Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-08-14
FAT AL IF0)IR7T|y|N[E
BY BARRY PAIN.

work on the revision and improvement
Of the world-"what maintain Is that
the point for the king at ecarte is the
ruin Of the game. Here is fine intel
lectual exercise, and you ruin 1t by
bringing into it a mere chance. 1t is all
very well to make your game by skill
and well enough to make it by tossing
a penny. but cannot see the sense Of
mixing the two"
you think So" said the philosopher.
Il fear can't agree with you. Ecarte
is close reflection of real life. There
lies its charm. In real life skill tells,
but chance is the capricious and insu-
perable power"
II know all that" said the young
man peevishly, "and agree with you
that in the perfect game one must have
the element of chance. But it is there
already in ecarte. You have to take
the cards that the chances Of the deal
give you. To give an entire point to
the king as well is to make the prepon-
derance of chance outrageous"
Il disagree with you in toto" said
the philosopher. But before he could
marshal and display his arguments he
was interrupted by an old man who
looked faded and shrunken and melan-
choly.
pardon me, gentlemen" he said,
'but I could not avoid overhearing the
topic of your conversation. 1t is one Of
peculiar interest to me, for it is to the
king at ecarte that owe my ruin"
Most interesting, SIR" said the
young man. 1T entirely confirms what
said. Skill is powerless against it,"
Il don't think you quite understand"
said the old man. 81 was not ruined
because the other man held the king,
but because held it myself"
''Then I'm afraid can't follow you"
swell, it's fairly simple. marked
the king in 80 successive games"
The other men look Disguised. The
philosopher picked up his hat and said
coldly, "Yes; that sort Of thing is al
ways found out"
"Wait, beg Of you. Don't make the
mistake that my millionaire uncle, with
whom was playing, made. He was
man from whose testamentary DISPOSE
lions was to have benefited enormous
ly, man whom could not afford to
offend, the man above all others that l
wished to have high opinion of me.
We were playing penny points and
threepence on the rubber. My uncle
would never go beyond that. Indeed it
was these careful habits of his that
made him the millionaire that he was"
'If those were the points, l don't see
why you should'-
"And l wasn't. If wanted to cheat
at cards, do you suppose that should
do such a stupid and transparent thing
as to give myself the king 80 times in
succession? Why, any one who knows
the business of swindling at cards as
know It'll mean from books, of course
would see the Stiffness of it. So far
was from wanting the king that If
had only had the requisite skill would
have cheated in order to give it to my
uncle. At my first deal I turned the
king, and my uncle took it calmly.
Next deal he gave me the king, and the
third deal gave it to myself. After
had had the king six times in success
sion he said that he had never seen
such luck in his life, but he had not yet
begun to lose his temper. But after
that he got worse and worse. / sug-
gested that we should stop the game,
but he wouldn't hear Of it."
The old man paused and sighed. go
on" said the young man encouragingly.
ut reached a point" the old man re-
sumed. when my uncle was black In
the face, and should have been glad
to, have exchanged the king for another
card if had had the chance. But, as l
have explained. am not an expert in
these matters. Besides, by this time he
was watching my hands as a cat
watches a mouse. He gave scornful
and snorting laugh from time to time.
"At the thirty-second game he rose.
My opinion Of your character he
said. has hitherto been so high that /
am reluctant to change it. But have
no choice. If man holds the king 50
times in succession at ecarte, that Is
sufficient for me. l refuse to pay the
points that you have won by swindling
or to communicate with you in future
in any way. and am just off to my So
licitor's to get my will altered ! pro-
tested that was merely the victim OF
an extraordinary run of good luck, but
he would not listen to me. 1t was or
no use. He told every one, and was
ruined man."
Extraordinary" said the young man
as, in company with the philosopher.
he rose to go.
"And in consequence" the old man
went on rapidly. 81 am occasionally. as
at present, in such straits temporarily
for the small sum Of 5 shillings that /
am compelled"-
But here he stopped abruptly. for the
young man and the philosopher had al
ready passed out.-Black and White.
Crossed Legs.
Men generally cross their legs when
there is least pressure on their minds.
You will not very often find man ac-