placed the body I'm a rude coffin
they had brought with them. With
something of the sentiment of civil life.
they decided to keep watch and vigil
beside the coffin until morning. as their
leave of absence extended until the fol-
lowing day. They had brought some
andes with them. one OF which, fitted
in a tin candlestick. was o burning
upon the coffin.
Time soon began To drag a little
heavily and one OF the party sug-
gested a game of poker. sam. as he
tells the story. objected tn his. but the
majority ruled. n with beans for
chips. the cards were soon dipping mer-
rily upon the coffin, there being no
table in the room.
The second andle was less than an
inch long" said Sam. when the great
event of the night occurred. The game
had been n warm one and several hun
dred dollars lay upon the coffin. IL was
AA.fAlArntA NAnax xx+nrfh MI N Gnanl III
fraction of its face value. but IL was
all we had inc was priced accordingly.
The great event was a jacket of sur
prising proportions. h climax of the
long play. The cards had been dealt
and several preliminary raises submit
ted to. when | noticed a large beetle,
fully an inch and "A half in length,
crawling toward me on the floor.
STOPPING down. without attracting at
tsntion. | secured the insect. Just then
I received a card. which CHANGED to be
a diamond, instead of the heart | need
ed to make me an ace flush. | had not
money enough before me to blum the
others out but felt that I could not af-
ford to lose the pot. In a m my
plan was matured. Under the pretext
Of snufing the candle. l placed the
huge bug under the candlestick. In the
meantime the betting was high, raise
swiftly following raise.
II wonder what the lead man would
say to this ! remarked. in a sepul-
chral voice. as I threw I'm my hand. lie
might give you boys a pointer II he
wanted to-
"A start. followed by something like
a shudder. ran through the party, all
looking up from their cards. Throwing
as wild a stare into my eyes as | could
command. I looked toward the candle
stick. which the imprisoned beetle vas
dragging slowly toward the hea of tie
coffin.
"A yell OF dismay burst from ,he lips
OF the three frightened soldiers. and all
broke wildly for the open door. Seeing
that they did not return. l gathered up
the scattered cards. md. Incidentally,
the honey released the beetle end
waited for morning. With the help 4
a negro ! buried the body and reached
the camp in time for breakfast. I had
money To spend for weeks. and not ore
of my three comrades ever aske1 ms
where I got it."-Chicago Chronicle.