The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-19
Why He Quit Playing Poker.
BY JAMES NOEL JOHNSON.

BY JAMES NOEL JOHNSON.
 tcopyrirht. 1902. by Daily story Pub. co.>
 .I haven't played a game of poker for twelve years" remarked Thomas R; Shelton. a prominent business man anu I was furnishing for < little game my self. and he saw the signs of my yearn- ing in my face. which impelled him to make this avowai. I knew he had once been extraVaGantiy fond of poker. and knowing. too. when a man once gets the poker habit nxed on him that breaking the morphine habit is Q small task compared to it. was interested to know the antidote that hao cured him.
 Since I held the winning hand and lost on a Big Sandy River raft twelve years ago. I haven't touched a deck. and I'll shuttle off this mortal coll pe- fore IT, .huffle pack a ara ahndder ss srR t recalls the most horrible exper1ence my
 T was engaged at the time I stated h the timber business on the BE Sanay and Ali Davis. twin brothers. and wealthy timber men of the Big Sandy Valley. We were buyine thousands or slaves, ties and logs along the bandy down the Ohio to Cincinnati. On the oc- casion of which I speak we three were on . raft of logs that we were taking out of Sandy to the Ohio. ana were about fourteen miles above Catlettsburg. B. the point of confluence of the two rivers. Alt proposed that we have quiet little game of poker. and Joe and l readily assentinx. we repaired to 6 little pox shanty in the center of the raft where we slept and ate. and had the cooking
 "Aif entered the door of the structure first, and, going to his over coat, hang ing at the opposite side from the door. he drew therefrom a quart bottle ot 2
 Boys, he said. reaching it toward me. here Is sort of liquor they call
 'persimrnon oose.. meyer saw nS any what it tastes like, but it'll make the drunk come like whisky. they say. if you take too much of it.
 And you take too much of 1t If you take a drop said I, pushing the bottle oose,' Ali, and I heard nothing good Q! 1t. its Satanic concoction. distilled from persimnons. and from what Ivs heard. Shakespeares witches preside where it's made. I don't want any ant poker. to let 1t alone
 l" oh. one snifter won't hurt q felIer know he said. laurhing.
 As T. refused, he extended the bottle
 "'No persimmon ooze for me. thans
 "Af.' I interrupted. don't take that stuff please; From what hear of it, i
 ".Why?' asked Joe. withdrawing tn, cork.
 well. 1t turns a mans nature com. pIetely upside down. If vou are a happy man. 1t makes you miserable; If you are miserable. YOU have a mantacal Joy; Il YOU are brave 1t makes you poltroon If you are kind and good natured. i makes a violent demon of you. Now. you are very good natured-and the propor' donate reverse would make you Satanic indeed!
 "Alf laughed incredulously. elevatins 1t to his lips, and took a long swallow He put 1t back in his coat and we al sat down at the greasy little table ant prepared for a poker feast-a feast moro delectabie to the mental palate than . French chef could prepare for the ma. terial. At that time we all three hae lots of money, and we wouldn't slur thu honored game by making small bets. ol setting any lines of limitation.
 "In a few minutes the pot held S5.o0 h sold. Then. for moment. felt sort of cool sensation travel up. an' down my backbone. A foreboding of evi took possession. af my mind in spite of m! effortso to shake it off. My hand began t0. tremble, and that doubtless encour aged Ali and Joe to think the hand < held was very fraiI. though they had nev CT before, in the face of any situation however desperate. seen me give an! physical signs of either elation or. dis Thursday, THE HIGHER SACRIFICE