The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-06-06


8 p. m. Sundays 10 a. m. to D. M
eight years ago. George McAlpin, an
ex-soldier of the cavalry, regular army
was the man who got the cold feet. Nc
Alpin had cleaned up all the money drawn
from the government by three troops of
cavalry during his five-year enlistment
and when he got his discharge he was
several thousand dollars to the good, so
that he didn't want any more soldering in
his'n. He played cards around Arizona
and New Mexico. played square when the
people on the other side of the table
were doing the same, and phony when he
knew that he was in that kind of game
On this occasion, McAlpin, who was a
big, sinewy, courageous man, got into
game in a small room over a Tucson
saloon with three California prospectors
who had struck a silver lode in Old Mex
leo, and who were in Tucson enjoying
themselves. 1 looked on at the game,
along with four or five other chaps who
didn't feel like playing McAlpin knew
that he was playing with men that didn't
manipulate the deck themselves nor stand
for anybody else doing il, and he played
fair. But the way he got the money of
those silver men was a caution. He
didn't have TO bluff. He got the cards.
He was over $1,000 ahead of the game af-
ter two hours play, and still winning.
He showed over all but one stack of
chips then, saying to the banker:
Just turn some of this junk into gilt
II obstructs my view
1.-THE banker cashed the checks and
then McAlpin showed the remaining stack
in front of him into a jackpot and lost
he got up
i've got date with myself at a hon
katonk down the way a Bit he said.
1.-THE three prospectors became fierce all
together. They knew that McAlpin was
a professional gambler, and they weren't
altogether sure that he had got their
money on the square. AT any rate they
didn't intend to permit him to get a sud
den case of the polar props when he was
into them over a thousand each. and the
shank of the evening not yet arrived, aud
their hands went right straight back to
where their guns protruded.
Then McAipin did precisely what this
detective fellow Sherlock Holmes does in
the play when he's collared In the grew
some gas cellar. He had his hand ON the
back of his chair The light was furnish
ed by coal-oil lamp in the middle of the
poker table. McAlpin gave the chair a
lightning swing. and down it came on the
lamp. After the crash the room was
back dark, and it's miracle that some of
us weren't punctured In the shooting that
followed. McAlpin was wise. The three
prospeetors figured that he'd take the door,
and they shot in that direction But he
took the window for his, dropped fifteen
feet to the ground, and was off and away
before match could be struck 1t was
sudden work, but McAlpin was a sudden
man. When Tucson heard the story Tue
son notified the three spectators that the
town didn't feel like extending hospitality
20 people who couldn't stand for little
poker losses without gun plays that put
the place In jeopardy of being burnt up.
and they took themselves back to their
lode IN Old Mexico.
II have also known of some occasions
when the desire of a man who was a good
winner TO quit the game was improperly
diagnosed by the other players as a case
of cold feet. I sat into four-handcd
game in hotel room in Denver one night
few years ago. l knew two of the play-
ers, but the other one was a stranger
to all three of us. We'd been introduced
to him by somebody or other in the cor
rider of the hotel and when we said we
We're going upstairs to have q little draw
fun he asked to be allowed to butt in. He
was a guileless sort of young fellow and
was the manager of q big wholesale gro
Gerry In Denver. For all that young mans
guilelessness, he was an almighty good
poker player, and he had us all on the
run from the first jump. He went right
out in the lead and won steadily. We
hadn't started the game until after mid
night, and before we knew Ii the light of
dawn began 10 sneak In at the window
and the young man who managed the
wholesale grocery had struck us each up
for something like $500 When we saw
the daylight creeping in he announced
that 1t was pretty near all off as far as
he was concerned, but we jolied him out
of that notion. and he played on. win
ming right along. At o'clock In the
morning he gave quick look at his watch
pushed back his chair, and said that he
guessed he'd cash.
quite without justification, we oil three
set III the cold-feet wall.
You won't do, we said TO him. You're
a quarter-horse, and you can't go the dis
lance. Can't you interview your chirop-
odist about those cold feet later in the
day? Here II is just
THE young man gazcd at us helplessly.
and then he broke out with;
Damn Il an, I'm going to be married
at II O'clock this morning, nn1 I've got to
80 home and jump into my buds, haven't
~"
"Of course we, had TO apologize for ac-
cusing him Of being victim OF frozen
lower extremtles. nr1sI guess he started
to housekeeping with that $500 he took
away from us.
The Reason Jim Cult.
ION another occasion ! felt resentment
in my soul over the desire of a man TO
quit a wholesa G winner and was just
about 10 suggest the hot-water cure for
his pedals when ] was tipped off as to
the situation la the nick of time. ! got
into game with a sheriff l knew in