The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1910-06-22
Tl0MyGH G99llyGE
BY FLORA MlLLIeAN.

II maintain" said Brown. that life
Is a game of cards. 1t consists OF two
parts-slsill and luck."
How about the condition of lie
into which one is boru?" said Jones.
That's part OF the luck. \ man is
born into certain circumstances in lieu
OF cards and certain ability IN lieu of
skill"
And is opportunity a part OF the
capdsr'
Yes; that is to be counted with
luck"
suppose one has plenty of skill. but
no opportunity"
He is in the same fix as a skIllful
player whose cards are bad"
Gentlemen" said a seedy individual
at nelghborlng table-they were In
cafe-'pardon the interruption. but /
couldn't help hearing your CONVERSE
tion, and am interested in its pur-
port. Permit me TO add one state
ment 10 those you have made. II Is
this-n mans game may be spoiled
by too much luck"
That is his own fault" said Brown.
''He shouldn't lose his bead
"one may be ruined by good luck
and not be ut the slightest fault"
That statement on It's face is In
correct, contradiction, replied Brown.
u can give you 4 case"
DO So" said Jones. III You satisfy
US IN the matter You may order the
best dinner the house affords and /
VIII pay for It"
with bottle OF champagne as my
contribution" supplemented Brown.
Done" said the stranger. Had It
not been for too much good luck
should now be dining and wlnius 9th
ers instead Of accepting your bounty.
giving you nothing but an Illustration
IN return. When | was young man
my father. dying. told me that his
brother. my uncle. who was NIL.
llouaire bachelor intended to make me
his heir and l must be very circum-
spect IN my treatment OF him. had
sense enough to see the situation
and
"ovcrdid IT," Brown put in. "You
disguised him. aud your
Not at all." the stranger went on.
Il grew very fond of him and did
not need 10 pretend to be interested
in him He was smart enough to per-
ceive this. and we grew nearer together
every day. The old gentleman was
very fond Of playing poker hands fos
a small stake. Every night before he
went 10 bed he insisted on my sitting
down with him for an hour at this d.
version"
y see" said Brown. you were silly
enough to let him win. and it angered
him.
"or to win his money" added jones'
Il must do either one or the other
gentlemen. and so ! did In the end. but
shall come TO that In moment. For
n time the game wavered between us.
Sometimes my uncle and sometimes /
would be ahead. But one night. the
fatal night" the stranger moaned. Il
held full hand of aces against my
uncle's full hand Of kings. Naturally
we both bet hIGh-that is, for game
intended only to help pass an hour
before going TO bed-and OF course
won.
THE next deal fell to my uncle. and
neither OF us got more than single
pair. I then dealt and gave my uncle
four tens and myself royal flush.
did not bet high. but when l showed
down my uncle looked surprised. his
next deal was unlmportant. but at my
next I gave him three aces and my
self four queens"
"oh. well" protested Brown. IF
man has mind to do that sort OF
thing he can't blame his luck"
Il was neither knew nothing
about putting cards where wanted
them. Had known should have given
the winners to my uncle. I had SIM
ply struck remarkable run OF luck.
l was Mortified at It and would have
been delighted to change It. for saw
that my uncle was beginning TO think
that was cheating him. I took adj
vantage OF one low hand he dealt me
TO bet high. but only made matters
worse. for he held lower cards than /.
and so 1t went on. Every time
dealt saw my uncle watching my
fingers with terrible suspicion on his
face"
why" interrupted Brown. didn't
you bet low"
so I did on one occasion. l held
three tens and bet mere tride. My
uncle held four mines. and when he
saw that haa stayed out. he holding
his only big hand. he assumed that I
did so with a knowledge of where the
cards lay.
And so the game went on. always
topping him. seeing fortune pass
away from me and having no power to
stop the luck that was running me.
How I wished that I had learned