The daily Alaskan., 1905-02-07
AT THE PAVILION
tOrlGiaal.l

HI n AShA AA AhN Whh NNeA were gathered such crowd us one finds beyond the borders of civilization. There were teamsters, COW punchers and sprinkling of men fairly well dressed.
 The game was one most commonly played in those parts-zfaro, Tie deal CT, a redheaded, sandy bearded man in a woolen shirt, sat at one end of the table dealing cards from a tin box, while the patrons of the 'paN llion," as 1t was called, placed their money on other cards arranged in oval form on the table.
 All were too absorbed in the play to notice the entrance of a man who under other circumstances would have been noticeable even in that motley crowd. His clothes were in tatters; his sunken cheeks and eyes told a story of long continued hunger. Shufling up to the faro table, he chose a card on which toI bet and, opening his clutched fingers, placed a silver dollar upon 1t.
 The dealer was proceeding with the usual preSlslon-exposing the card that was to win or lose, gathering in the money ''the house" had won and pay ing that which was lost like slowly working piece of mechanism grinding out the fate of those who came within its feeder. He had just gathered in his gains on the card exposed when the stranger put down his coin. First cast ing his eye over the board, the dealer exposed the next card. It was win ner for the stranger. Not oIly was his dollar still his own, but the dealer laid five more dollars beside it.
 When the bets had been settled 1t was noticed that the stranger left hls money just as 1t was on the card he had placed his first bet, It won again.
 The dealer laid $30 on it, settled up the other bets and went on with the deal. Again the stranger won. There was a hum of interest in the matter as the dealer coolly laid SlS0 beside the S36, aggregating in all S216 Several players looked up into the face of the winner to see how he took his good luck. but his hat was drawn down over his eyes, and they could not sec his flea lures. He sat with his elbows on the table, his chin resting on his hands. For few moments there was the sound of heavy breathing, then per feet quiet.
 Before exposing the next card the dealer waited a moment to see if the stranger would not draw his money. He sat perfectly still. his face turned down to the heap before him, and as he gave no sign to take it in the dealer went on with the game. There was multiplicity of chances that the win nings would go back where they came from-intO the possession of the pa vilion." Indeed there had been null tiplicity of chances that they would not win the third time. And these ad- verse chances were multiplied against its winning the fourth. When the card which was to decide the matter was exposed the eye of every one present was on 1t, forgetful of everything save the seedy mans case. A burst of ex' clamatlons told that again he had won.
 The dealer gave a dissatisfied grunt, turned to his coffers to replenish his exchequer before paying the loss, then dumped several pounds of gold sn the table before the winner.
 Again the crowd looked at the fortu- nate man to see how he took his won derful run of look, but there was no evidence even at the supremely excit- ing moment when the card was ex- posed of even a tremor. No such un- emotional winner had ever played at the pavilion" Several of the better dressed players lost interest in their own game and became intensely Inter ested in that of the stranger. He made no motion to touch the money he had won. sitting apparently unmoved while the dealer was counting it out and set ting the minor bets. Then, when all was ready for the next deal, the stran- gers heap was still staked on the card on which he had bet and won several successive times.
 Hes goin' to try it again"
 "Foolp'
 'Tdiotp
 "Let him alone. He'll break the bank"
 He's gone to sleep"
 Wake him up"
 The dealer, who was cOcksure that fortune once more tempted would de- sert the stranger and return all his winnings to the "house," hurried on and exposed the next card.
 A wild shout from the crowd showed that the stranger had won again.
 The winner still sat mOtiOnless. One of the bystanders shook him. The mans head swayed, lost it's support on the palms of lis hands and fell for ward on the table. He was lifted up, his hat removed and lis face exposed.
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