El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-17
1T TAKES NERVE
To be a Gambler.

To be Gambler.
Tales OF the nerve of gamblers are as
many as the deeds of heroism on the
battlefield. Stories have been told OF
how fortunes were won and lost on the
single tlrn of a card in faro, and how
men had risked their all on the turn OF
a roulette wheel and lost. Here is q
story, the truth of which is vouched
the loss of very big fortune, exempli-
aes the nerve of gambler.
The game took place one night last
week in the famous Pennsylvania club,
at Long Branch. over those historic
tables where hundreds of thousands OF
dollars have changed hands.
It was one Of those ideally cool sum-
mer nights for which the Atlantic
coast resorts are famous. Long Branch,
after q wildly hilarious evening, was
gradually sinking into slumber. Hard
ly one of the long array of frame bui1d-
ings showed CLEAN of light above the
ground floor. The very air seemed
dead.
Even the usually crowded parlors
and gaming rooms OF the famous Penn
sylvania club were robbed of b alf their
had stopped for lack OF play
draw ing room party of four yawned
as draw poker gave way to game of
hearts for quarter spot.
The faro bank had two players only,
and the dealer was listlessly drawing
out the cards, too inert even to ammo
unce the results, q duty which his cue
box keeper was performing in his
stead.
Sat the end of the DEAL" the dealer
finally drawled. Il guess I'll close the
game"
''No objection from this quarter"
replied one of the players.a well known
figure in Wall street, and a man who
staked his thousands on turn of The
market as carelessly as he now tossed
his white chips on the painted cards
before him too Indifferent often to
observe where they fell.
''Nor from this" asserted the other.
"To tell the truth the game tonight re-
minds me of the last funeral I CHANGED
to attend" he added, as he turned to
observe newcomer.
"Gsme still going on, 1 see," re-
marked the latter, as he returned the
nod, half of recognition, half OF inquiry.
"May l use up stack"
"Oh. certainly" replied the dealer,
with just a touch of interest in his
tone. 1--WE were about to close the
game, but-always willing to oblige
our friends, you know"
"MR. SAMUELS" OF CHICAGO.
"Well, for a starter, just q white chip
on the ace. We western men are
rather fond of bullets. I'm from Chi
cago. My name is Samuels, Jacob
Sanuels. R.n In east with my
wife. for a few weeks. and friend in
PRODUCED me here"
''Seven loses, nine wins,' drawled
A. 81
shade of interest.
LUCKY in not losing, anyhow" OBJ
served the newcomer. 'Think I'll
cover the court cards with red chip
over the queen"
"Jack loses, ten wins.''
A blue over the queen was Samuels'
only response.
ACE loses; six WINS" and the deal
er's assistant drew down the first bet. |
A red on the ace was the next play, |
but the one spot was the next card |
shown. A red on the ten, coppered; q |
blue to the left on the seven, taking in |
the six, seven and eight, and q white, |
Sfor LUCK" on the corner of the three,
this also covering the five.
liking loses; four wins." And the
assistant added the blue over the queen
to the bank's pile of checks.
A deep sigh from the western man.
"Seven loses; ace wins"
1.-TWO more chips gone, but again he
doubled his bets, dropping four blues
to the left of the seven. But the next
turn swept them away.
1.-THE court cards. The court cards."
he muttered. dropping pile of blues
over the queen.
Three loses, ten wins, and two bets
were lost at once.
The hroLor cp1ittinp a1an fon |
the deal, turned to the western man:
FORTY TURNS WITHOUT WINNING.
lizard luck, old man," he observed.
Double up and you'll win out. Your
urn must soon come, so 1 think I'll fol-
low you for awhile
The old gsmblers' rule of s'never
push your bad luck' was thrown aside
Ind Ssmuels. after buying another
tack of chips. began to plunge, The
Nhlte-ch1p bets grew to stacks of blues
he blues to double stacks as he placed
hem on the cards: but still he lost.
Once he stacked the remains of his
,ile on the deuce. The next instant it
anne.
deuce loses. deuce WINS" aud his
hips were split. Shifting the remain
ng half to the nine, it also was swept
way.
Again he bought, and still again his
oil of bank potes steadily growing
mailer, while the dealer. without q
ticker of an eyebrow, added the pur- {
bases to his own pile. In
A second $1,000 followed the first.
The perspiration was standing thick on
he brow of the man from Chicago.
The veins in his temples swelled, his
ongue was hot aud dry. He called for |,
glass of brandy, beautiful crystal
'ut the trembling of his FINGERS spill
ed half before it could reach his lips. 1
)ne toss, the remainder was swallowed =
nd the glass dropped to the floor with t