The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1907-06-26
WHEN 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 of more than the direc.
tors" grumbled Col. B.
ITS different from the good old
days when the faro banks we're as
thick as flies around molasses. Guess
the country is prosperous, but money
don't seem to circulate as freely as
when the Indians we're 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 fou lard 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 mo.
nopoly of all the COW punchers' dough,
but It's human nature to own trust.
did you ever buck bank game
with foolish determination to break
1t? No, well, guess you got money
then. That's. what Ed did. and he got
away with 1t. He didn't invite Joe to
come into his parlor to be bit; he went
to Joe's miniature Monte Carlo.
Joe was dealing the game when Ed
walked in. Ed sat down opposite him.
Words were superfuous. They under.
stood each other Just as well as II Ed
had said: Joe, this is to be finish
Either you or must leave this burg
There amt room enough for BOTH
1.-THE few pikers at the table side.
stepped when Ed carelessly took the
band on 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 &C.
customed skill and slapped them in
the little silver box. ready for the new
deal.
That's the way 1t began. It ended
many hours later, but I'm going toe
fast. 1t was square game. The eye
of the two rival gamblers met on thu.
first wager. Joe understood the fash
from Eds keen orbits. Deal 'em on
the level or it's pine box for you,' he
might have said, but 1t 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 w
blue chips in front of him. Each was
worth $50. No two generals, trained
in strategy, ever figured closer than
did those two card sharks.
"'Greek met Creek but the Celtic
In Ed began to tell. Zoe was breaking
under the strain. Ed saw it, pushed
his advantage and the stampede soon
followed. With recklessness born OF
desperation. Joe turned the cards
faster and faster. Little beads of per
spiration began to. pop from his fore
head. AS Joe's temperature jumped,
Eds GOODNESS, his unrelenting play al
most struck terror to your heart.
1T recalled tragedies. You inadver
tently remembered the stag you had
driven to bay and had shot as 1t stood
glazing at you in all its majesty. The
tension couldn't last; it had to break
or think we all would have died in
our tracks. The end was as unexpect
ed as 1t was terrible.
"Joe's face was of an ashen hue
His eyes seemed as II they would
burst from their sockets. We gazed
at him, fascinated, thrilled. frightened
Ed alone was self-possessed. He was
a veritable demon in those last min,
utes. Faster and faster the play went
and then
"Joe's head struck the layout with O
crash. My God, I'm broke we heard
him 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 gutter
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 taste in Wall street
Of what he gave Joe. Those days have
passed in southwest when men
will sell then souls to break a fare
bank. ! guess the modern kind Is the
"a