Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-04-27
TOO MUCH GOOD LUCK.
A Tenderfoot Who Had II in Abb.
lene,


on that game for good and ALL said
an official connected with the geolog.
ical survey. at happened at Abb,
lene, Kas., when the railroad was be-
ing pushed by that tough place.
was a young attache Of the surveying
corps, and | took it into my head one
night, against the advice of the older
men, to mingle in the joyous life OF
Abilene. I've seen good many
towns Of bad men since then, but
none Of them ever classed for a min
ute with Abilene. | wouldn't want
any part Of it, even for night, now
that I'm older and in a fair way to
pick up some sense after awhile, but
this night just wanted to mix with
hard propositions with guns strapped
to their waists, and | did. They
didn't seem to me TO be bad at all,
and they took me in hand and treated
me right. Around about midnight
got into poker game with four heavy
artilleried chaps at Toole Kings
ley's famous faro bank. One of my
tablemates- but | didn't find this out
until later-was one of the really
famous bad men of the Indian Terri
tory, Bud Kimball, who was lynched
a few years later for the murder of a
sheriff in Southern Arkansas.
81 had no right playing with that
bunch in the first place, but as long
as | was in it sure enough had no
right to win. But | did win from
the jump. My luck in drawing was
something startling, and within an
hour after the start had all four Of
the men | was playing with regard
ing me suspiciously. | didn't blame
them, considering the miraculous
luck | had. Pat hands were given to
me almost as often as pairs were
served out to the other fellows.
While seemed to get nothing at all
on the deals of the other fellows, |
dealt myself hands that positively
smelt of birthstone, and this didn't
soften the glances that they all gave
me. Every time showed up one Of
these miraculous sef-dealt hands and
scooped in a pot | felt a certain fear
grow up within me- | didn't get a
thing when the luck switched that
way on their deals, and so | got tC
dropping my hands and waiting UNI
til | dealt EN- myself, to see II the
luck was going to stay that way. II
did, and | felt that I'd rather be
somewhere else. Finally it was uF
to me to deal a jackpot. The man to
my left cracked it open and it was
raised all around until it got up tc
me. | had four Fights, and raised
it the limit to draw cards. ! was
shaky over it, but | felt conscious OF
my own innocence of crooked play
ing, and | intended to play the string
out, anyhow. They looked at mt
pretty hard when | raised the limit
before the draw, and maybe there
was some knee rubbing. They al
put their chips in the center, how
ever, and when 1t got around to Bud
Kimball he slapped his bundle Of
greenbacks-he was shy of chips ant
refused to buy more-into the pile
with an oath.
" 'Podner, said he looking at mt
hard with his little red eyes, 'somt
O. your work here tonight has beer
so cut.an'. dried lookin' as to excite Q
hull Of lot O. doubt about your bein
on the level; an If you happen y have
anything in that fist O. your'n thi'
time that'll top these three aces o
mine, then you havin' dealt that'mes
yourself, there won't be no manner
O. question about your bein' propel
crook There we're few little flow
ers Of speech in that address, too,
that | havn't elaborated.
"Was | scared? Well, the card
just fell out Of my hand, face up, OF
the table, | was scared. | was 81
paralyzed with fear that | simpl.
couldn't move or say word, and
what's more, I'm not a particle
ashamed to own up to it. When tn
cards fell out Of my hand, Kimbal
reached over and spread them GU