The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-18

seven spot, he concluded he was beaten, so he said: q reckon I've got you beat,
 pard, but your pair may be better'n kings I'll divide the pot with you.' Done" said Strong and he laid his hand on the table face down; but as he
 was counting out the chips Winterbottom
 said: Hold on, therel This here is a
 show down, bein' as there were hand called Pears like we alld have to have a sight O. them cards"
 "Is that the ruler? asked Strong. Tt sure is' said Pearsall. So they turned the cards over Strong had called on a pair of skies.
 | At first they were inclined to jeer. but | then they remembered that the call was better than bluff would have been, since | it convinced Bassett that he was beaten and forced him to propose a division. Later on they changed more of their | ideas Strong lost his ten and bought | again. Then he drove Bassett to the bone yard, and then Blaisdell and then lost a | large part of his pile on a strong bluff.
 which Winterbottom alone had the nerve | to call.
 1 Then he bought again, twenty this time. | and from that on forced the play so that | there was soon almost a thousand dollars on the table, of which he alone had con- tributed nearly four hundred. "'Pears like the game ain't SO what you'd call moderate as twas, said BaS-
 sett. as he bought another hundred just to keep up with the procession. "Ohl I don't know" said Strong. T would not like to play for really important money and if any of you gentlemen feel that the stakes are too high for mere amusement I would prefer to stop now, only for the fact that just at the moment I happen to be considerably ahead" They looked at his chips and saw that xy,t ,to t,tta cO efnf1ad On0f0rfAhlV
 and assured him that such trifiing amounts as they had invested so far were really unimportant. and that they would not think of breaking up friendly game Then Winterbottom stacked the cards neatly, and giving Strong a full house pat and Blaisdel four treys put crimp in Strong's roll that staggered him for moment. It was only for moment, how ever Recovering himself he laughed lightly and said "If lose like that again I'll certainly have to buy more chips" He had been watching keenly. but the others felt sure he had not detected Win terbottoms trickery. for that veteran had never been caught in any crooked play To do him justice he seldom resorted to if excepting in an emergency. No one around the board suspected Strong of the ability to juggle the cards. His awkward ness, whether 1t was real or not, had been maintained steadily from the begin ming Of the game.
 Nevertheless Blaisdell kept up his watchfulness They were playing dollar ante calling two by this time. and jackpot had been made on Pearsalrs deal. and sweetened on BlaisdelPs. so that there
 was SIPS in the pot when Strong took the pasteboards.
 He dealt with his usual slow careful ness and when Bassett looked at his hand he found pat flush, so he opened as A matter of curse. putting in the same amount that was In already. Winterbot- tom dropped. But Pearsall found pair of kings. SO he stayed. and Blaisdell threw down four straight.
 Strong looked at his hand carefuily and then raised it ten dollars This was good news to Bassett. ar> he made 1t ten more. whereupon Winserbottom fold ed his two kings.
 Strong hesitated but at length said: T think this Is good for one more raise and he threw in his s20.
 "Well. pard." said Bassett joyously TIT your hand is as good as all that, you c'n maybe put up s25 more to draw to It. And he raised 1t that amount. Then Strong hesItated for some time, but finally said: q reckon you probably have pat hand. but I'll take a chance" and he made good.
 "These'1l do me-" said Bassett. Help yourself" and he bet fifty dollars. Strong looked troubled, but he dealt himself two cards and was about to pick