The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-08-13

the felony law took effect the old gambler
forsook the green CLOTH and only in remit
niscences lived over the days when he
was a knight of Dame Fortune.
THE farmer is a gambler" continued
the old gambler. "He stakes his capital
and work on the weather and the market.
The merchant lays in stock of goods,
and If the demand is right he reaps
harvest. 1t is so with all forms of enter
prises. The one difference is that when
a man plays faro bank or the wheel he
gets quicker action for his money.
Does anybody ever make a stake
gambling? Why, sure. l met man on
the street the other day who owns one of
the best ranches in Bitter Root Valley,
near Missoula. He got his start by win
ming he made in the old Owl here.
II won't give you the mans name, but
he came to Spokane about ten years ago
from Colfax. He had been working in a
livery stable there and had about $40
when he landed here He played the wheel
and the bank, and finally lost all his
money. He went and soaked his watch
for SIS He fooled around and lost all
but s. of this shooting craps and bucking
the tub game.
lie then went over and bought 81
worth of checks at one of the faro games.
He Immediately started to win He won
for six days steady. He beat us out or
$1,000 In that time. One Saturday night he
came to me and gave me the money to-
put in the safe for him. On the follow
ing Monday morning he deposited the
money in the bank and went over to MIS-
soula. lie bought a ranch In the Bitter
Root Valley, and today is worth 100000.
When l met him the other day he told
me that he had never bet a cent since
he made his stake.
1.-THE principal thing in gambling is to
know when to quit. There was young
ienow out here about ten years ago who
was connected with one of the swell
families in New York. read in the paper
not long ago about him marrying some So
ciety girl back there.
This young fellow was quite plunger.
He won about $1,000 one night before
midnight. He gave me the money to put
in the safe for him. 1t was all in big bills.
After / had put the money in the safe
| was closing up the game when the
young fellow sauntered over and, putting
81 on the layout, said he wanted to win
enough to take a friend 20 luncheon. L
made few turns and won the dollar. He
then bet 500. I turned and won that.
He got to betting $3.50 and $500. won
his money as fast as l turned the cards.
| kept tab on how much he had In the
safe The last bet he made was 1915.
won this from him. l cleaned him out of
his $4,000 winning in one deal. When he
lost his last bet he borrowed $40. and,
getting a fresh cigar, went out and took
his friend to luncheon with as little APP
parent concern as though he had only
lost S..
Zone of the funniest games that ever
got into was a poker game in little
town in Nevada a good many years ago
There was fellow there that thought that
he was the real, genuine thing In the line
of poker player. In those days / could
play poker myself. The native with the
poker playing propensities ran a restaur-
ant, and he used to do his playing In the
kitchen after he closed up. A friend had
come with me from San Francisco to the
burg and, getting this friend. l went
down to the restaurant along about mid
night Was that friend of mine a poker
player? Aye, aye, captain.
1--WE landed in the chop foundry just as
the fellow was closing up. 1t took but a
few words to start game, and we were
soon hard at work in the kitchen. Well,
in short while we had him cleaned out
of about SOCIAL the money he had.
1.-THE restaurant man was game. and
wanted to know If he could bet his stove
and four lengths of stove pipe. Stoves
and stovepipe were worth lot OF money
in the little towns In Nevada in those
days My partner figured that IL we were
going to go into the restaurant business
we might as well go right, and told the
native that he could bet his stove and
stovepipe.
"It was my deal, and after the cards
were dealt the restaurant man made it a
length Of stovepipe to draw. My partner
and myself stayed for SIS. l had bum
pair, and did not better them on the
draw My partner bet So and the res
taurant man raised him length of stove
pipe. l dropped out and my partner saw
the raise and came back with another So
The restaurant man stayed and raised
him the stove. My partner saw the stove
for $500.
ION the showdown my partner had three
acres and the restaurant man produced
four queens. From then on 1t was all his
way That was the nearest ever came