The Washington times., 1906-09-23

You tell a uan O. that s RI how
he's g0in' To get took short sore tire.
count Of bein' onrsady m h.Il tell you
D he's goln 90 prepare hisself afore the
time comes. but bein' that 8 RI nat ral-
ly. he don't get ready for To pre- ar p
hisself time enough for IL 10 DO any
good
I've spoke frequent ab at how the
game o. draw poher were p'viCed by a
wise an beneficial Providence for TO
pint out 10 theal that's Intelligent all
the great moral lessons that's rec es-
sentiaL Pears like there a n't naJhln'
Z a man needs for 10 know but what he
en- learn it I'm draw poker Z he's got
intelIeck enough 10 play 10 scientific.
An 81 there's one thing IN the way o.
moral lesson In draw poker { stand
out prominent it's IN impIrtauc= o.
betn' on hand aJ tine proper time IA a
proper condition o. ready.
There were "a feIIer drifted into A.
kansas city a spell agp Z wert a
shinin' example a. the best way e. not
gettiu' there count o. not bein ready.
he were SO taI an So r d headed I
there was some talk O. us4n' lin r. d
lighthouse on some o. the bends in n ,
river below here, but that felI Z P UsI
coun- o. his prejudice ag'iu go.n. bare
beaded Folks sect he couldn't be re-
lied on 70 git his hat of in time. even
'!ovin' Z he'd gave his hull mind 10 the
lola
He'd been a travelin' man TT a bis
firm in ST. Louis. an was down the
river tryin' 10 sell goods Wen tn y
telegraphed 10 him Z he'd better Jump
overheard here an see Z the current
wouldn't get him 10 Vicksburg afore
some other felleT I was salliH f'r a
other firm sb'd get there. Pears / k
'tother TELLER had srrove everywhere
else just afore this here ToppletCn an
had sold All there was f.T 10 be sold
'ToppIeton was the name o. this here
red headed drummer, I never kn5Wed
what his front name was count o ey-
eryGadv callin him Reddy. LeastwIse,
that was what they called him I'll they
got reel well acquainted. Then go q
many called him Our-ddy-
We'll. this here Onreddv Topplet n
come 70 Ie an showed me the tele-
grauh what he'd just got, an ne says.
Kind o. looks 10 me like they q In I
want me TO sell no more goods. Lo- ks
like they'd know I 1 couldn & TO
Vlcksburg that away. an they ha'n't
sent me no money for TO 90 by boa
"He 'p-arrd 20 De soms dou n. "a {, an
he says he reckous he'll make .,.er ar
rangemeuts Sellin goods want much
ia his line nOhOW-
80 / est uim what he recEOned his
lire was. n hv said he'd PIER fer 20
play poker. cny { ne didn't know s
hc was quite p'Iared fer 10 set In with
no extra skn'ful pfessionals.
''Wen. tile Good Book teaches us how
we shouldn't tromple onto a hunk O
flax rs just aatc0jn a spark, nos II
we want 10 burn w shouldn't So IL
didn't look good 10 me for 70 GisCOur-
age hon'ab.e ambition IL man. So
tells him Z piayiH' DCker was some
like swimiain. you never kuowed what
you ed do tin you did IT,
'"There was one thing / was some
doubtful about, an that was whether
De hal q v-ad ] knowed the boys Il
bt. wiUil' enough to furnish him all IN
experience NE needed. but they WASH {
liable for to take interest enough TO %
him no great benefit thou ten ne had
cuOueh OF a stake 10 make tie game
some eXciun'
but Onreddy Torpleton he says he's
tOrahe well heel ID sc'sin' he's teen
travelin' some months at The expense o.
the firm. an haint had Io use for his
salary ou'y 70 soak 1t away, So I told
him To try to arrange a settin' fr his
benefit. There's some poker played IN
my back room here L says. 'an' you
might take hand. I amt sayin' it's
just such a game a youn find played
on the boats, but it'E do you f'r prac-
tice.
We'll. he says. he reckons he moughI
as we'll have try. an I told the boys
about H. They was none too enthusiss-
tic, Joe Bassett was the one t spoke,
but I khowed well enough { the others
was thinkin' tn same as hr was.
% Tt all right Joe Gays. for to play
CaIds with grown men. but the great
trouble ebout playin with litole chil lrer
I wants TO learn the game pears to be
/ the fact { they hain't got no real
money!
'Eut joe I says. this here On
reddv TOppletOn pears to have a sub
| s:antial sum in lis kick. an I told 'en
what he said about lis salary an ex1
pense money. an Jake Winterbottom
/ be says: Joe, I'nt S'prisrd ut y'T sod
did sperrit 1 hatn't never suspected
YOU afOre q btin' downright mercen-
| GIy, not when ii come TO matter o