The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1899-08-23
TOM HALLS SYSTEM.

Nevada town.
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 If he drank
at all it must have been but little.
Secretly his private views on morals
were still rather broad and liberal. and
he saw no particular harm in taking
drink at proper intervals, gambling
when the deal was fair, and otherwise
partaking in a moderate way of the
various enjoyments provided by the
town in the sage bush.
In short, Tom was more converted to
Miss Dawson than he was to the
church.
The church on the hill. as was natur-
al, felt proud of its new member, but
Miss Dawson felt prouder.
One Sunday the pastor announced
that it was very desirable that the
church be provided with a new organ.
He proposed that the fund for this pur-
pose be realized in way novel to that
locality at least. The members of the
congregation were individually to
pledge themselves to raise money by
the performance of a service, or by the
manufacture or sale of something in
expensive, and afterward the different
accounts of the various experiences
were to be given, which in itself prom
Used considerable amusement.
Tom Hall went to his rooms and gave
the subject deep and profound consid-
Grafton. The following night he aston
ished the players at Donoyan's faro
tables by walking into the place and
dropping into his old seat. He at once
bought $25 worth of red white and blue
chips.
The first deal and Tom had lost. At
the end OF the second he bought anoth-
er stack of chips, to which he soon
added a third.
Nonchalantly he drew from his pock-
ct a silk handkerchief The movement
dislodged a small. neatly bound book,
which fell to the floor. 1t was Bible.
a present from Miss Dawson. He
picked 1t up hurriedly, intending to
replace 1t In his pocket. when his eye
happened to fall on this verse of an
open page:
And it was so when the king saw
Esther. the queen. standing in the court
that she obtained favor in his sight;
and the king held out TO Esther the
golden seeptre that was in his hand. "
Esther, chapter 5. verse 2.
Without the slightest hesitation he
gathered together every bet he had up
on the board and placed them upon the
queen. Within three turns he won. He
allowed his winnings to remain on the
card. and again the queen won. Once
more he dared fate. and after a num-
Der of turns the queen showed In the
box
While the cards were being shuflled
for the next deal Tom stealthily opened
the little Bible now lying in his lap and
peeped into 1t. He read
For the children OF Israel shall
abide many days without king ''-Ho-
sea. chapter 3. verse l.
The king was Immediately coppered
for huge stack of chips.
In due course the king lost twice in
succession, and his pile became SO for
midable as to engross the attention
OF all.
Tom, however. continued to win
steadily, and now frequently consulted
his Bible without making any effort
to conceal it, He had just read from
Ezra, chapter 6, verse 3;
and let the foundations
thereof threescore cubits, and the
breadth thereof threescore cubits. 4
With three rows of great stones"
That means the trey, sure" he said
to himself, as he pushed big bet to-
ward the card.
rs that Hoyle you got there. Tom? p
asked the lookout. unable any longer
to conceal his curiosity.
Nope. a better book than Hoyle."
"You playin' a system out of it?"
That's what" was the unctuous re-
ply.
The game went on. but 1t was not
long before Toms remarkable run OF
luck came to a close. This greatly sur
prised him, as he was now firmly con
WINGED he could not lose when depend
ing upon biblical hints, and not an I'M
portant bet had been made without re
ferring to the sacred volume.
He chose rather to believe finally
that the dealer in order to save the
house was practicing some crooked
work. OF this he became convinced
when upon betting deuce, Jack on
the turn at the end of the deal the
cards came out, Jack. deuce"
Keep your fingers on top of that
box!" he cried out, angrily. to the
dealer.
"D'ye mean to say" began that
funcionary.
81 mean to say this" declared Tom
in a loud voice. as he sprang to hi.
feet, that you've got to give me {
square deal. l have book here thai
says so, and what this book says goes
What's that? What book is that?'
TITS the Bible-that's what it isl"
The Bible?" came from the open
mouthed and amazed dealer.
well, Tom Hall, the Bible is barrel
at this layout and this game stops fol
tonight.
The organ that Is used In the LITTLE
white church on the hill to-day is ont
of the sights of the town, and stran
gers are even asked II they have seeI
II.
Mrs. Tom Hall (nee Dawson) and thu
pastor have never consented to be In
tervlewed as to the amounts of thu
different subscriptions. and Tom Hal
himself was Unexpectedly called gu
of town on the evening that the ex
periences of the endeavorers wer'
given.
To arr la human. to make amends for