The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-06-29
MINISTER FELL By POKER.
Streak OF Luck Struck by Young
Crusader.

! They could not tell Whlch. lie was
not known personally TO the men who
frequented the gambling houses, and
not much notice was taken OF him
when, In search OF material for his
sermon, he walked In alone one Mon
day night and glanced nervously
around a room where dozen men
were playing different games. IL SEEM
ed familiar TO him for In his younger
and wilder days he had gambled him
self. The manager spied him md
put him down at once as a slick $50
fessional who was there on a tiger
bucklng expedition. He spoke 10 him.
and learned his name.
Dawson" he repeated. Say, are
you old Bill Dawson who used TO run
the faro bank in Memphis when
was there ten years ago? No? Well
you are welcome, for you look like
the dead game article and II you can
beat me why then all well and good"
Mr.. Dawson did not know how 10
explain. lie had an inkling that he
would be sent away If he said he was
Dawson the minister. so he said moth
ing. lie walked about aimlessly The
proprietor wanted to see him play.
Dawson had not looked for anything
. like this and hestated. The proprietor
pushed him. There was a two dollar
game, he said, just starting In the
next room and they needed another
player. The rattling Of the chips and
the calls OF the gamblers, with the
big money in sight, dazed Dawson and
he allowed himself to be pushed into
the poker room. Before he really knew
what was up the proprietor had SHOW
cd him TO a chair.
Here's a good player, boys" he
said, "and / want TO see what he can
do. He IS Mr.. Dawson and he is all
right"
OF course the players were glad 10
see Mr.. Dawson. but gladder to SO cle
color OF his money.
you look like you could dsd tAs
cards in the pulpit" said a ~ nan
at the table, and Dawson colorsd Ia
laughed It away. The proprietor came
up and Dawson, like a man in a dream,
took out some money and bought
stack of chips.
Seems as II the new player Is
dopy," commented hitherto silent
player, and Dawson braced himself.
He saw that he was In for IL and he
had to play his way out. II he could
lose he thought, and then get away
nobody would suspect that he was
the parson, and all would be serene.
The game opened slow. There were
no good hands running and the betting
was quiet, so Dawson had more time
10 think. He was the last man to
deal and he took the cards nervously.
but the fOsi of the pasteboards seemed
TO give Nm more confidence In him.
self and he shufled them like a veter-
an. Everything was Jack pot and
the first man to say opened for
couple of dollars. Two others stayed,
n third raised and Dawson came in.
There was more betting. When cards
were called the opener stood pat, an
other man wanted two cards, another
three and Dawson took one. He had
drawn to aces and eights, the gam
blers hand, and when he picked up
the fifth card he saw the ace Of spades.
The betting got lively. The opeser.
with a flush, considered IL good and
bet accordingly. Dawson, who by that
time, felt the return of his old.time
sporting blood. came on with a raise
which paralyzed some of the more
timid players and they dropped out.
The dealer stuck and sent back an.
other raise which was met and return
ed. Dawson was not going to cover
and IL was left to the opener to call.
That's good" the opener said quiet.
ly when Dawson announced that he
had full hand, and so the big pot.
which was rich, was moved over TO
the parsons corner.
by this time the minister forgot his
cloth and his errand to the place and
he played with all his old-time en-
thusiasm. The cards ran well; IL was
just such a streak of luck as occa.
sionally is found with newcomer.
The minister took in pot after pot.
Once there was a good pot which had
been sweetened time and again. and
when one of the players said he would
open II, Dawson found that he did not
have a pair even to 20 in with. He
had an ace. jack, a seven, a trey and
deuce. He wanted TO go in and try
for the pot He could well afford 10
lose n few. He started TO draw TO
the ace. but reconsidered and held
up the seven because he considered
Il lucky Well, when he picked up his
four cards glanced at them without
moving a feature and began raising
the big bets, the other players put
him down as a wonderful buffer and
came back at him hot and fast When
the big man finally called. the gam
bling parson quietly laid down four
sevens and rakod in the pot. He had
beaten four fours. That was a sample
OF his luck.
At daylight Dawson cashed In ST..
GO from the nights game. Just as he
had showed the money into his clothes
a man came out from the room where
the faro banking had been open, and
recognized tho minister.
why, Mr.. Dawson" lac said. what
are you doing here?'
Dawson tried TO explain. There was
a wrangle. Finally Dawson explained
the whole thing. To mako n long story