Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-14
Some Poker Stories
Of the Smoking Room

We had Just laughed heartily at the SIM
plicity Of one of our number who had con-
fessed to being victimized by card sharp
ers in the smoking room of train running
to New York. He had been playing euchre
with three others. one of whom had sud
denly declared that lie wished they were
playing poker for he had a wonderfully
good poker hand. 1t was the time -honored
bait. and our friend bit.
81 didn't want to bet at first" he de-
clared to us, but when I got a second good
hand and a bet was again proposed |
thought 1 would teach those farmers les
son."
He sighed reminiscently We knew the
denouement of course but waited to learn
the details.
HE had four kings; mine were four
queens" he briefly announced.
After the general laugh. Run remarked:
"Harland told us a story on himself the
other day that showed he was even asier
than you. He was on ocean steamer
and in about the usual way got into a poker
game with three strangers. The smoking
room was full so they got stateroom to
play in. Harland announced that he played
only a mild game, quarter limit with
double the limit for rootlers This seemed
generally satisfactory until Harland found
himself after the draw with a king full on
aces. He was feeling particularly good,
but he wasn't prepared to hear one of the
players remark: What's the objection to
taking off the limit. do you object. Mr..
Ruff?" and he addressed one of the others
it, Mr.. Harland?' he asked. Well gentle
men, don't like the idea at all: we started
in at certain limit and l think we should
stick to it.
" But my friend. Mr.. Ruff. here. doesn't
object. why should you? 1T isn't right
and I'm opposed to it, Harland repeated
But he was outvoted. and as he had
particularly fine hand he yielded. The
second man raised the first hundred dol
lars. Harland kicked. but could not lay
down his king full, and saw the raise The
first man boosted it another hundred. and
again Harland kicked, but again saw the
raise. When it came to a showdown the
first man had four little ones. Mr.. Ruff
had a bob flush. The remarkable thing
about 1t is that Harland told the story on
himself afterward at the cabin table and
two fellows confessed they had been taken
in by the same sharpers."
THAT reminds me Of an experience Tom
Plankin had with some of the same class
it was so different remarked another
member of the group. He was dealt an
ace full and ha. ha, when they came to
bet he quietly passed out. He said after
ward the other fellows were mad enough
to fight because he hadn't bet. But when
he saw his hand he realized at once that he
was up against brace game and he drop
ped"
Something like the case of a friend of
NINE" said Lerron, Ticking away the
ashes Of his cigarette. "He was dealt
fours when playing with three strangers.
Fortunately he was to the right Of the
dealer or his scheme might not have gone
through He smelled good-sized rat at
once and didn't do any boosting before
would be counted on to draw one card or
stand pat, at any rate wouldn't take more
than one card. He pretended to glance
hastily over his hand at the last moment
aud called for two cards. 'Two! repeated
the dealer In tone of CONSERVATION.
Yep! says my friend. Well, his draw
broke up the dealer. who was drawing to a
straight hush and would have made Il had