davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1903-12-27

and said he was going to take hand If
you wanted him III, but only came along
to look on little while, if We no OBJ
lection 49,,
pleasantly. and Jim bought his chips. We
knew the game they played usually, and
his hundred dollars was just enough to
qualify him, though, of course, no one there
imagined that it was all we had between
-Well, ! think I never saw more err
rat tic game than that was for the next half
hour. There d be a dozen hands, maybe,
without a call, every pot being taken by
somebody who bet dsproportionately to
the size of thr pot. Indicating the proba-
bility of bluff, and then everybody would
seem to wake up and call everything, and
the game would be a bare showdown. Then
there would come "A struggle between two
of three. and at the end of it pair of tens
or some such foolishness would take the
money.
Il noticed that Jim was playing steadily
and carefully enough, but he was not having
any luck and began to fear that the wild
play on all sides would rat lie him and start
him of on freak bets. In that case | knew
that not hing but dumb luck would save
him. and | wasn't feeling optimistic just
then.
-Of course. I knew too much to say any
thing, though and all | could do was 10
watch and hope. Meantime Jim's pile
dwndled by a half.
Then came what surely thought was
the end. The Mavor opened jackpot
and the theirs all dropped, excepting jim.
Il could see his cards and | saw II
pair of kings. The Mayor took two cards
and j i'm three. but Jim didn't better.
1T was a thrty-six dollar pot and the
Mayor bet thrty-six. 1t took the whole
of Jims pile, but he called and won he pot +,
the Mayor having only pair of jacks.
Coming after that, the next pot mad"
me grayheaded. 1t was buck jack for
two dollars, making twelve in the pot before
the deal.
"Jim opened it for the size of it, on three
eights. The Mayor, sitting next. raised
it twelve. The doct or dropped and so did
the ranchman, but the landlord stayed and
the lawyer threw down his cards.
Then Jim h'isted it twenty and the
Mayor and the landlord both stayed. That
made Sl44 in the pot, with fair show for
jim. 1t wouldn't have seemed like much
of a show If they hadn't been betting on
such small hands; but as it was, it looked
like a start, anyhow
"On the draw jim took two cards and
the others each took one He bet white
chip and the Mavor trailed
"Then the landlord bet 5000 | didn't
tell you that everybody excepting jun
The sun., 1903-12-27
0NE THING THAT
~ POKER TEACHES
1t Is Never to Give Up, Even
After You Have Lost
Your Last Chance,

THE value of the game of draw poker
a. an educational factor liz ;he development
of our national character a, hardly he over
estimated said the grayhaired, young look
ing man, as he lighted his pipe in the club
smoking room ~As matter of fact, how
ever. | do not think it is fully appreciated
in that sense There can be no question
AS TO it's appreciation as game, but not
everybody realizes how much can be
learned from it.
"Of course, everybody knows that you
can learn a whole lot OF mathematics, and
YOU can develop your intutions and add
to your knowledge of human nature and
cultivate your courage or nerve and Tram
yo,Ir Judgment and all that, but | mean
something above and beyond this. The
lessons, that may be learned from playing
draw poker inteligently may very well
serve to increase any mans efficiency, and
possibly also may save him from disaster
"Sucl, talk undoubtedly sounds like
,heorizing. end will certainly be pooh
poohcd by those who object to the game
on moral grounds. l have no controversy
with such people. If a man considers
gambling sinful in itself, he certainly can
not approve of playing poker, but even
such person, ii he ls az all lair m'hueo'
s,,... admit that there are valuable lessons
10 be learned from IL.
"One such lesson was impressed on me
very forcibly when l was much younger
than am now, and the recollection OF 1t
has more than once since then saved me
from despair and probable ruin. For my
life has been a tolerably adventurous one
with many ups and downs.
1T has repeatedly seemed to me that
every possible chance there was for Inc
was exhausted, and if ! had not learned
from q game of poker TO keep on the alert
even after the last chance seemed TO be
zone, and was, to all appearances, hope
The sun., 1903-12-27

