The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-31
From the Boston Herald.

INF all the gay sports that made |O gambling joyous profession in tho salad days of Cripple Creek there was rone so blithe as Johnnie o'Brien.
 His cravats were the loudest that screamed, lis diamonds the largest that flashed. and his laugh the heartiest that echoed through the canyon of the stream that gave it's name to the booming mining camp. His gambling place was the pride of the camp as well as of Johnnie him self; so courteous and affable was the dapper little Irishman that many a man was wont to remark that he had rather lose against Johnnies game than win from another.
 Many years in following boom camps with his faro game had vested Johnnie with much riches, and he never failed to announce, no matter what occasion for bet might arise, that he played no limit. No matter how big roll the other fel- low '.fasled,' he was always ready to cover 1t. But much prosperity begetteth pride, and Johnny waxed proud. His fame as the biggest 'high roller" between the river-all westerners meaning there-' by the Mississippi-and the Pacific coast was well established; but even this honor began to pail upon the king of mining camp sports. He longed to carry his name east, like Alexander of old, and, generate dwellers there that they were not deuce high when they stacked up alongside Johnnie O'Brien.
 After much thought his plan of cam paign was determined, and all the house had many farewell bottle on him that night when he took the eastbound Over land In search of new worlds to con- ouer. Ii was not money that Johnnie sought. lear in mind. It was glory and to coast.
 It was q waste of time fooling with four-flush towns like Omaha and Denver, Johnnie had told his friends, so he struck straight for that home of big things where, so ran the legend, white chips retafled at s10 apiece. For week his confident Cripple Creek friends eagerly searched the daily papers for two-column head stories of some great killing" that Johnnie had made in the city on the lake, but the wires were silent. "John- nie's' work Is quiet, boys" said the Grip pie Creek friends. Just wait while and you'll hear"
 One morning Johnnie got off the train at Cripple Creek, went quietly to a mod est restaurant he never stopped to pa- tronize before and after a mild meal that fortnight ago he would have sneered at for infants food. betoolk him usual breezy entry, he slid quietly through the door and was in the middle of circle of astonished friends almost before they recognized him. And 1t was indeed hard to recognize in the subdued little man the clustering sport that had so lately departed bent on conquest and glory.
 He was not changed-and yet he was. There was the same noisy cravat, but it made a sound now like piano with the dumb pedal on. There were the same dia- monds, but instead of their dazzling flash they emitted now but a subdued twilight glimmer; there was the same voice, but all the trombone had dropped out of It. He meelxly shook hands all around with out word. His friends, dumb with as- tonishment, gazed on him aghast. What had Chicago done to the pride of the Rockies? They did not have long to wait Boys" said Johnnie, after slipping a glass of vichy and milk. 'I might as well ,f1cc ,,r thonubt T uyac aoy,oo bior xzyl, o,, I sailed away the other night, but I've found out different now. I'm four fiusher. piker. a seven-spot. neither high nor low and not worth 8 d-n for game. I picked out Chicago, you know. to show those pig-stickers a touch of high life, and the day got there I went to the bank to get some drafts cashed into five s1O.oOo bills.
 '"Thisll wake lem up, I thought. Then inquired for, the biggest faro game in the city, and after dinner blew in there with my little bunch of bills sticking carelessly in my vest pocket.
 "There were two or three tables rum ming, fairly well filled up with players. but off in one corner was table with nobody doing business. The dealer was sitting there, slouched down in his chair with his hat pulled over his eyes, talk ing to the lookout.
 "I'n make that mutt sit up and take notice"I thinks to myself. When I get through with him he'll count things from tonight like the folks down south count from 'befo' de wah.' So I ssunters up. peels of s1O0Oo bill and carelessly filings lit over on the high card.
 Chips? says the dealer, reaching for it, without looking up.
 "'No.' I snaps. let her go as she lays for just one bet on the high card. Do
 you think I'm little high school cadet playing tiddle-de-winksT
 "The dealer doesn't say a word, but just turns the cards They come queen
 six, which sends that bill Into the deal CTS till. In second I sets another oi the bills over on the high card-and 4