The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-01-14
THE LATEST
THING

by WIN. II.

~"'S "f"g 49, N't
r Rom time immcmOrial the trii
poker sharp has operated unde
lava as fixed and immoyabIe and IN
rhanpnablc as the laws Of nature. Tn
first step has invariably been to get
man with Il wad Of money. The sec
ond step is to get him off alone some
where. The third step Is to let hin
win a few games, until he Is wei
worked up. The fourth and last Is L
let him lose all the other games, tax
Ing good care 10 keep him at 1t unit
he Is dead broke.
But this is an age Of originality
enterprise, Mickey walters and hi
close companion. Shifty ~Smith--twC
young men with fresh compilations
but very hard m~0uths-were poker
Fharps par excellence. For they had q
little game that was all their own.
"lt's the latest thing in poker. IT
Mickey would remark, as he winkcd
his other eye,
II was. And It was novel. For,
whereas the old-timers had been wont
to let their victims stack up the chips
at the start, they always, toward the
end of the game, did the stacking up
themselves; whereas this had been the
rule. Mcssrs. Smith and Walters had
apparently reversed It, They usually
started on an even basis, allowing
their victim to win a game and lose a
game, and when the victim was quite
sure that they were on the level,
they let him have everything in
sight. Any man, who within the last
two years has been up against Mickey
Walters or Shifty Smith, will recall
that he flashed in grand style, with
every chip piled up before him. How
could this be? All, that is where the
enterprise and originality came into
play.
1t was an lnvariable rule with
Messrs. Smith and Walters and a third
individual, who aided them in the en-
torpriSes now and then, TO keep on
hand at least the sum of $500. This
is quite essential, for he who goes out
after elephants must use something
more than fish worms as his bait, But
at times they were sadly pinched to
keep this tidy sun in tow,
1t was on a pleasant, but frigid win
ter evening, that they found them
selves-hut for this reserve fund OF
half a thousand-almost without funds.
But Smith and Walters started out
and soon came back. They came back
not alone, They had with them a
youngster who they were sure had in
hts clothes the sum of $1,000. They
were sure OF this, because they had
seen the money, 1t was two luscious
81 900 bills. This youth found in the
two very agreeable companions.
They froze fast to him. They became
acquainted with him by inviting him
to throw dice for the drinks. As the
intimacy rlpened, they suggested to
him, that as he had nothing to do. and
they had nothing 10 do. how about a
quiet little game? Casually Mickey
pulled from his pocket the $500 to
show that he vas a man with the
funds.
I'm with YOU" said the young
stranger,
Shtfty Smith then intimatcd that he
of a cosy little place over on the
avenue. where they could sit till morn
Ing and never be disturbed. The
stranger assented, No warning hand
was there to hold him back. He went.
The place vas Charley's. Charley
the mysterious third party asso.
lated with Smith and Walters. He
had one popularity. He hired his
cosy little oom only for one day or
one night. Some times 1t was cheaper
Sometimes it was convenient. When
hey entered Charley's Mickey Walters
passed to Charley the $500 that
he had,
who's the mug" whispered Char
ey, cycling the invited guest.
'Sh!' returned Mickey. he's the la
est thing in poker"
Chips. Charley" said Shifty Smith.
and charge EN- up to my account"
'hifty was supplied with chips BY the
house" Mickey Walters, got some,
but made a show Of really paving
or them, The young stranger pulled
nut Two $1,000 bills. The eyes of the
hree glistened.
Gee" though Mickey, 1T he's goin'
o plunge like that we can get his pile
W midnight"
The stranger scratched his head. Il
lont want to take too many chances"
lie announced, I'm going to plav
1900 Of this and then quit, hit or miss.
live me- he commanded, $500
worth in big chips ard $500 in change.
Charley, thanking his stars that he
lad the $500, handed it out, and took
he two large bills. Then Charley and
lis two companions sighed with relief.
FOR, though apparently the game was