Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-02-26
A WINNING
~ ~ HAND.

the players invited a drummer stand
ing beside me to take a hand. tie
declined, saying that be never played
that or any other gambling game.
averring that there was something In
II excitive Of avarice, dishonesty. an.
ger and many other repulsive traits,
ending with curiosity. asked him
why he included the last.
"Sit down here" be said, leading the
way 20 seat, "and I'll tell you"
We sat down together, and he told
the following story:
Il once bad two friends. John Ry.
lance and Peter Nichols They're both
dead now, but at the period Of which
I'm going to tell you they were very
much alive. One afternoon they were
playing q friendly game Of poker with
a party. all Of whom except themselves
fnally dropped out. They agreed to
deal one hand for $40. Each seemed
confident of the hand dealt him and
kept raising the other TN there was
$500 In the pot. when Nichols bet 81 COO
more. Rylance said that was above
what he had on hand. Nichols retorted
that be would give him all the time
he wanted to 60 and get more, and
RyIance agreed to go after funds and
see him.
''0f course he couldn't 20 or aud
leave his cards, and he couldn't take
them with him. II was agreed that
both hands should be placed on the
table face down. the four corners Of
each card sealed with wax. This was
done. each man using a private seal.
Then they both went or after money.
agreeing 20 return in an hour.
"Rylance went to his bank and drew
what funds he wanted and was getting
on a trolley car to so back when an
automobile came along and knocked
him down He didn't seem to be much
hurt, but when he tried TO get up he
couldn't and had to call a carriage. be
lifted into II and driven home. Nichols
went TO his house, where he had a lot
OF money IN q tin box, and found doc
tors and nurses flying around His
wife had been taken suddenly m, and
they had been hunting and telephonIng
for him all over town.
when the hour was up and neither
returned. Evans. the man at whose
house they had been playing, locked
the door OF the room the cards were
IN and went on about something need
Ing his attention. when be got back.
learning that neither OF them had been
there. he called up both on the tele.
phone. learned the cause Of their fail.
ure TO return and received a request
from each to let the table and the
cards stand as they were. From time
to time Evans inquired as to when
they would finish the game. but Ry.
lance got worse instead OF better. and
Mrs. Nichols lay a long while at the
point Of death"
The story teller talked 10 loud that
others besides myself could hear. Sew
eral passengers near by were listening.
do you know that Rylance never
got out again. The damage done BY
the automobile was internal and pro.
ducod complications. The surgeons
operated on him. and he died under the
operation. At the same time Mrs.
Nichols was at the point Of death. but
she suddenly took a turn for the bet
ter. giving her husband an opportunity
to get away on a journey to a matter
that had been needing his attention for
some time. Coming back he was
caught In a railroad accident and
killed"
"Great scottr' exclaimed an impa.
dent passenger "Aren't you ever go
ing to tell us who won that handT'
"And spoil my storyf Not much.
It's just here whore the trouble comes
in-that d. IN settling the two mems
estates. You see. there was no prece-
dent 10 law to decide whether the
money should be divided equally or
whether the estate inherltIng the win.
ming hand should have 1t all. Rylance's
heirs said that he had claimed that he
was sure to win. Nichols widow de- !
clared that often during her illness
her husband had encouraged her by |
saying that he had won some $500 !
with which he proposed to buy her a |
diamond ring to commemorate her re-
eovery. On no condition would she
consent 20 a division"
Come" interrupted one Of the lis
leners; "Fm dying for a smoke and
want 10 80 Into the smoker Which
wonFs
I'm coming to the end right OF.
They anally found Judge who found |
! law-there are laws for anything II
ron can only tind them--by which the I
winning estate might come By Its hon
est gains. The court issued a lot OF
papers with big seals on them empow-
srtng the clerk or the master in chan.
seFy or the surrogate. or whoever Il
vas. to 50 TO Evans house and IN pres
anee Of witnesses break the seals. turn
'ver the cards and make atfidavit as
10 the hands and which hand belonged
70 which player"
same old red tape" cried listener
Cut Il short"
well. the slerk Of the court. taking
ais Witnesses went to Evans house.
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