The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-12
DRAW POKER IN "NoAH.s ARK."
The Man From Tampa Tells How
Uncle Sans Fighters Beat Two
"GnmbInhs"

The man from Tampa, in company with
a party Of New Workers. was enjoying his
after-dlnner cigar in an uptown cafe. His
chair was tilted back on its rear legs and
a diamond as big as a Springfield bullet
blazed in his ruhied shirt front
Speaking Of pokah, sab" said the Tam
pa man as one of the party concluded a
story of that game. permit me TO observe
that some OF the most remarkable pokah
playahs ia the country all to be found
among Uncle Sans private soldiers. Yes,
gentlemen, among the enlisted men of the
regulahs.'
The listeners showed signs of incredu-
lily and one of them exclaimed derisively:
Thirteen 9er"'
"Buh san" continued the Tampa man,
"considah that here are 1000 men in a
regiment and that 1000 times $l3 is Sl3,-
COO. / reckon, sab. that there's lively
game in that sum when the most of it
gets sifted into a few hands. And remem-
bah, gentlemen, that the enlisted man of
the regulars is the most care-free of men.
Ine nickels with which ne antes in a
small pOkah game are nothing noah to
him than so many beeah checks 1t is The
same with his dallahs in a biggah game.
The necessaries of life he can lose only by
bad conduct. He can gamble away only
his luXulies. That makes him the most
dashing Of gamblahs. while constant prac-
tiee makes him a most powahful playah.
Yes, sab and a most skillful and danger
Gus dcalah.
AT Tampa flights last spring there was
a bahn-like building that the regulars
called Noah's Ark They called 1t that
because it contained all the animals in
Guiding the tigah. If there exists a game
that was not on tap al Noah 8 Ark / DO
not recall its name The proprietah Of
the ark did not run the games. He simply
ran the bah and rented the tables and
layouts to the soldiers In that way he
was able 10 juggle with ouah local laws
foh many weeks. private who had won
a couple of hundreds at pokah could rent
a faro layout and open a snap fob his less
afHuent comrades to buck. In addition to
the banking games there were many
games of draw pokah. The place was
packed 10 the doahs and money was pien-
ifui tt did not take long fob ouah South
orn professionals to realize the possible
ties Of Noahs Ark.
zone evenig ] happened in and noticed
the operations of a couple OF that gentry
whom / knew by sight and reputation.
Their names were Jackson and England,
and they were most expert ana dishonest
eambiahs. Aftah that l used to drop
ress. They Played only draw pokah and
were winning steadily from the soldiers.
There were always a numbah of uniform
ed onlookahs about their table and could
SEQ that every play Of the professionals
was closely scrutinized and studied. But
no one evan interfered.
"Wen, sahs one evening l found the pat
rons of the Ark in a remarkably quiet
Mood The drinkahs at the bah were not,
as usual, boisterous. The playah sat
othah tables cast furtive and eNpectant
glanoes ovah their shoulders towahd the
table where the gamblahs were engaged
with two soldiers. The crowd of blue
coats around that table was even largah
than usual I felt that a denouement was
at hand and edged up close to the game
One of the soldiers was strictly sobah and
the othah was apparently drunk. IL was
the drunken soldiers deal He shufied
the cards clumsily, passed them to the
soldier on his right foh the cut and dealt
them about as skillfully as a niggah boy
playing old sledge on a bale OF cotton.
Then he howled fob a drink befoh the
game proceeded. Meanwhile, the gam
drunken soldier picked un his hand AMI
found foah kings pat He slyly gave his
partnah, Jackson. a glimpse OF it. Jackson
and the sobah soldier held worthless
hands. The drunken soldier turned from
the, table to take his drink and at the
same moment his sobah comrade also
turned and asked an onlooker back of him
fob a light fob his cigah. In that instant
Jackson deftly turned ovah the drunken
soldier hand aud showed 1t TO England.
1t was pat ace full on queens. At this
act of treachery / looked in surprise at
the uniformed onlookahs, but their faces
we're as impressive and indifferent as if
they were Cinnamon. 1 was indignant,
sahs, and came very neah interfering nah
self
IHaving finished his drink, the drunken
soldier turned back to the game. Jackson
on his left, came in with his ante. Eng
land. with foah kings pat raised it $40
The sobah soldier threw his hand in tho
discahd The drunken soldier just caFled
but the two gamblers continued raising his
calls until every dollah on the table wa.
in the pot; for the drunken soldier Dor
rowed and bet ali his comrades money
1t looked like plain case of two mer
cross lifting a third out of all his money
on a shuah thing.
when all the money was up the drunk
en- soldier dealt the draw. jackson drew
three cahds. England, with foah kings pat
drew none. When it came to the drunken
soldier, instead Of standing pat on his ac,
fun, he tossed the two queens in the dis
cahd and took two cahds. Then said Jack
son:
q" l cali table stakes"
England smiled confidently ovah hi:
foah kings and said:
- regret exceedingly. that. having NJ
noah money. must do likewise.
"The drunken soldier. suddenly becomins
sobah, remarked with Indian brevity:
Same heah!'
Then he turned ovah foah aces ant
raked in the pot. Stufing the big wads o
bills in his pockets he got up from the ia
bic stretched, yawned and said sleepily:
" IT'S neah taps!
"Thcn he sauntered out OF the Ark anf
the sobah soldier went with him. As
walked towahd the doah one of the soldier
playahs at a stud game looked up at {
passing soldier who had been one of III,
onlookahs and asked:
lis il OFF,
The ansah was a silent nod. Now sahs
will you please infohm me whehah tina
was IA drunken soldiers luck or a case O.
the bitahs bit?"
Elephant an object OF Charity.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.