The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-17
GAMBLERS WHO HAVE LOST
EFFECT OF A RUN OF BAD LUCK ON
THE TEMPER.

gambling in my time" said the old sport but
nothing TO equal the affair witnessed last Sum
day morning. No one but man who has gam.
bled n good bit and has experienced the same
sensations as those which led my friend to such
violence as l will describe will quite understand
the frame of mind that he was in. but the old
sport will understand II every time, because
he's been there himself.
Pete and I-Pete's my friend, and a rare old
gambler-came out Of a gambling house on
we'll we'll say Forty third street, last Sunday
morning and started for Turkish bath Pete
had been playing all night. first the wheel then
the tiger and finally poker, and he had lost good
bit of money As we reached the corner OF Sixth
avenue. Pete sped welldressed young man
seated in bootblack's chair getting his shoes
shined Before knew what he was going TO do,
he strobe forward pasted that fellow one between
the eyes, remarking as he did II:
you're always getting your shoes shined'
"Yes, know, the same thing happened 70
Sheridan, wasn't IL? but that's reason why u
khouldn't happen To a New York sport too.
Il hustled Pete into a cab in a hurry and befops
that young fellow had quite recovered from his
surprise we were well out Of tho way. ! never
said a word until We got 10 the bath. and then
looked Pete well over and says:
In the name of all that's good, Pete. tell me
why you hit that fellow"
his shoes shined. / knew I'd have To hit him
some time. and just couldn't walt any longer
"Pete took long breath, and seeing that was
still puzzled he went on Five Sundays ago
came out of that place after an all-night play.
a loser drank n lot and smoked o lot and
was tired. felt dirty and my face was drown
l was sore the world. The FIRST man struck
is this getting his shoes shined. all dressed
up in his Sunday clothes. nice big neckue ON.
~
waxcd. l don't know why. but l hated the cuss
the minute laid eyes on him. II the Same
thing the next Sunday and the noxt and last Sun
day thought I'd have to hit him. He always
looked so nice and clean that felt like dirtying
him bit He's been like o ghost to me. and
when l came out a loser again this morning
felt like going some other way for fear I'd see
him there getting his shoes shined Well. We
did sec him. and knew I'd have to soak him be-
fore we got TO the corner. lust couldn't help
it, and want to tell you that feel a hundred per
cent better for it
Now what do you think OF that? OF course
you can't understand it, but il you was a gambler
like Pete, you'd sec it quick enough Would you
like TO hear story about the effect Of q winning
streak beef stew? Yes? Well, you know
one Of the gamest old gamblers you ever heard
of is Denham Thompson. the actor. He's
horn gambler and he's at it when his pockets
lined same as when it isn't Den and friend.
whom we'll call Jack, lost lot of money In Chi
cago few years ago and for two days they were
broke. 1t hard scratching for a place TO
sleep and as for eating well, they didn't manage
to get any more than enough to keep alive on
One night they went to Buck Us gambling
house to see il Den could land a friend who'd
stake them. They hadn't had bite to eat all
day and were pretty hungry. Buck keeps cafe
the ground floor Of his place and the first thing
that struck Den and Jack when they went in.
was the odor of nice fresh beef stew.
Gosh. amt that great says Den. Food
for the gods, Jack.
Never smelt anything like II before says
Jack 'Terrapn and champagne for tho fool
Den. but beef stew for you and me-
They stood there just snifin' the aroma Of beef
stew. making eyes at each other and breaking
the silence every few minutes TO say something
about that beef stew. Pretty soon Den spots o
friend and manages TO borrow ten spot
Come, he says, well make or break on it.
"But-,' says Jack. snifhn' at the beef stew.
"'No Stree says Den. and he and Jack went
upstairs The details aren't interesting, 80 III
only say that when Den quit he had $500 in his
pocket He and Jack came downstairs together
and the first thing that struck them was that
odor OF beef stew
"'Phew" says Jack, what is that smell!'
Perfectly disgusting, says Den. I should
think Buck would be careful about the way no
scents up the place.
81 never smclt anything like IT, says Jack,
let's leave the place at once and those two old
hypocrites went out arm in arm and made a bee
like for restaurant where they had a meal
that reduced the roll TO almost S7OO
I've got one more if you'd like 10 hearit Two
friends of mine broke and pretty hungry
One was an interchangeable gambler, the other
a man who thought Of his stomach before any
thing else in the world They stood in front
Of Sixth avenue beanery looking hungrily at
pot of pork and beans from which a waiter was
taking some for customer They hadn't cent
between them, but pretty a friend of my
game friend came along and passed out a two
dollar bill on request
THANK heavens can have some of those
beans now, said the hungry one
ave can, CHI? said the other. Well wait .
while and well see
MY friend made bee line for gambling
house, followed by the hungry one who pleaded
with him cloqucntly TO get something TO eat first
He was infexible however. and a few minutes
later was seated in front Of q layout with two
dollars worth Of checks before him. He won
little and then he lost little, and every two min
ues the hungry would whisper 10 him 10
quit and get some beans He drcw fascinating
pictures OF that smoking bean pot they had been
looking at but the other was game TO the core
lie finally had about twenty dollars in front Of
him, and then began tn plunge. The hungry
one gasped for breath and finally implored him
10 give him quarter check to put aside for beans
in case they went broke
Not cent said the other. and II you donp
shut up I'll kick you out Of the place
The threat was useless for the other was too
far gone in hunger 10 fear violence He kept
nagging and naEging At the player and finally
got up and threw him bodily across the room
But the hungry one crCpt back and his FIRST re-
mark was about beans With an exclamation
Of rage the gambler jumped up cashed in $500
worth of checks grabbed his friend by the coat
rotlar, drorgcd him down two flights Of stairs to
IN" street and fairly hurled him through the swing
ing doors Of The boancry
Give this hlankcty bankcd idiot $500 worth
NJ b"ans, he roaISd and make him eat every
me NJ them