Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-09-04
"A Hand at Poker
BY JAMES JOHNSON.
Copyright, 1903. by E. c. PARCELS.

who was one of the largest railroad
contractors In the country, was known
as level headed man. his only son,
Tommy, was playing 'going to col
ege" and making fool of himself
whenever occasion offered. A compila-
( lion of the idiotic things Tommy did
n the course of two years would make
I small volume OF statistics. He got
trunk. he bet OH horses. he played polk
Or, he fell In love with his laundress.
ne got into Jail, he ran himself and
his father into debt TO the tune of thou
sands. AS windup he fell in love
with a chorus girl at a New York the
ater, went on drunk lasting two
weeks and was disgracefully expelled
from college. His old man stopped
building the Colorado Midland long
enough to come east and bride the
chorus girl to let go, pay up Tommy's
debts, talk TO him in vigorous Eng
fish and then take him west to I'LL
some unimportant position where he
could keep an eye on him.
Tommy's halcyon days were over
he had to knuckle down and be good
In the course of two years he became
so good and so sensible that he was
permitted to go east and marry the
daughter Of locomotive builder, with
whom he had become acquainted while
she was making tour of the west. 1t
was conceded on all sides that Tommy
was no longer soft" He had become
Interested In his fathers work, been
given a partnership, and he was looked
upon as a coming man in the business
Of constructing and QUILTING railroads.
Tommy and his bride were TO do"
he east and then bring up In their flu
lure home in Denver, and everything
went according TO programme until
hey headed for the west. Then Tom
my received word TO bring along a
sum of money from Wall street The
TACT that he had $4,000 buttoned up
behind his coat caused a relapse from
cirtue on Tommy's part. He became
soft" again. He drank and swag-
sered and told everybody what a big
man he was in the Colorado Midland.
and soon after leaving Ashley on his
nome coming ne fell into the hands OF
the Philistines. Three thieves and a
gambler had spotted him and were
,eter his money. They didn't care how
they Got hold or -, ~ ~ Nv, safter awhile
found that the game of ,p;11iaer would be
,he easiest way. When Tommy began
drinking he became obstinate, ana,
leaving his fearful bride IN the parlQr
EAR, he took a hand in the game start
I'd elsewhere for his particular benefit.
Then the chorus girl made her en-
trance. She had let go Of Tommy Tor
good. She had never cared for him IL
sentimental way. She had driftcd
from the chorus In New York to the
vaudeville in q western town Of hard
repute and was on her feturn from a
trip to Chicago when she ran across
Tommy and his wife, Her first emo
tons were those, Of jealousy TO think
that he had married, and she thirsted
for reyenge against the child faced
bride, Then she reasoned that she
never intended to marry Toalny any
way and that he and hts papa had
treated her very literally, and she
gave over her idea Of revenge. Tommy
didn't recognize her during the long
day that sbe, occupied seat directly
across the oisle, but she saw that he
bad something on his mind and was
drinking himself up to it. The gam
blers were going to make up a game
'or' the night. and he wanted to be
counted in and arrive in Denver with
a few extra hundred dollars in his
pocket The protesting bride was or
dered to the stateroom. and Tommy
went in search of the game. He soon
found it. The ex-chorus girl had sized
up the newly married couple and the
situation, and she reasoned them out
as follows:
Tommy the soft is not as big foo
as he was, but he is fool enough to be
taken in by those card sharps. From
his swagger he has evidently got a LOT
Of money with him. He has gone anC
forgotten me and got married instead
of pining along in single blessedness
but | won't hold that up against him
That wife Of his is little innocent
She may have seen circus once Of
twice in her life, but her knowledge o.
the world stops there. If slfe woult
take Tommy by the ear, as | used L
do. instead Of playing the baby sh'
could bring him to the mark. But sh'
hasn't the pluck. Tommy will gamble
lose his money, and there will be
scene when he faces his father.
must do something for the helpless In
fants."
The game was going on in the smok
er. There were only two or three pas
sengers in the car, and il may hav
been that the conductor stood in wit
the blacklegs. At any rate, when tn
ex-chorus girl made her appearance Il
3 the car he politely limited that she hal
( made a mistake.
mot IL the court knows herself" wa
her reply. II came in here to get
. smell Of this smoke and watch tn
|, game. and don't think there Is an
rule to bar me out"
Tommy was drinking with one han
! and playing poker with the other. III
|, also kept his mouth going as to villa
n great man he was in connection wit
the Colorado Midland. The line woul
have never been thought Of nor SUI
veyed nor constructed but for him. II
had played poker since he was te
years old. He was no chicken. II
had the money, and money TALKED
From her nearby seat the woman IL