Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-01-21
THE LATEST
THING
Copyright, 1904, by Daily Story Pub. Col
By WIN. H. OSBORNE

I'D ROM time immemorial the true
1T poker sharp has operated under
laws as fixed and immovable and I'M
changeable as the laws Of nature. The
Arst step has invariably been to get a
man with wad of money. The sec
ond step is to get him off alone some
where. The third step is to let him
win few games, until he is we'll
sworked up. The fourth and last is to
let him lose all the other games, TAX
ing good care to keep him at it until
he is dead broke.
But this is an age of originality-of
enterprise. Mickey Walters and his
close companion, Shifty Smith-two
but very hard mouths-were poker
sharps par excellence. For they had a
little game that was all their own.
Its the latest thing in poker"
Mickey would remark, as he winked
his other eye
1t 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, Messrs. Smith and Walters had
apparently reversed ii. They usually
started on an even basis, allowing
their victim to win q game and lose a
game, and when the victim was quite
lsure 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 finished 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 invariable rule with
Messrs. Smith and Walters and a third
Individual. who aided them in the en-
tcrprises 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
ut times they were sadly pinched to
keep this tidy sum in tow.
| 1t was on a pleasant, but frigid win
ter evening. that they found them
II
half 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
his clothes the sum OF $4,000 They
| were sure Of this. because they had
seen the money. 1t was two luscious
81 900 bills. This youth found in the
couple two very agreeable companions.
They froze fast to him They became
l acquainted with him by inviting him
to throw dice for the drinks. AS the
| intimacy ripened. they suggested to
him, that as he had nothing to do, and
| they had nothing to do, how about a
quiet little game? Casually Mickey
pulled from his pocket the $500 to
| show that he was a man with the
funds.
I'm with you," said the young
stranger.
Shifty Smith then il.timated that he
| knew 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 was Charley's. Charley
was the mysterious third party asso-
ciated with Smith and Walters. He
had one popularity. He hired his
cosy little room only for one day or
one night Some times it was cheaper
Sometimes IT was convenient. When
they entered Charley's Mickey Walters
quickly passed to Charley the $500 that
he had.
Who's the mug?" whispered Char
ley. cycling the invited guest.
Ssh" returned Mickey, hes the Ia
test thing in poker"
Chips. Charley" said Shifty Smith
and charge 'em up to my account"
Shifty was supplied with chips by the
house" Mickey Walters. got some.
too, but made a show of really having
for them. The young stranger pulled
out two $1,000 bills. The eyes of the
three glistened.
Geo." though Mickey, eff he's goin'
to plunge like that we can get his pile
by midnight"
The stranger scratched his head. at
don't want to take too many chances 4"
he announced. I'm going to pIay
$1,000 of this and then quit, hit or miss.
Give me-" he commanded, 81 500
worth in big chips and $500 in change.
Seer"
Charley, thanking his stars that he
had the $500, handed it out, and took
the two large bills. Then Charley and
his two companions sighed with relief
For though apparently the game was
Just beginning. the real game, the;r
game, had been played.
Steadily the stranger won. At the
start he lost game or so-that was a |
part of the scheme arranged by Smith |
and Walters. But after that 1t was a |
Walk-over. He won hands down. |
Shifty and Walters finally threw I'D
their hands in despair.
Great SCOTT" said Mickey; T
won't play another card tonight" He |
a or oly 80