The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-03-27
A POKER FAIRY TALE
QUEER CLIMAX OF THE WIND UP
JACK POT OF THE GAME.

Nanxy Displayed Wonderful Powers
Of Perception and Analysis, Won
the Pool and Saved Hig Opponent
the Amount Of the Lest Raise.
..Manxy was one Of the best poker
players I ever saw. He was good
winner and good loser. He played
his cards all the time for everything
they were worth and then some more.
and he played q game that was simply
insoauble.''
The board of trade man leaned back
in his chair and smiled reminiscently.
saGanxy not only had gEoyle down 50
that he could recite the poker rules
Backward and say 'sir' after each
word, but he rose to the higher science
Of the game. He made careful study
of every man around the board, and he
Re7ec played a card but what he darted
keen, sweeping glance at every play
or and drew his conclusions as to what
they were sbout to do. II q player had
any little tricks or habits that asserted
themselves in spite OF efforts to repress
s2aen, Many knew them By heart
"I will never forget the night he took
Carter into camp. Carter was good,
cool. nervy player too. He was an old
player and possessed splendid judg-
nent. One night we had been playing
eeygal hours, and as It was getting to-
ward daylight we agreed to have one
mere round Of jack pots and then go
home. We had our round Of jack pots,
three OF which Carter won, and then
decided on one last consolation jack
Bot, with no limit but the roof and IS
to come In. Carter raised the come In
to:$20, and everybody dropped out e1-
eepe Many and one other player.
Manly called for three cards, showing
that he had only one pair or nothing at
all: the other man took two cards, indi-
eating that he must have threes Of q
kind, or else he wouldn't ha7e paid $50
for the privilege OF playing any longer.
and Garter stood pat.
4'That looked bad. Garter had never
been known to stand pat on anything
but something that was worth while.
He must have had something pretty
good to raise the come in to $50, and
his standing pat argued that he either
had fours or else q straight or lush.
He had betrayed nervous start when
ne first picked up his hand, and 1t
argued that he had seen something aw-
fully good Now, Manly had seen the
start that Carter gave and knew his
style Of play well enough to argue that
Carter had seen something even better
than a straight or flush, and thst was
a straight flush, something that comes
ence in great, long while in poker
game. In fact, Manly came to the
eooclusion that Carter had a straight
flush, and the fact Of the matter was
that o straight flush in spades, king
high, was just exactly what Carter had
seen in his I've cards when he picked
them up.
Manly deliherated long time be-
fore he came In with his $50, but he
was out $50 or 500 on the game, and
rs it was the last pot he determined to
stand good BIT Of money in the hopes
of ms. ing a recoup. Ee drew to psir
of te.s and caught one caore. Manly
started tie betting with SO bill. The
other nan dropped out, and Carter saw
the so and raised S2s. That looked as
thoGg5 3Eanxy's surmise about the
straight aash which he thought Carter
was ho.diag was good. He deiiberated
for some time. Then he said:
/" Garter, think and everybody
around here thinks you've got some
thing better thar fours. was playing
you for that. But now I'll tell you.
Carter. what I'm going to dc. I've no
ticed that your eyesight Is bad and that
tobacco smoke when 1t ls right in front
OF your face always interferes for
moment or TIVE with year vision. Just
as you picked up your cards l noticed
that you pufsed great cloud Of smoke
out of your mouth and that the cleud
Of smoke was in your eyes when you
looked at your cards. Now, I believe
that you think you have straight
flush, but don't believe that you read
your cards correctly. am going to do
something that may seem to be awfully
bad poker, considering the hand I have,
but I am going to play you for your
poor eyesight. I see your bet Of $50
and raise it S25 more on the ground
that your eyes deceived you. You'd
better study your cards before you see
my raise
eve all waited in breathless silence
for a moment, then Carter quietly
threw his cards face upward on the
table.
you're right he said quietly. L
thought had a spade straight flush.
king high, in my hand. What thought
was nine Of spades was nine Of
clubs. lose Chicago Tribune.
Steer Clear OF Smoking Cars.
''I seldom advise my patients to stop
.-~..1-;-o 1>o1o,-Sa l-pov f+'s n waste