The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-06-21
WRITECRAVAT
He Turned His knowledge of Slieght-
of-Hand to Good Account.

Julian Narnham in Portland Transcript
The changes in America during the
last half of the nineteenth century are
IN no particular more marked than in
the Mississippi river. When that river
was the highway between the north
west and the gulf, the steamers plying
upon il, handsome boats for their time.
carried all sorts of people, among them
the most refined in the land, In singu-
lar proximity to mothers and children
were the gambling tables in the mems
cabin, separated from the ladies' cabin
only by a curtain.
When youngsteF Of IS, I was sent
from Cincinnati to New Orleans TO coll
lect a debt for my employer. Having
succeeded / started back with the
money, $4,000 in bills, in my money
belt, then a common method of trans
porting funds. I was sitting one morn
ing on the guards. when a gentleman
wearing a white neclktie sat down be-
side me and entered into conversation.
He soon led the subject to gambling
going on on the boat and informed me
that there We're several professional
gamblers aboard and I must be careful
not to be drawn in by them to play, or
/ would surely be robbed.
Notwithstanding this advice. one Of
the gamblers wormed himself into my
confidence, got me to play euchre with
out stakes, permitted me to win, then
made the game for money and won
$4,000 from me before I realized that
was in the hands of a sharper. Then L
threw down my cards. Upon raising
my face from the table my eyes lighted
upon the gentleman in the white cravat
standing among the dozen others who
had been standing watching the play.
My boy he said, ''let me have a
twenty dollar bill. I have money OF
my own, but l want to play with your
money and for you only, Perhaps
can get back some of your losses"
There was a surprised look on the
/ faces of those who stood around the
table, for the man was apparently a
clergyman. 1 gave him the twenty dol
lar bin with a muttered prayer that
something might come of it.
Now. Emory Thorne," he said, Il
I propose to teach you the game of
euchre.
How did you know my name. was
Emery ThOrne?'' said the sharper, look
ing at him scrUtinizingly.
Never mind that now. As we pro-
coed / may drop a hint occasionally
that viii put you on the track Of my
identity"
| For hours I, in company with con-
stantly growing crowd. watched the
| play. Surprising as was the sight Of a
clergyman playing with a gambler for
| high stakes, it was more so that the
game was an effort between the two
as to which could do the more clever
cheating. was not sufficiently quick
| sighted to detect their expedients, but
knew by frequent expressions of Won
[ der on the part of the OnlOokeTs that
/ there We're exhibitions of genius. The
/ pile in front of my champion grew
/ slowly, but surely, now and again
I slightly diminishing. but every loss
made up with a gain The gambler
was the better euchre player, his OPP
ponent the better at cheating. Once
when the latter had made a loss he
/ asked:
When did you see Tom Clarkson
/ last, Emory
The gambler looked up at him with
| something like terror on his face, but
made no reply. The cards we're dealt
I again. and my friend, taking advantage
/ OF having disconnected his opponent,
made a stroke of sleight Of hand which
/ gave him all trumps. with both bow
4 eTs and the ace, turning a game by
/ which he gained $500. From this time
/ I noticed that when he lost he inyari-
/ ably threw the gambler off his balance
4 by some reference understood only by
! the two players. At last the clergyman,
/ looking his opponent in the eye, said:
/ 4 have a message for you from Alice,
Emory. I'll give, it to you when we
have finished the game"
; It was wonderful how the rascal COW
} cred up outward signs of his emotion.
! 1t was only by the eye that We knew
! how he suffered. BY this time a heap
I OF bills. my employers bAs, were
/ stacked up in front Of the clergyman,
and he was winning with every game.
/ Indeed. the gambler seemed to have
lost interest in keeping the money,
Then my man hastily ran over his
winnings and called a halt.
How much did you lose, my boy?''
/ he asked me.
Il took from my belt ten bills of $500
each. $4,000 in all. They are all gone,
/ besides about SIS had in my pocket
Very we'll; here's your money"
! Counting out S5,025, he handed it to
me and showed the rest across the table
/ 70 his opponent. Then, rising and
turning to the crowd, he said:
Gentlemen, this has doubtless been
/ 10 you a surprising sight. knew this
man, pointing to the gambler, and
! overheard him say that boy had money
/ with him, which he proposed to take.
AT an early age developed a taste
for sleight of hand, and used to give
| private exhibitions to my friends The
/ tricks practiced by gamblers especially
! interested me, and took lessons under
an expert professional gambler. have
no taste for games and never won OF
lost cent in my life"
Then to the gambler: Emory ThOrne
1 heard your companion call you by
( name when you were telling him how
you proposed to fleece this boy. AS a
! clergyman I was called by your broth
er-in-law, Tom Garrison. to the death
bed Of your wife, Alice She charged me
il I met you to tell you that you were
Z forgiven"
With this he turned and walked out
or to the guard. The gambler skunk
away.
CHEAPER TO TAKE HER ROUND