The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-05-02
TRUE STORY OF LUCKY LON"
How He Befriended Young Man Who
Was Dead Broke,

How He Befriended a Young Man Who
Was Dead Broke.
Speaking of the ups and downs of a
gamblers life," said a veteran sport
Ing man the other evening, I'll tell you
little story that I happen to be able
to vouch for as absolutely true. Back
some time in the seventies one OF the
temporary celebrities In the southern
gambling world was man who was
generally known by the nickname or
Luck Lon which he acquired by max
ing some phenomenal winnings at faro.
He was a professional card player, and,
like most of his class, was easy going
and good natured and extremely gene
rous when he had money His right
name was Leonidas Ball. Well, this
man drifted down to New Orleans from
somewhere up the river and one night
while here he sauntered into gambling
house and won exactly nine hundred
dollars in less than an hours play at
faro. He was leaving the room with
the money still in his hand, when de-
cent looking young man touched MN
on the arm and asked with every sign
Of great embarrassment, for the loan or
a dollar. "I've been trying to get work
ever since struck town. he said, but
/ haven't been able to do 1t, and I'm fiat
broke and hungry Lucky Lon was
impressed by the young fellows APP
pearance and, leading him to q sofa In
the corner. he soon drew out his story.
IT seemed he had been in business for
himself in small way over in Alaba-
ma. but had failed, through the dishon-
esty of partner, got discouraged with
the locality and came here, hoping to
find some opening in large city.
Lucky Lon heard him through, asked a
few curt, pointed questions, and then
startled him half out OF his wits by
handing him the roll of bills he had just
won at faro I am doing this strictly
as gambling proposition he said, for
believe the odds are about two to one
in favor of your being all right and
telling the truth A few dollars would
do you no good, but this may put you
on your feet in some little business, and
If it dies you can consider me in on the
deal. If / kept it, he added, laughing,
ud simply blow it against hard times
"The young man, as 1t happened"
continued the narrator, was really on
the square and exactly what he had rep
resented himself to be. So, instead of
going out to celebrate his miraculous
good fortune by big spree, he did some
tall hustling around, and eventually
opened a small store in one of the side
streets. He had pretty hard struggle
n aft n
come his way, and in few years he
was in decidedly prosperous circum-
stances. Meanwhile, lucky Lon had
as such characters will,
and although the man he had bsfriend-
ID tried in every way in the world to To-
,ate him, he was unable to do so. The |
asst that anybody heard from him, he !
vas starting for somewhere in old Mex
co, after which not clew or trace of |
lis whereabouts could be discovered. |
Fully eight or nine years after the Incl
lent in the New Orleans gambling
house, the young man, then not SO very
,oung, by the way, noticed a para
;raph in the paper saying that an old
ime sport and high roller named Leon
BALI was dying in restitution at the
lOSpltal III I1Ol springs. heull Dell
sn't Leonidas Ball by long shot, but
,ur friend had such a strong Fremont
ion he was on the right track that he
ook the first train for the Springs, and,
ure enough there was his man. Ball
vas in the charity ward, dying of con-
and when he heard who his
isitor was he was more astonished
han the young fellow the night he got
he money. He couldn't even remem-
er the affair at first. Well, the other
nan took him at once to the best hotel
town. installed him in the finest suite,
ursed him personally for weeks, then
ent him to Florida in charge of trained
ttendants, afterward to California, see
1g everywhere that he had the best,
nd, to make long story short, actual
7 succeeded in prolonging his life near
: two years. That's my yarn. Sorry it
mt more exciting, but it has the merit
being true. The business man is not
ow a resident of New Orleans, but he
YES near by, and is at the head of one
{ the largest corporations in this sec
n.'-New Orleans Times-Democrat.