Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1909-01-28
A Straight Flush.

Union Pacific road ia the days when
Major Creushaw, army paymuster. vas
playing cards with several men 4
woman on the train warmed him by a
look that they were sharpers. Her
warning was unheeded- indeed. resent.
e6.
When the officer was a thousand dol
lars ahead he looked back at the wa.
man and smiled superclllously. She
answered by shaking her head lie
was still holding his own when he
looked again. She was sleeping. or pre-
tending 10. Then Of a sudden luck
changed The professional gambler
cry. The tickle goddess Is apt to smla
on him as on the novice. There was a
square deal Of cards in which three Of
the four got good hands. and the bet
ting was lively The major held four
tens and kept boosting the pot until
his winnings were at stake Then he
called TO find four queens OUT against
him. One more hand cleaned him out
to his last dollar and he rose up to
give place to some one else He look
ed at the woman and there was
smile of pity on her face Il angered
him. He Clipped with government
grccnbacks. He won and he lost.
For two hours the major made three
losses to one winning Two OF the
others also lost Luck favored only
one man Whenever during these two
hours the officer looked at the woman
she was either mapping or looking out
Of the window She did not try TO
catch his eye again She gave him no
attention when he finally rose up and
returned to his old seat. He hadn't
So left i'm his pocket He had used mp
over $1,000 of government money lie
sat stiflly In his seat, staring straight
ahead of him wondering how he should
die re was not the man to turn cur
and run away All his friends com
blned could not raise that amount Of
money offhand He had lived under
army regulations as an officer and
gentleman. and he would die that way.
1t was to be suicide pure and simple.
either before reaching Cheyenne or di-
rectly afterward The major didn't
shrink from the idea He was trying
to plan the time and place. AS he
was busy with these thoughts the wo-
man rose up and passed down the car
to the gang he had played with. The
three men We're not playing Mt that
moment.
"Jim. how much have you won?'
asked the woman of the lucky laan.
about $4,000"
"Id like to play hand with you
Just the two of us"
The three men looked at her I'm sur
prise, and number of passengers
gathered around.
81 mean it." insisted the woman as
she produced money and drafts. Wen
cut for deal and have n showdown.
The biggest hand takes the stakes"
THAT isn't regular Besides. I'm
playing In great luck today and would
be sure to beat YOU"
"Then you will be welcome to my
uOllfNs LOU AN q hullh'A'
what are the stakes to beY
"Six thousand dollars"
"Wheww whstled three OF four men
in chorus. It was big sum of money
to be lost or won on a showdown. 1t
staggered even the professionals.
IF you will agree that we may dis
card and draw after the deal I'll go
YOU" said Jim after taking Il moment
to think and wondering If his luck
would stand by him
"All right"
The woman sat down, the cards were
cut, and Jim got the deal, With SO
many eyes watching him he dared not
attempt any tricks. The woman said
her five cards would do, and the gam
bier held up two aces and drew three
more cards When he saw that he had
drawn two more aces he felt sorry for
the woman
1--WE agreed on showdown, but /
should like to bet on this hand he
observed
well, let's cali the agreement off,
replied the woman What's your
betI"
only i've hundred to begin with
"Ill see il and raise you Eve hun
dred"
In less than ten minutes there was
$4,000 in the pot Jim had put up his
last dollar ana had to call lie laid
down his four noes with bland smile.
"A straight flush. queen high. SAIL
the woman as she began to gather up
the money
The major had neither heard nor
seen. Ills face was turned toward the
window. bur DE might as well have
been blind for all he saw. lie was
thinking 81 the penalty by and by
a hand WAS laid ou his shoulder and
package of money was laid on his
knee, and the woman quietly said;
Jim Daily wants YOU to take this
back lie let sou play just TO win
your money aud show you that you
were not Ia the game. Jim used to he
a soldier. aud Inc wouldn't beat Uncle
Sam.