Gilpin observer., 1907-06-27
NiHEM Ed BROKE
the Bank

Il see the reform wave is sweeping
over the southwest, and it begins to
look like the only bank they will let
operate now is the kind where the
cashier lays awake nights scheming
how to grab off more than the direc-
tors" grumbled Col B.
Its different from the 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 were 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 1t 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 it was
kid o hoggish of him to want a mo-
nopoly of all the COW punchers' dough,
but it's human nature to own a trust.
Did you ever buck bank game
with foolish determination to break
it? No, well, guess you got money
then. That's what Ed did, and he got
away with it. He didn't invite Joe to
come into his parlor to be bit; he went
to Joe's miniature Monte Carlo
III
walked in. Ed sat down opposite him.
Words were superfiuous. They under
stood each other Just as we'll as if Ed
had said: Joe, this is to be finish
Either you or 1 must leave this burg.
There amt room enough for BOTH
THE few pikers at the table side
stepped when Ed carelessly took the
band off his bank roll and displayed
layers of yellow backs to dozen hun
CRY eyes. Joe looked kind O. nervous,
but he shuffled the cards with his ac-
customed skill and slapped them in
the little silver box, ready for the new
deal.
That's the way 1t began. 1t ended
many hours later, but I'm going too
fast. 1t was square game. The eyes
If the two rival gamblers met on the
first wager. Joe understood the flash
from Eds keen orbits. Deal 'em on
the level or it's pine box for you,' he
might have said, but it wasn't neces-
sary
Joe won at first, then his luck
changed. 1t see-sawed this way
throughout the afternoon, and far into
The night, when Ed began to stack up
blue chips in front of him. Each was
worth $50. No two generals, trained
n strategy, ever figured closer than
lid those two card sharks.
"'Greek met Greek but the Celtic
n Ed began to tell. Joe was breaking
nder the strain. Ed saw it, pushed
lis advantage and the stampede soon
'ollowed. With a reckiessness born of
deportation, joe turned the cards
saster and faster. Little beads of per-
spiration began to pop frcm his fore
head. AS Joe's temperature jumped, |
I'd S coolness, his unrelelting play al
most struck terror TO your heart.
1t recalled tragedies. You iaadvef-
tently Remembered the stag you had
driven to bay ard had shct as it stood
glaring at you in ali its majesty. The
-ensicn couldn't last: it had to break
II l think we all would have died in
-ur tracks. The end was as unexpect-
d as it was terrible.
"Joes face was 81 an ashen hue.
Eis eyes seemed as if they would
ourst from their sockets. We gazed
I him, fascinated, thrilled. frightened.
I'd alone was self-possessed. He was
veritable demon in those last min
ltes. Faster and faster the play went,
and then
''Joe's head struck the layout with
crash. My God, I'm broke we heard
aim say. He had died with the loss
of his idol, Gold. Ed gazed at him.
first in contempt, then in pity. He
buried him in regal style and the
wreath he placed on his grave bore
the epitaph, He was no quitter.'
After the funeral Ed claimed Joe's
Joint and bank roll. None contested
his right He's in New York now, and
| guess he'll get a taste in Wall street
Of what he gave Joe. Those days have
passed in the southwest when men
will sell their souls to break faro
bank. I guess the modern kind is the
best aftei ALL"
-k
Joke on Lord Kelvin.