The L'Anse sentinel., 1898-10-01
TOM HALLS LUCK
How Bible Figured In Faro Game.
BY WILLIAM q. TAAFE.

tom HALL had "got religion"
There was no doubt aboutit. The
news was public property in the pre-
tentious) little Nevada town, and as n
sensation it was a decided success.
Even had Tom denied it-which he did
not-the daily and nightly evidences
he gave of his conversion were indis-
putable. He resigned his position as
day shift behind the bar Of the "Golden
Palace;" a seat was no longer kept for
him at Donovan's faro tables, and IL
little. Moreover, when accused of go
ing to the little white church on the
hill on a certain Sunday, in company
with the young lady school-teacher of
the town, he Lad turned angrily upon
his interlocutor and pertinently in
quired "if it was anybody's confounded
business whether he did or not?" 1t
was no point against the prevailing
contention that Tom had not immedi-
ately dropped the emphatic vernacu-
lar of his environment.
Now, Tom, ii the truth were known,
had never considered himself great
sinner, and it was doubtful if he was
filled with any penitence at all for his
past life. In his converted state he had
resolved to do and not to do certain
things, as to which Miss Dawson, the
teacher, had very decided opinions.
But secretly his private views on NOR
ais were still rather broad and liberal,
and he saw no particular harm in TAX
ing a drink at proper intervals, gam
bling when the deal was fair and 9TH
erwise partakirg in a moderate way
of the various enjoyments provided by
the town in tLo sagebrush. In short,
Tom was more converted to Miss
Dawson than he was to the church.
But although the town wisely con-
cluded that the step taken was not al
together devoid of worldliness, it took
a malicious delight in clothing him
figuratively in the garb of an an
chorite.
The church on the hill, as was nat
ural, felt proud of its new member,
but Miss Dawson felt prouder. The
young lady would, indeed, have been
hypocritical had she felt any chagrin
on being accompanied by the young
and handsome neophyte.
One Sunday the pastor announced
that it was very desirable that the
church be provided with new organ.
He proposed that the fund for this pur-
pose be realized in a way novel to that
locality, at least. The members of the
congregation were individually to
pledge themselves to raise money by
the performance of service, or by
the manufacture or sale of something
inexpensive, ard afterward the differ
ent accounts of the various expert
ences were to be given, which in itself
promised considerable amusement.
Tom Hall went to his rooms and gave
the subject deep and profound consid-
Grafton. He was not long in deciding
In which objection lay the prospect of
success for his best endeavor.
The following night he astonished
the players at Donovan's faro tables
by walking into the place and drop
ping into his old seat. He at once
bought $25 worth of red, white and
blue chips.
"W-e-ll," came from the amazed Dr.
Toots.
"Backslidin'," said Jim Heffner, the
lookout. apparently to himself.
Tom was seemingly oblivious to these
and other remarks.
"I'll keep cases." he said, cheerfully
as he reached for the case-rack and
pushed back the buttons. Then he
placed couple of bets on the board
and said:
"Let her CO."
The crowd in the room drew near
and silently watched the play as the
cards began to slip from the nicke
box under the deft fingers of the deal
er; nothing was heard but the click
of the cases and the rattle of the chips
as bets were placed; the lookout, ap
parently indifferent to the game ant
yet the personification of alert watch
fulness, lolled on his high chair ant
pulled lazily his cigar; the dealer, II
his shirt sleeves, was impassiveness IT.
self.
The first deal and Tom had lost. Al
the end of the second he bought an
other stack Of chips, to which he sooi
added third. The cards were no
coming his way, but he was too ex
perienced gambler to show th'
slightest annoyance. Nonchalantl,
he drew from his pocket a silk hand
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