The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-06-17
WHEN Ed BROKE
the BANK

over the southwest and IL begins to
lock like the only hank they win let
operate now is the kind where the
cashier lays awake nights schemng
| how to grab off more than the dlrec-
tors gitlmblcd Col II.
ITS different from tho good old
days when the faro banks were as
thick as flies around molasses. Guess
the country is prosperous, but money
don't seem to circulate as freely as
when the Indians were paid biannually
and the joints We're running wide open.
Speaking Of gambling and banks,
reminds me Of the time Ed Martin
broke 'Sheeny Joe at the Fort, where
they even stop the street cars on Sun
day now. 1t was the biggest game
ever pulled off there, and while it last
ed it made the stakes at Hot Springs
look like four-card flush.
Ed was on the ground first He had
three places which were adorned by
green shades, and the table covers
were Of the same color Guess 1t was
kid o hoggish OF him to want mo
nonoly Of all the COW punchers' dough,
but it's human nature to own trust.
Did you ever buck bank game
with a foolish determination TO break
it? No, we'll guess you got money
then That's what Ed did. and he got
away with t. He didn't invite Joe 10
come into his parlor to be bit; he went
To Ioe's miniature Monte Carlo.
Joe was dealing the game when Ed
walked in. Ed sat down opposite him
Words were supertluous. They under
stood each other just as we'll as if Ed
had said: Joe. this is to be finish.
Either you or | must leave this burg.
There amt room enough for both
The few nikers at the table side
stepped when Ed carelessly took the
band off his bank ron and displayed
layers Of yellow backs to a dozen hun
cry eyes. Joe looked kind O nervous,
but he shufTled the cards with his ac-
custoured skill and slapped them in
the little silver box, ready for the new
deal.
That's the way II began 1t ended
many hours later, but I'm going too
fast. It was a square game. The eyes
IF the two rival gamblers met on the
first wager Joe understood the flash
from Eds keen orbits, Deal EN- on
he level or it's pine box for you. he
might have said but it wasn't neces-
sarv.
ice won at first, then his luck
hanged II seesawed this way |
the afternoon. aud far into
he night, when Ed began to stack up |
,lue chips in front Of him Each was
worth $50. No two generals, trained
II strategy. ever figured closer than
lid those two card sharks.
Greek met Greek, but the Celtic
n I'D began 10 tell Joe was breaking
nder the strain, Ed saw it, pushed
is advantage and the stampede soon
Dllowed With a recklessness born Of
esp2ration, Joe turned the cards
aster and faster Little beads of per-
plration began TO pop from his fore
end. AS Joe's temperature jumped,
'd's GOODNESS, his unrelenting play all
lost struck terror to your heart.
1t recalled tragedies You inadyer-
antly remembered the stag you had
riven to bay and had shot as it stood
laring at you in all its majesty. The
ansion couldn't last; it had to break
r | think we all would have died in
1T tracks. The end was as unexpect-
1 as it was terrible.
"Joe's face was Of an ashen hue.
is eyes seemed as II they would
lrst from their sockets We gazed
him. fascinated. thrilled, frightened ,
q alone was self-possessed. He was |
veritable demon in those last min
les. Faster and faster the play went.
ID them
"JOe's head struck The layout with a
ash My God, I'm broke, we heard
m say. He had died with the loss
his idol, Gold Ed gazed at him, Z
-st IN contempt then in pity. He
iried him in regal style aud the !
reath he placed on his grave bore
c cpitaph, lie was no gutter
After The funeral ed claimed Joes
INT a9' b1 roll contested
5 7ht fic's in Ncn orb now. and
sac hu'li eui q taste in wall street
what he gave joe. Those days have 3
issed in the southwest when men
N sell their souls to break a faro
INK. ! guess the modern kind is the ,
st after all"