The sun., 1902-03-09
FISHERS LIVELY POKER GAME
AN ADVENTURE At CAIRO IN
TIME OF FLOOD.
His Opponents We're Three Gamblers VINO
Wanted 60 Fleece Him and Man
Who Had just Committed q Murder
The Homicide Tried 90 XIII Him.

Tho Homicide Tried 90 Kin Him.
The water had risen steadily foot by foot
| and inch by inch till the gauge showed
beyond the question Of doubt that the
river was fifty-one feet higher than its ac-
customed level, and Cairo was coming to
a realization Of peril.
Fifty-two feet was the height OF the
level in those days. and the citizens had
been accustomed to see the floods come
twice a year and rise threateningly thirty
| or forty, or even forty-fve feet before
receding, but fifty had been looked on as
moro than the limit OF danger. The flood
OF 1881, however, broke the record. and oven
at fifty-one feet there was no sign OF re-
cession.
Up and up came the water, and every
report from the upper Mississippi and from
the Ohio as well. showed reason TO fear
a further rise. The seep water, soaking
through the muddy earthworks. flooded
the streets till there was little OF the fiat
level OF the ground back Of the levees yisi-
BILE. and every house In the city was an
island
A few inches more and the limitless flow
would pour over the top Of the levee, and
Cairo would be totally submerged TO the
top OF her highest buildings. Yet even
at that stage Of the food il was hard to
realize that any hour might see the de-
struction Of the city, and there were hun
dreds who sneered at the Mayors procla-
nation calling on every citizen capable OF
handling a spade TO help in throwing up
a dam on the top Of the levee. Despite
these sneers, however the dam was built
and though the water rose eighteen inches
against that the city was saved.
Young Fisher, who was making his way
South as best he might and who had found
that he could not go further by rail, but
must wait for a river boat, was dumb with
amazement when he learned these facts
and saw for himself the apathy of the people
| of the town. Business seemed almost
| entirely suspended. outside OF the retail
liquor traffic, but no one seemed perturbed
and seeing their curious calm he grew
calm himself after the first few hours and
sought for some amusement to while
away the time till he could take boat for
Memphis.
Beyond the hospitality of the saloons he
| found nothing, but of this there was plenty,
and strolling into one of the most pre-
tentious of the many on the main street,
he became aware Of a game Of poker that
three men were playing in the backroom
with the door wide open.
Being a dabster at the game himself,
he walked back and looked on till he felt
| the fever. and ventured to ask if the play
ers objected to his taking a hand. There
was no objection and he sat down.
The play was not heavy enough TO daunt
| him. for though they were playing table
| stakes, no one had more than $50 in front
| Of him, and his investment Of $40 in chips
was satisfactory. Almost as interesting 70
| Young Fisher as the game itself was the
study of personality presented by the three
men with whom he found himself playing.
The most picturesque of them was tho
| oldest. He was a man well past 90, who
showed unmistakable signs Of a dissipated
| life, but who was struggling desperately
against his age.
He was well-dressed and wcl!-groomed
after his fashion. His mustache and hair
| were dyed painfully black and reeked
| with pomade. His necktie was a noisy
red in color, and carried hugo stone that
might possibly have been diamond.
His hands. withered and trembling, were
| we'll kept and white, and his eyesight was
|
| well, but the old man, whom the Others
called the Major, complained that he could
not. and dealt the cards when II came
| his turn, with such deliberation that il
| seemed impossible for him to miss any
| identifying marks that there might haNe
| been on their backs,
II was this deliberate dealing that speedily
| convinced Fisher that he was up against IL,
| and the bearing of the other two men CON
! flrmed the thought One was tail, straight-
| backed buccaneer Of some 45 years. who
| might have boen carved out OF wood for
| all any one could tell from his manner.
| His expression, 50 FIR as he could he
| said 10 have any, wa that OF thorough
| blackguard, and the complacency with which
he watched the Majors evident Efforts at
| reading the cards was a sufficient proof that
| he was a confederate. His name appeared
10 bo Ualll and the third inomber of the
| trio was called Smith, lie was rough
| looking customer who talked lot and
played the part Of a rank outsider but 1t
| did not take Fisher long 20 decide that they
| all stood together and that he was being
played for victim.
This did not concern him greatly, for
| the country was new to HIM and he was
perfectly willing 10 drop ten or twenty dol
| lars In the qualification OF his curiosity.
| knowing enough OF poker 20 avoid any
| obvious traps, and realizing that he could
| drop out at any time If the game should
become too heavy, he continued playing
| with fully as much enjoyment a. the DINERS
| found.
II was clumsy work al best, and could not
| have deceived any but the greenest green
horn, and Fisher was not that. Whether
| because the sharpers desired 10 Nhet his
| appetite or because they really had not
much money among them, he could not
readily decide. but they made no effort
10 push the play unduly and, as he played
| cautiously, the game continued for perhaps
| twenty minutes with no serious injury 10
anyone.
| Then another man came in. he entered
| the saloon bareheaded and In his shirt
sleeves. indicating that he was probably
| a near neighbor. As il proved he was the
| proprietor Of the saloon next door. They
called him Jack, and Fisher never inquired
| as to his other name.
He was strikingly handsome, with black,
| curly hair fine features, and the build and
| carriage Of a trained athlete. His eyes
were a trife bloodshot, and his manner
nervous. as he strodc up to the table, but
| he seemed sober and sane when he said:
Playing poker. hay? Any objections TO
nv taking handy'
@None at all, said the Major, speaking
for the party. and. accordingly, the new
| conner bought chips and sat in
Fishers conclusion, formed speedily,
was that the newcomer was to be played,
! as he was for victim. and the game became