"Yes, / spent Christmas in Japan when
l was playing there. Mrs. Potter and
myself were the first Shakespearian players
to net there
"The theatres are good in a way, but
nothing to compare with some of the thea
tres in other Eastern countries, Australia,
for example. should say that the Princess
Theatre in Melbourne was the finest theatre
l have ever played in.
"1'he trouble with the American theatres
is that too much attention is paid to max
ing good impression from the front An
architect thinks that if he can make an
audience say when it comes in What fine
looking place! he has accomplished all
there is to accomplish. He never thinks
of looking at the theatre from the point of
view of the actor.
ut is a fact that one of the best known
theatres on Broadway was finished before
it was discovered that the architect had alb
soluely forgotten to put on a stairway
for the act ors and act resses 10 go on and Off
The sun., 1903-12-27
NtN,s ALLIANCE WITH THE DOG
or All Animals the bog Alone Seems 10 be
Mans Friend.
Maurice Mo,ioriinck ia century

MnHfiCf mUbThhCh w 'Nt"B
Man loves the dog, but how much more
ougnt he 20 love it il he considered in the
inneyible harmony Of the laws of nature. the
sole execution which is that love of a being
that succeeds in piercing. in order TO draw
closer to III. the partitions, everywhere else
impermea Bile. that separate the species! We
are alone absolutely alone on this chance
planet, and. amid all the forns OF life that
surround us not one excepting the dog, has
made an alliance with us few creatures
fear us most are unaware of ~. and not one
loves us In the world of plants We have
dumb and motiouless slaves, but they serve
us in spite of themselves They simply
endure our laws and our yoke They are
impotent prisoners. victims incapable OF
escaping, but silently rebelhons ard. so soon
as we lose sight of them. they hasten TO betray
us and return TO the former wild and mis-
chievous liberty The rose aud the corn,
had they wings. would hv at our approach.
like the birds.
Among the animals We number a few ser
wants who have submitted only through
Indifference. cowardcc. or stupidity, the
uncertain and craven horse who responds
only to pain and is attached to nothing; the
passive and detected ass. who stays with
us only because he knows not whit to do nor
where to 20. but who nevertheless, under
the cudga and tn" pack saddle, retains tn
idea that turks behind his ears he COW and
the on happy so louC rs they are eating
and docile because for centuries, they have
not had "A thought of their own: the affrighted
sheep, vino knows no ih-I master than ter
ror. the hen who is faithful to the poultry
yard because she finds more maize and wheat
there than IN the neighocring forest. | do
not speak OF the cat, to whom We are nothing
more than a too lHrg" and uneatable prey.
the fcrocio,is cat, whose sidolong contempt
tolerates III only AS encumberinG parasites in
our own homes. She. At least, curses us in
her mysterious heart, but all the others live
beside us as they might live beside a rock
or tree They. do not love us. do not know
us scarcely notice us They are unawar"
of our life. our death. our departure. our
return, our sadness, our JOY our smile, They
do not even hear tn" sound oI our vo.r'.
as soon as it no longer threatens them; ard
when they look al u, IL is with the dstrustiul
b.wildermcnt of he horse, in whose eye still
hovcrs the unfatuaton OF the elk or Razelie
that sccs us for the first time, or, with th"
dull stupor Of the ruminants. who look upon
us as a momsrtary and useless accidsa9 oi
the pasture.
The sun., 1903-12-27

tree, and then beat 1t in some peculiar way
with pieces of bark. When the smoke
ascends it goes in strange spirals and they
all mean something.
"That and the bush call, the weird coo-eee,
and the sounds of the bush with the wonder
full lslence-ah. they get into mans spirit,
into his blood
"The silences and the loneliness oppres-
sive? Never! The noises Of the city and
the impossibility Of loneliness depress me ;
hut not that, never that,
"Can you imagine the fascination Of
starting to 60 to place that is 500 miles
away with nothing but your knowledge
OF the bush to guide you? You always
get there If you know the bush. 1t is only
the stranger who goes around his own camp.
The true woodman knows. How2 Oh,
in numberless ways.
"He can tell by the sun and stars, he can
| tell by the way the bark grows on the trees
you know how the tree twists with the sun,
or he can watch the bla2ed trail that has
The sun., 1903-12-27

