The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-10
Good Luck at Draw Poker.

UVVu LULA 0J III uW VA0l
'Weu. now" said the philanthropist.
when the criminal had finished his tea,
"let us see what can be done in your
case. You struck policeman engaged
in the execution of his duty"
L did" said the criminal with some
thing rather near to an air Of self-satis-
faction. II hit him hard"
You are poor and in rags. Yet your
pronunciation of the aspirate, your
manner of taking tea. and several other
points about you would seem to indicate
that you were once in better posi-
ton
I was"
And what brought you to poverty?
What maddened you to crime2 The
answer is but too obvious Drink. O
my dear friend! Q my poor brother!"
"One moment" said the criminal
rather emphasizing a slight drawl you
have behaved in a friendly way to me
in offering hospitality, and have
shown equal friendliness in accepting
it. But when il comes to brother It
seems to me that you are introducing
a family complication which is-er-un-
necessary. Now let me put one Dues
ton to you. You assign, correctly
enough, my downfall to drink. To
did 1 take to it2'
@Our natures are frau and sinful
Even for the best of US it is a constant
struggle with the power Of evil We
yes. yes" said the criminal. all
very true, no doubt And while grant
ing it, I may tell you that I assign my
downfall to my natural generosity ana
to a quite exceptional stroke Of good
luck"
I don't think" said the philanthropy
list plaintively, that you should treat
me in this way and make fun Of
well meant effort to help you on the
My dear sir" said the criminal, ''ac-
cuse me of anything else you like. hut
not of an error of taste. I speak in all
seriousness, and L will prove 1t by tell
ing you my story. But let me first in
quire if you are acquainted with the
American game of draw poker, for the
story turns upon that
The philanthrOpist was quite we'll ac-
quainted with it. In his unregenerate
days-as young man at Cambridge
he had played it a good deal But he
was a little ashamed of admitting it.
Tt is part of my duty he said, Ito
be acquainted with the so-called rules
of these deplOrable gambling games.
My knowledge is superficial, Of course,
and very much matter of hearsay."
That's all right" said the criminal
Il wasn't asking you to play. In the
days OF my prosperity I was in the
habit of playing poker every evening
at the club. / need not say that by the
rules Of the club poker was most
strictly forbidden; in fact, we always
called it California whist in conse-
quence- The play was never outra-
geOuS, but it was fairly high some
times. However. we could afford to
lose except one--a mere boy. He was
a nice boy in many ways but a fool
80 TAR as the game went he was not in
our class. He always insisted on play
ing and he invariably lost"
Naturally, If you're playing too high
for your means you get frightened out
when you ought to stay with it, and
you altogether overdo the bluff your
A q 10 ~ Hon MI frsr, fef
added, so I am informed"
correct Well, we were playing one
night, and pot of about $50 was
opened for sovereign, and the open
ing was raised tWice-the last time ii
was by the boy, and I could see easily
enough by his voice and manner that
he was very good. had nothing that
1 could keep However. I had won
more Of the boys money than I wanted
and thought / would help to make
the pot up for him. So I said I didn'
mind buying five cards for three SOW
ereigns. and put my money in"
You were dealing, of course, being
the last to speak?"
Quite so. The opener on my left took
Two cards. The next man had stepped
out The first raiser also took two, the
boy stood pat and I helped myself to
five. The opener bet, was seen by the
next man, and raised the limit by the
boy. I picked up my cards as mat
ter of form; I had no expectation of
getting anything, and I had only come
in to lose. And there in my hand was a
straight fiush-the first and only time
I ever held one
Joker imp asked the philanthropist.
We never used it. There's no sense
4 In hand of five aces. Naturally ]
raised the limit again. The other two
cropped out and the boy and went at
! it ding-dong. I didn't want his money
1 implored him to see me and stop"
Why didn't you see him. if you
wanted to stop2"
Il held a straight flush and I am a
poker player"
The temptation was great, I admit
Temptation Why. il was an absO-
lutte necessity to play that hand for ev-
erything there was. The boy saw me
at last, when he stood to lose a couple
hundred He had four kings, and il
was hard work for him to smile pref
tily when he saw my straight flush
However, will cut my story short. The
boy paid me, and he stole money il
order to do it. The theft was found out
and he tried to shoot himself. That was
all hushed up, but he left the club, an6
1t was limited that I had better resign
also. The talk went round about me
had as dealer given the boy fOui
kings, and had even myself a straight
nuSh, and the age of miracles IS past
Now, I have done almost everything
else, but have never cheated at cards
And If had cheated should have
given myself that straight flush in TIVE
lots and not all together. No one ac
cused me. or could have accused me
but I was not exactly welcomed. Th'
thing got on my nerves. and then-no
until them took to drink. The drunk
ard is never a good gambler. I lost m!
money. I got into bad company Ant
the rest you have seen for yourself"
An extraordinary story" said tn
philanthrOpist I must think 1t over
Come and see me tomorrow at this time
and We viii see what can be done 70
you"
with pleasure. Thank you yer,
much"
of course" said the phiIanthropist
as he assisted the criminal with hi
? very shabby Overcoat, you should hav
kept to your first generous impulse; an
the moment you saw what your ham
was you should have thrown it fac
downward on the rubbish heap and gon
Gould you have done it? Could ST