The sun., 1907-11-10

an bein' a player as counts threes next to
Tours he opened the pot ~ the size OF it
oein' $50 an when Guiiins's pal an me both
stayed an Gufiins raised be boosted IL
again. l seen then Z all's 1 had 20 do was
to lot EN- play the hand. bein' az there was
one good hand out besides mine. an big
misunderstandin' Crosst the table
-As t'r me. l was some oontented with a
ten full Z wouldn't "a been worth nOthin'
on'y l knowed Guffins hadn't gave out the
cards he was reck min on. But Jerusaleml
how they did play that hand. Guffins an
his pal both thinkin' they was helpin' each
other an tn old man fun o. fool confidence
in his three kings. Feared like he was
plnmb sartain he'd get the fourth.
Ouftins ID raise an tn old man 'dA raise.
an then Gufflns's pal an me d trail an
then we'd do it all over and then some
more, till We had nigh s2s5OO in the pot
aforo 0uflns 'pearsd to see a glimmer o
white light I'm somewheres.
Il reckon maybe he was some puzzled
at mo stayin', persistent. like was. Any
way. he called, an picked up the deck
for to serve the draw.
"The old man he drawed sensible. an
bsin' an want no good tryin' 70 disguise
he called f'r two. When he picked 'em up
seen I'm his face he hadn't bettered. so
had him sized.
~Then Guffins's pal he smiled sort o.
sicl1ly. an says he reckOns he'll get along
tn what he's got, so knowod he was bluff
L
then says reckon faint no good tryin' TO
better, an Gufflns says he'll take one.
Right there was when seen what to do.
an do it quick. so fore he cd slip the card
clear o. the deck / says Hold onP says
IL sharp an loud. too, so { he looked up
some surprised. Then l says Maybe
you'd better deal that card offen the top O.
the deck. 'Tain't quite reg'lar to take it
We'll. Guffins he frothed at the mouth an
4.
a wildcat but tn old man was as quick as
him about it.
~'Dont you draw no gun on this boat he
says mighty stern. II you do III heavs
you overheard. Wen play this hand out.
An be careful to take that card oifen the
top. We're all lookin' now
Talk o. bein' madi Guftns was a raviD'
maniac f'r about a minute. but he knowed
too much TO argy with tn old man. 80 he
says to me III Kill you later. an he takes
his card.
Then tn old man chucked a white chip.
an Gu&fns's pal trailed. 30 I raised Il $500.
There want no use tryin fr no more
money, me KNOWN how them two had
been koolin' theirselfs. Then Guffins cuased
and throwed down his hand, an his pal done
the same when the old man called.
Yes. he called on three kings. l done
told you what he didn't know about poker'd d
build boat. O. course / took the pot,
an GO0 game OuaJ I'D r1{nC ynere, all Dub me
bein' mad as a bunch o. 1ghkin oats.
Il made a 'p'intment 20 meet Guffins on
shore at the next landin' an then loafed
on TO the barroom. Then when them two
had gone away hunted up the old man an
made him take back the thousand he'd los
in the pot. tellin' him how the game was
crooked. an set in TO do them two. but
not havin' no designs on his wRd.
THAT left me 81 200 winner an everlastin'
solid with the old man. When we come to
the next lendin l stood alongside o. the old
man an when Guffins opened his trap l
up an says:
Run along little boy. | hain't got no
time to go out KILN to-day. I'm traVellin'
f'r pleasure. SIM other time
Then Guffins busted loose. but 1 on'y
laughed. KNOWN tn old man d take hand.
an he sure did. He made the rousters
chuck Guffins an his pal ashore an told
EN- what d happen il they ever come aboard
his boat ag'in. l reckon they won't.
~I aeen there want no call f'r me to
go round the country lookin' f'r no other
place to play while the Belle o the Bayous
was carryin' passengers, an I been ridin'
the river on board O her ever since. Likely
I'd took anothe" trip on her afore comm
ashore On'y f'r next Wednesday bein' so
nigh hand.
3The old man an me is friends. an he
int 'duces me TO all the spots that comes
aboard, teIln' 'em I'm the on'y square
p'fessional he ever run acrost. Makes
Il tol'able easy fr man Z knows enough
not to press his luck too hard"
Yes. but what l want TO know" said
Mr.. Owen Pepper. lis how you knowed t
Gufins was goin' to deal a card often the
bottom of the deck"
Well said BlaisdelI. thoughtfIllly. after
he had looked at his questioner for a few
moments there's two different ways
| o. tellin' whether the moon is full. There
| in those Z goes out an sees 1t shinin'. an
then goes back in the house an hunts up a
almanac. Most gently they en- sometimes
| tell whether it's full or not"