Mr.. Belew is not quite a oynic, but he
suggested certain reforms in his immediate
environment which would imply ieanine
that way. The conversation had vcercd
anew to the American Christmas and the
contrast that hard work without extra
pay makes to the delight of the Continental
holiday and by easy stages the attitude
that the normal American assumes toward
art came to the front.
Il have been Interested. saidMr. Bellew,
"in the observations Of the so-called smart
society people lore on my work. He'
Gently ! have Leen to two fashionable
functions. At both my work was TOR
while the subject Of conversation. s-.
Personally / admire the little one-act
play which precedes 'Raffles' very much.
1t Is play which requires an actors whole
mind and soul 1t is very difficult and In
England took very well. Forbes Robertson
played it for 200 nights.
4The one thing that seemed to have made
an impression was the fall at the end, when
l am shot and tumble downstairs back
ward. That was all OF the delicate
sentiment of the piece, of the hard work.
nothing. g
1T was the same way with 'Raffles.'
have heard that discussed here and there.
and what do you suppose is the one thing
in the play apparently that has made the
most forcibe impression? The exit from
the clock. H.
"Of course, in comparison with the first
piece, RGflss is an easy r)le to play, but
one would think that there was something
beside the obvious in it, Would you not?
"To what do think this lack of percep-
ton is due? Undoubtedly to the feeling
that exists in America toward the theatre;
to you everything is show. You go to
the theatre as you go to the circus Of the
wax works, to be- amused, to forget, not
to be taught, not to be elevated and re-
fined.
-When you go into hotel or a cafe.
where men congregat@, what do you hear
talked? Nothing but business. You never
hear the arts and sciences mentioned un-
less they happen to be the professions OF
the men convers:ng Between the acts
of the theatre, in the foyer even, financial
questions are resumed. How can art
flourish in such an atmosphere?
"In England you go to club. to CATS.
to a hotel, and you may chat with a dozen
men and you will never hear shop talk You
can leave the party without knowing the
business or profession of any one Of them.
"If you say anything TO man about his
business he will ask you to stop at his Office
the next morning and talk the matter over.
You have really been snubbed because in
his eyes you have done discourteous
The sun., 1903-12-27

had been to the boneyard, some of them
several times, So that there must have
been three or four thousand dollars on
the table.
We'll, Jim studied for long time. The
landlord had been caught blutfing several
times and three eights looked fairly good
against such play l don't think | would
have had the nerve to call, but jim did
for his pile, which was now a little over $50
The Mayor was still to hear from, and
to my CONSERVATION, he raised the land
lord two hundred OF course, that made
a site bet with all Jim's money invested
in 1924 pot, but only three eights TO back
him against two hands. on" of which was
almost certainly better than his, and the
other was problematical,
"le sat mOtiCu!ess, and could see that
he was as white aS death. ! don't know
how looked, but felt as he looked. The
landlord studied a long time but finally
called saving:
I've got flush
that's good, said the Mayor, throwing
his hand rather violently into the discard
pile,
And Jim said, quietly, I opened on
three eights, laying his hand face up in
front of him. Then he rose from the table
and walked swiftly out of the room.
Il was about to follow him and the land
lord was reaching out for tho pot when
suddenly the lawyer exclaimed:
Hold on there. That isn't n flush.
Why you've got six cards IN that hand.
-Thcn there was lot of talk. No one
imagined for moment that the landlord
had intended anything wrong, but it was
absolutely certain that he had shown down
six cards and his hand was therefore dead.
He did not pretend to dispute it, and
the only explanation he could make was
that two cards must have stuck together.
Then the Mayor said: The pot belongs
to me, then, for had an ace-high straight,
but he was instantly asked To show it,, and
was, of course, unable to do so. Not only
had he thrown his hand into the discard
bu; she discard pile itself had been disturbed
after he did il.
so there was a long discussion as to
what should be done. l had my own notion,
of course, but determined to say nothing
unless a decision should he reached that
| should consider unjust to Jim. They
finally agreed, however, that the original
pot belonged to Jim and that the side money
should be divided between the Mayor and
the landlord,
Then the Mayor said to mo What do
YOU want TO do' Do you want to cash IN
your partners chips or sit in and play for
him? He may cone back perhaps.
Il knew well enough that he would not
como back, but the notion seized ne sud
denly that the luck had turned at the lass
The sun., 1903-12-27

