The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-02
SAMARITAN IN A
GREAT POKER GAME
Case of Friend Who Tried to
Rescue Smith
MARRIED MANS NIGHT OFF
Story Told by the Cripple Creek Man
of Affairs That Happened in Den
ver-Smith Was Feel
ing Full.
MARRIED MANS NIGHT OFF
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
"Theres nothing exceeds the lngrati-
tude of woman" says the Cripple Creek
man tapping meaninglessly upon the arm
of his chair, "unless it's the bald way a
man will lie to his wife when he's ex-
planning how he happened to get that
way last night"
And I'm not dealing generalities this
hand, either" he continued tapping
meaningly upon the call bell IT had a
lesson once in doing the good Samaritan
turn toward a married man.
This married mans name was one of
those that start with flourish and wind
up with a flat-M Leroy Smith. 1 had
known him in those days of Leadville
when 1t was day all night, and he al
ways kept length ahead of the fastest
times. Then he got married, settled
down, and moved to Denver.
Late one evening I was hurrying to
the station in Denver anxious to catch
the last train to Cripple Creek. AS 1
went swinging by a dark doorway an
uncouth mass suddenly lurched out Of
the shadow, swung unsteadily on its pins
| for a moment, flung two wild, waving
arms about my neck, and there hung
limp, uttering incoherent cries of joy.
DlsentangIng the object. 1 resolved IT
into a very drunken M. Leroy Smith,
trying to tell me how happy he was at
meeting me.
Now 1t is the primary law of the
camp to succor a man in distress, and,
great as was my haste, I tried to steer
II r..
! looking for havens Leadville days were
upon him again, the call of the wild rang
! in his ears.
Under persuasion, he finally sifted his
wild longing down to desire to sc
around to Frickie's place and get In a
poker game with the gang that hung out
there. To temporize with him l proposed
a drink, and as we woyo a crooked trail
] to the nearest decent saloon 1 learned
that he had Just 500 with him.
Had an Inspiration.
"Then came my brilliant inspiration.
had $225. l would get him into poker
game, win every cent no had, load him
broke and billed for home into a night
lner-for when busted a man always
gets docile and homesicl--and catch my
train for Cripple Greek, all In the hour
/ Then next day I'd send him his $40, ano
Smith and Mrs. Smith would both bt
! most grateful. 1t was a noble scheme
and l felt truly pious over 1t.
"A flash of my bills and a suggestion
were all that was necessary to wir
Smith to the plan. The barkeeper fixed
us up with cards and checks in a cosy
back room, and l started in on my re-
scue work act
THE game was for table stakes with
all our cash on the table. The play or
the very first ought to have been a sol
emn warning that luck wasn't at home
I to me that evening.
1T picked up three aces pat. Tt beine
my age, when Smith came in. l cheerful.
ly tapped him raised him his whole pile
enlivening it with some peppery banter
in hope the drunken fool would be irrl.
tated enough by such aggre5siveness tc
set in his whole stake, and my good
deeds stunt executed with neatness and
| dispatch. And I was right about his be.
! ing a fool. only I didn't figure in all the
| fools. With a snort "'Y' can't bluff me
! that wayp he cried and showed In his
! total assets and slapping down one card
face UP on the table-it was the last ace
a diamond-cried: Gimme TO- aces, Mr.
/ Smith"
"He first dealt me two cards, without
helping my hand, then dealt himself
! first, duce and then a four OF diamonds
whereupon he gurgled idiotically, See
| EN- comin'w
II felt nervous for a moment but was
| relieved when saw the next card was a
black one, and also the last one, both
| spades, and with a sigh of rewarded yir.
| tue | was reaching for the pot when he
drunkenly waved his hand over It,
'Stop!P he commanded, with a lofty
dignity. It'sh my pot Don see I'VE got
a straight?