The San Francisco call., 1909-11-07
By Frederick Upham Adams

How about little poker for change?
yentured Davenport Davenport was sadly deficient
IN bridge. and unlike many thus unfortunate. knew it.
I'll play an hour or so at % cent limit" youn-
teered Thomas and few minutes later the chips
were counted and distributed and the game was in
progress
1t was in no way different from unnumbered poker
games which have been played before and which will
be played again Through the medium Of recurrent
"rangdoodles" doubling of the limit consequent
TO the calling Of full hands and other pleasant
cunulations of winning cards-the stake limit grad
uAIIy rose to 81 and finally to 81. Colonel Carson.
the elder Of the seven players. recorded unayaing
protests each time the stakes were raised.
Watson had won steadily up to the time that the
game had reached the 50 stage then he struck
stratum of poor cards and bad luck. His formidable
array of stacked piles Of variousy coored chips
melted like the conventional SNOWFALL which is
signed to the neither regions. Then the irate Watson
resorted to blufng As climax Gillette called three
OF Watson's vicious and successive raises and raked
chips a result of his confidence in two small
pairs. to which added a suspicion that Watson
was bufing-which he was.
That's the trouble with this miserable limit
gane," angrily declared Watson. slamming slightly
defective heart flush face up on the table IF had
been able to stick s25 under your nose you wouldn't
come jimmering in with your measly little two pair
This isn't poker! I'd like stack up against this
crowd just once in a real game. table stakes. bet
'em as high as you so long you have the chips
in front of you"
You take the limit of so far as I'm concerned"
blandly said Gillette he cheerully stacked up the
irories which once belonged to Watson.
Don't hesitate on my account" added McLaugh-
lin, reaching for a roll of bills.
NO one ever heard me enter protest against rails
ing the limit" declared Davenport II like game
where you use step ladder to stack EN- up to the
proper height"
Me, too" chimed in Miller. once played in
game where
Preferred Steak to Stakes
You count out in any limit game" in
terrupted Colonel Carson pushing back his chair 81
think we have played long enough. It is six hours
since we started. No one is much winner or loser
and I'm hungry and so are all of you I'm about $40
to the good and will stand for the dinners How
about couple of big and juicy steaks, some fried
chicken. one Of Pratts famous salad dressings,
some
You're on" cried Watson, pushing his chips for
ward. 1--WE had enough poker. besides I'm hungry
as a wolf"
The game came to an end right there and over
cigars Colonel Carson told his guests the following
personal "reminiscences
- Il have played but limit game of poker and
will never play another one l see nothing specially
harmful in playing an occasional small game of draw
long run the cards will break about even and no one
player will have much better of any other but a
big game is gambling pure and simple and no gentle
man should gamble.
Il had my lesson when / very young man
and shall never forget it. went down into hell
and came back again. If every boy in the country
could be fortunate as have my experience there
would be few careers ruined by cards
AT the age of "a l found myself the proud pos
SCISSOR Of a charming BRIDE about $4,000 in actual
money, first class knowledge of mechanical en-
gineering also fine position with a successful and
pushing contracting firm. Three months after my
marriage I was detailed to go to New Orleans from
Chicago. l to have charge Of important piece
of work in which the firm had more at stake than
the money involved A friend had informed me of
an exceptional opportunity to make personal in
vestment in New Orleans and it looked so good that
/ drew $4,000 out of my bank and took it with me-
The firm turned over to me $4,000 in money and
negotiable drafts and thus left Chicago with about
$4,000 my person.
"on the l delighted to find three young
businessmen who also going to New Orleans.
had known them for years Ny father was man
of affairs and considerable means, and these three
young men belonged to our social set They were
from three to years older than was. and
had attained decided degree of success in his re-
spective lne while I-uas lust making real start