OF the open, the life on the sea with long
days and nights, free, untrammelled.
Don't think it monotonous life for
man with an active mind? Not at all
If man did not have an active mind it
would soon degenerate into the life Of an
animal, but if you have a mind and soul
there is no danger of that; there is always
work, and the sea is ever changing. 1t is
never the same, it is never monotonous,
never tiresome.
"'The worst of it is the spirit Of restless
ness that it evokes. I have known sailors
to reach port and go home to their wives
They have been glad to get back and the
wives are wild with delight to welcome
them.
in few days they begin to get restless,
to go down to the wharves to look at the
ship or out into the harbor, and in about
two weeks they want to get away again
and the wives are just as anxious they
should. They are not particularly pleas
ant people to have around. They don't
fit well into the domestic circle.
-They feel as feel when am on Broad
way, for instance in. No, ii is
not exactly the call of the wild, the call OF
the West. l know what that is, too.
have had that fever also.
Il have spent more than one Christmas
in the Australian bush l think perhaps
Americans think of the bush as they do
of their own sage brush on the plains. In
Australia that is the name of the forest,
of the great expanse of uncleared country.
What was there to do in the bush on
Christmas? Only the same as other days.
One almost forgot the day of the year.
IF you could once realize that beauti-
full clearness of the atmosphere have
been in the bush when II was possible to
see 100 miles. Through the gray-green
of the trees you could discern the little
white specks of smoke, far of: think OF it,
1870 miles, and that is no usual phenomenon
| know of no more wonderful atmosphere
unless It may be that Of South Africa.
Il went there principally to look after
some land l owned in the gold country
| have been there two or three times, the
last time after had played in Melbourne,
sydney. Adelaide and Brisbane.
1T was just before he war and there was
little theatrical interest. Everybody had
his eyes on South Africa. So / got away
and went in the bush and rode and camped
and wat tched the natives signal
"You know the bushmen have unique
way Of signalling news. They can gossip
lust about as fast as We can with our
daily papers.
They make a fire in the stump of an old
The sun., 1903-12-27

been made on the trees; thai is, the cuts
from the axe, always on one side.
Don't blazing the trees spoil them?'
Mr.. Bellew laughed at the tenderfoot ques-
ton. What difference would i make
when there are millions Of trees, and such
trees some of them 400 feet high. There
are no trees in the world like them, except
the trees of Californis, and they run close
race for place. 1t is very impressive to
stand in the bush and see those great tow
ering spires.
"Americans do not travel much. You
know your own country, and if an American
goes anywhere he usually goes to Japan
and thinks he has seen the world. Really
Japa is the least interesting of any of the
Eastern countries.
at is just bit of a dolls place and it is
so Europeanized now that it has lost much
of its charm. Now. how many Americans
90 to Australia? You rarely meet them
there and it is never spoken of here. Yet
the voyage alone is worth the time and
trouble.
Il always go there from England, al
though it is but three weeks from San Fran
cisco When you go from England, III
four days, you stop at Gibraltar, then you
stop at Marseilles. then Sardinia. Your
last port is Alden, and up to that time you
are making constant stops, all Of them
wonderfully interesting.
"Then the cities of Australia are immensely
interesting, and when you realize that it il
as large az the United States and has only
4OOO 600 inhabitants, you can ge, some idea
OF the wild wastes OF land for a man with
a restless spirit to roam in,
The sun., 1903-12-27

