The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-08
THE MISSING FOURTH DEUCE.
When 1t Came to a Showdown Nit.
tleberger Didn't Have Tt.
kansas City Star.)

CKansas City starr
so you want a real live noker
story, do yor?" queried the old gam
Yes. a real. sure enough poker
story
Just moment" said the gambler
apologetieally, as he arose to meet a
distinguished looking gentleman with
har and mustache, who was ap-
preaching. A handshake, a few words
and the old gambler resumed his seat.
Now isn't that singular?'' The old
gambler appeared to be musing.
"What?'
Why, you just asked me to tell you
true poker story and at almost the
same moment UP comes a man who
Inquired in one of the most sensational
games ever witnessed. I'll vouch for
the story on my honor"
9 q g
the old man accepted a cigar, and,
tiltlng his chair against the wall, con-
tinued:
1T was in the DAYS when the St
James was in its glory. / had a very
nice suite of rooms where 1 used to
entertain, catering to the best people
only, and I want to tell you, the game
was always full. On this particular
occasion this man I just shook hands
with was in the game His name is
Mittleberger. He was in this country
representing his brothers, who had a
large vineyard and winery somewhere
in Germany, and at the time of which
l speak had been in America about
three years. He was a very nervous
fellow. spoke in broken English, and
the bulls he made when he tried to
express himself created much amuse-
ment. He was a free spender and a
general all around good fellow Every
body liked him. The game was started
at 2:30 D. m with a $40 limit. In
the game was a lawyer, a doctor, a
wholesale dry goods man, a eattleman,
jeweler and Mittleberger. Toward
about O'Clock some one suggested
taking the bride off, and all con-
Mittleberger a big loser and trying
hard 10 get even, but without sue
cess.
Now, I'm coming to the story. 1t
was jack pot Mittleberger was
dealer. The lawyer. who sat next the
dealer, opened it for $40 and one of
the players stayed. Sitting behind Nit
tleberger, I saw him skin down mis-
cards, which contained a pair of
deuces. You couldn't have kept him
out of the pot with a gun.
I go nit said he.
Nit goes nit facetiously re-
marked the Doctor
ia wohI, mein trent, und if I make
it, I gift you a bump
All right, old man, deal the cards.
said the doctor.
Mittieberger picked up the cards
The lawyer called for two cards, the
doctor and jeweler one. and the others,
including Mittleberger, took three
cards.
IN chip it blind said the law
Call it, said both the doctor and
the cattleman.
III bet you $780, said the dry goods
man. The jeweler passed. Mittle-
berger. who had watched the play,
now picked up his cards. He pushed
them aside one by one, and I saw he
had four deuces.
'Wass lisp he asked.
Cost you $50 if you want to CALL
replied the dry goods man.
'Mittleberger looked at his hand
again to assure himself the four deuces
were really there. sIeh mach ess fifty
said Mittieberger.
Let's play for a hundred, said
the lawyer.
The eattIeman and doctor passed
and the dry goods man, after hesitating
quite a while, called. Not so Mittle-
berger; he drew a long. fiat wallet
filed with bills from his inside pocket.
laying it open before him, laying his
cards on it, and distracted three 500
bills and threw them in the center of
the table. He was ali worked up, and
had gotten beyond the power of speech.
The lawyer seemed TO be affected in
the same way, for when he raised Nit
tleberger he did not say a word, simply
showed how much he raised. The dry
goods man, realizing his hand was no
good, dropped out.
% g .
Mittleberger raised and reraised I'M
til the lawyer, who had no more money,
called for a sight When Mittleberger
saw the lawyer had no more money,
he, folded his pocketboOk and again
placed it in his inside coat pocket.
. What you got?' asked Mittleberger.
A king full on sevens. replied the
lawyer in a hOarse voice.
No goot. Ich babe four deuces,'
said he: He threw his cards to the
lawyer for his inspection and reached
for the money.
"a Hold on, there; where's your four
deuces? I only see three: besides.
you've got only four cards. Your hand
is dead cried the lawyer.
"Mittleberger took UP his cards, felt
to see if two were not stuck together,