The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-03
A GAMBLER SIXrY.EIVB YEARS
NOW AT 81 jim PARCELI.S
HAS 0UIT ron GOOD.

DeUan In the bays WhND Gentlesn0n
seemed Chad 60 Lese' aa CaFas "A
TrxAs shSOtlRE Maach- oauihsang
oa the Old WIsalnnlppl RlVer Beats.
KIREsvILLE. No. April $50 you been
gnmblin' again, JimI'
That's what they say. u vas just .
little game. few Of " gentlemen got
together. you know
-Yes. I know. I've heard about you
several times. You're too old . man 60
ssnd 20 jail, hut you must leaFn that
RAmbling's against tho Law
The neatly drcs~cd old gentleman who
had called ON the prosecuting attorney.
.. Z. RieRor. sat down and mOodily tapped
Ire floor with his oRnc. He was - but
spry In Evtting about and bis mind was
clear
thine was he said reminiacsntly.
=Nii~h playing poker was one % the real
accomplishments of Gentleman. JudRra.
lawyers. planters. everybody played and
nothing was said about gambling. Now "
you risk - cents ON your knowIedge Of
cards they nut Won in jail.-
Tho old man sighed AZ the evil ways ha
had fallen into
We'll. I'm not going to put Jim Parcelln
IN jail. said the prosecutor. but I'm Roine
Co do something better for him than that
How long have you boon playing poker.
JlmY-
well. ~ nna $50. taking OF his hat and
running his hands through hIs gray hair;
= learned tho GRm- along in the 'sas-
run tho steamboats,. you know
And you've b@en al IL steady ever
alnce'- - ia thu prosecutor
pretty tol"rable stNsdy The var hurt
sOm~.-
Now lock ke-e- and Mr. RieRsr
went up to the old man and laid his hand
on his shoulders I believe Jim Par
evils. although a gambler. Ia a man %
his word I want him n give me his
word of honor that he won't touch a card
~ gambling game again a. long a. he
lives. What do you say3-
The old gentleman sat looking at the
noOr thinking He was silent ~ lsng
the prosecu tor spoke again.
will you take the pledge. JIM
"Quit playing cards forever
That's H. And ! won't let EN- send
yon N jail nor YOU won't pay any nne
IN take your word alone les mp IN yog.
Jim
There were tears in the old mans even
~ he considered the proposition Of quit
ting q siNty-hv~ year habit He had never
Thought of such a thing befOre Then
he thought Il his few remaining years
and knew that the prosecutors plan vas |
the best. ~ ne ran his hand across his |
eyes ard then held Ia out u the proae- |
cutnr
4 quit right here he said soIcmnly
That rnuch ~ the story was written !
FIRST. The rect was held back 10 500
whether Jim PARCELS. native 30 Kentucky.
who before and for n long time after thu. !
civil war was one of the most noted card
men &c the South. could really quit the
game Tho prosecutor and all the officers
say he has lived up n his pledge
When this In read by some % the white
haired men of Wick sburg Memphis. New
Orleans and galveston they may smile
specifically. but the fact remains that
Jim PARCELS has quit cards and IL q Law
ebidinG citizen As far a. looks 20 he
would size up all right in church He 10
Of medium height. with "A good old fash
toned circuit rider heard. and his speech
h quiet /,
In 1877. mo- long aft"r he was married
- girl WORT s70pID. Parcells. Ia a shoot-
ing match az charleston. ~ against a
champion by the name of hyperion,
knock"i centre IN five matches at ~
yards ono II EppcTson's shots went
just above the centre. which lost him the
match and more than SS0 Mu.gls
lnading rif's wDr" u.Nd
-Ah1g' that time heard % Col Terry,
on IN" Brly1s Riv" '. TeNas.- said Par
evils ~" was tho owner of a big sugar
plantation. and suid - ~ a crackeriack
rife -ho; What Interested me more was
that they sud he d hack his ina RI smanship
with tho dollars
$50 got letter ~ INTRODUCE ion 20 Col
Terry. and start ad out on a hunting az
petition IN tho Rrayoa country We took
= beat AZ Galveston Tor Houston II
seems ne Morgan Line wis cOmpatinR
with some pthr- beats. and 10 ret The
trade u advertised tho fare for a. and n
grand hall In m" after cabin. with a first
class uiRgrr orchestra Before tho rate ;
Sight the fare rad been -
The dinner tables were strung out
along th" centre - the cslbin and every :
Few foot was q bucket - champagne on ;
Ice. IL man had the CAPACITY he could
drink - worth ~ champa gne ON hta =
dollar ticket You SO. the MORGAN line
was after tho b,rFiuHss, and didn't care
about money The dining service was 1
soiid silver. and there was y blark man !
~ hand Won a match whcn YOU wants,t 70 !
light n cigar u WIS about a. ho~pitahIe :
on thar huot a. IN a Southern planters y
ioTns
After the dinner the ball tsrtesi and =
plsyed wall flower With my pa rtner, .
Sabe Scott. until We were introAuced
~ merchant from New Orleans who ,
yrs out huving cotton. The merchS NJ 2
YRS dying Of enru end proposed n little y
pine. They fetched the paStebOa rsls
3cott didn't GO in q
- bid sem % 'hs New Orleans mana
mt 81 ~ evil. md yrs Just getting in
crested when h. suddenly stOpnad and .,
inRereh through his pockets Then his .
ace turned very red u
Ny friend he said lo<eticallV q
! thought h- q some money. but il seems q
niriudged INV fln"n noes I, wrH very
,nciyil in me. and I must beg your par- ,
lon h
"" w9s rctunliy sorry I.eca uas ~. had y
induced me ~ go into a game With him y
Without having enough money 20 ms 10 q
Interest Eg Suddenly the pur-sr went
~ end a h"ppy smile xpr.ad over the %
ace Of my gents-sl antagonist
Billy he said. I'm "A little h-shV "
cash could You Ell ~
let you hRvs "a few hundrpdP' re- o.
lied the pur'sr. Rpnially How much n