The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-26

| he kept his temper all right, only he got
very much what he called In earnest.
-The luck did not turn, though, and
before long he had put up and lost all the
trinkets he had as markers. Then ne
jumped up and let out an oath and declared
he would quit, No Use bucking such luck,
he said, and he'd he hanged II he would
try IL any longer. Better have some sense
about IL and quit while he had something
left for another session.
Then the Western Senator looked up
at him and said
THAT hit the Texan square between the
eyes. for ne took IL that the Senator meant
he was a gutter.
"And You won't this time" he sung. out.
Here, I've got five hundred acres OF cheap
land down in my county and III chuck that
in after the rest. It's worth little more
than u dollar an acre, think, but we u
call IL that and let 1t go
"Of course, none of the rest OF us was
going to stand out at the price OF the hnd,
especially as none OF US had ever seen OF
heard of it, so the five hundred acres went
in as five hundred dollars. The TeXah
was to transfer the title the next day II he
lost it.
Then we had Jack pot, and when the
cards were dealt picked up the two red
deuces in my hand. One OF my pet super
stitions about poker is that you will always
help the red deuces in a tight place, 20
usually go along when l get them TO see
what will develop.
The pot was opened fairly easy At my
right, and I went in. Then the Iexah,
who was the second man on my left, gave
1t boost. -.
Il came in again and the man next me
on the left hit il up once more just Tor luck,
and was caught. The Texan stood the
raise and boosted it again. SO traiied
along until they got through, with nothing
In my hand but those red deuoes sso,r, had
got them all pretty we'll afraid OF me, 80
that was in frst-rate place for q good
sharp bluff drew three cards and looked
as contented as ! could.
"The opener drew three also, the man on
my left took two and the Texan TOOK one.
l wondered as he picked it mp II that was
the time when he was going after me with
a club. for it struck me he was drawing Tor
a flush The other man, from his raising
and taking two, / played for threes.
well, when the betting began sat
quiet for bit until the others had had
a chance and then | came in with war
whoop and raised it just as much az the
Texan could stand, He had played about
four hundred Of his acres, and ! figured
that If bet just enough to take the rest OF
them it would make him think was after
his homestead for sure.
And it did The opener had dropped
out at the first raise, for he hadn't helped
the draw. Then the other chap quit, and
sat there grinning and Watching the
Texan.
II didn't care a rar whether he called or
not, for would jus, as soon have had him
win as not. But he didn't call. He looked
at me second and then threw down his
cards.
"No by GEORGE ne said, you couldn't
beat him with club nor five OF them Take
the damned stuff"
with that he got up and walked over
toward the door,
"'Come in in the morning, he said. and
III give you deed for the land.
"'You haven't lost it all vet Clipped
in the Colonel.
We'll, I'll keep the rest answered the
Texan. Maybe it will bring me luck
with that he went away and pretty soon
afterward the game broke up; but had been
nothing in il but those two red deuces.
THE Colonel and the Senator laughed
lot and talked about what fun they would
have Raging the Texan. They did. too.
for the next day when | saw him they had
been there first.
ave come to the conclusion he said.
that that land wasn't meant to he lost
in poker game, and If il = all the same to
you I'll redeem it at dollar an acre and
keep it myself
THAT was where made a goat Of myself
for sure and lost the only chance ia ever
have of being rich. | took the dollar an
acre and he kept the land And less than
four months after that they struck oil on
IL and that Texan Is worth don't know
how many millions. That's what l might
have had il I'd kept the land / WON