Nobody else took part in the shooting,
and when asked about II ] was told that
was the guest and no one else was allowed
to interfere with my privilege
"I have sat at the table of one of those
Princes and drank my liqueur from glass
that had been cut from single emerald
They have absolutely no idea of their own
magnifcence. You will see the most
distressing squalor and then luxury
that you cannot describe,
"If you should reread the fairy stories
Of your childhood and the Arabian Nights
over again and then put that into reality
you might get some impression OF ten
days entertainment that was given Mrs
Potter and myself when we were in India
playing: but it would be simply an i'm
preston. not the reality.
This was at the palace of ole of the
most famous Indian Princes, Mrs. Potter
was taken through the zenana the harem
but of course I could not go there.
"The Prince had thousand wives Five
hundred of them he had inherited from
his father. The women were OF all sorts
and descriptons-some beautiful some
quite the reverse. but nll covered with
magnificent jewels. The Prince himself
was charming fellow He spoke English
quite we'll and made himself most agreeable.
People tell great deal about European
izing India. 1t will never be done, at least
not for hundreds and hundreds of years.
"The native Indian is radically different
from us. What we call civilization simply
passes him by. 1t does not touch him.
II have seen strange things done there.
NJ ,lnt1x Nt1t.
That strange faculty, whatever you may
call it, is an inheritance that comes down
from father to son through generations as
far back as the beginning Of time. and the
result is something that one cannot ex-
plain, cannot understan and-can hardly speak
of.
"Kipling wrote a wonderful book when
he wrote Kim He has described the
native life and its fundamental difference
from the European admirably.
DO you remember his description Of
the Great Trunk road' That is an abso
lutte picture of the place as | have seen it,
or as any one who was familiar with the
natives castles would see it. A European
or an American, unless he had lived there
and studied the people, would hardly under
stand what it all meant"
Ratfes on the stage is philosopher He
takes big chances with life and he has
always facing him the felon's cell but
he never loses heart. His pluck never
deserts him. 1t is this quality that wins
not alone the hearts of his audience, but
the final coup.
on the stage one is conscious tina, Mr.
Bellew is not quite the philosopher that
his cracksman is. Perhaps that is hardly
The sun., 1903-12-27

moment. and that | would sec what could
do witt that sa.i So | took Jnn's seat
and put in for the jackpot that was made on
his three eightS.
at was the lawyers deal and my mr.
saw. | caught four tens cold, and was about
to open il. when the thought came that il
some one else opened | would have chance
to raise so passed.
"The Mayor passed and the doctor opened
it, The ranChman rade 1t S2i to play, ana
the lawyer stayed, the landlord dropping
out.
This was great luck, debated " ether
to raise again or wait, aud decia aed to wait,
so put up S2i
ut worked all right, for the doctor came
back with SEQ raise: and the Others 6otn
my great delight, they all stayed
+Of course, | took one card, but the others
all stood pat 1t was the doctors bet,
and he put up tlOo. The ranchman stud
led, but finally ma Ie il 500
"The lawyer only had about &15 lett, but
he put that in counted my chips, and
found s22s. which l pushed forward, and
the others called
There we're two f7ushes and full house
against ma. so | took in Sl,lf in single
game as gracefully rs possible fear
il sounded lame. winner = excuse Tor
quitting usually does but | said
Really, | don't like to play an another
mans money after piece OF luck Ike that
chips over to the Mayor.
He laughed, and said, guess the boys
would rather you'd cashed in before you
PLAYED at all But he gave me the money,
and | went looking for jim.
He was over at our office, as suspected
he would be. looking over some papers.
When l entered he said;
I'm trying to straighten things up
as well as ! can. We can get westbound
The sun., 1903-12-27

Raffles, the all around athlete, looked
amiaby distressed at the mention of Christ
mas.
"How will spend my Christmas?" he
repeated. "In a way that no country on
the globe, except your great civilized,
Christian land would permt-two theatrical
performances, a matinee and an evening
After that shall be so tired that I shall
come right back to the Darlington and go
TO bed.
Il have never played in any country in
the world on, Christmas Day except in
America. 1t is against the law in England,
The sun., 1903-12-27

thing in referring to shop out of shop hours.
"1his habit of thought naturally has Its
effect on the arts. The play is not mere
show. 1t is something for serious dis
cussion for serious thought and reflection,
for the interchange Of ideas.
Perhaps it is to this sentiment that the
actor owes his Christmas Day with his
family or friends instead of spending it in
the theatre"
The sun., 1903-12-27

to be tpeced.
The comedian at home usually makes
invidious and tragic remarks about the
difficulty of making both ends meet and
tie in bow knot. The traged'an plays
cats cradle with his small boy or spends
a great deal of time on all fours TO repre-
sent bear or lion az reQuir:d d and the stage
philosopher, by the same law of contrasts
becomes cynic
The sun., 1903-12-27
Another Kind Of Peach

F'TOm the Cicrsland Plain Dealer.
Despite her age she is stlll peach"
yes, OF the canned variety"