The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-09-19

httfi VI 4ti A. ~ A.t..|
| greater than d>tnrtlond Of porous piEs-
ters. Farewell. feler pilgrim. May
your whislers never get caught In the
eurrnnt bushes!''
was gntherin up the line to drive
or. thinkin' there was no more to be
rr.d. when the venerable back number
! lscd his hand in protest and said:
II take II that we have the bodily
| and spiritual interests of our feller crit
tcrs at beart?"
1--WE surely do. We are not travelin
about for our health"
"We would make most any sacrifice
to see the world become better?"
"You betv'
1--WE are strivin' to he llvin' exam
pies Of virtue In the sight of mankind,
but there are occasions when--when"-
when we might indulge in a leetle
game Of poker and the world be none
the worse for it, l finished.
yea; | am in accord with thee" he
grinned. 'ln other words, my speerlt
flies out to greet yourn. Poker is but
to hold some cards with pictures on
and say how much you will bet to
give the heather. Truly we will play"
Then as he spread a blanket on the
grass and | got down | saw the light
of avarlce and the shine of craft I'm his
milky eyes, and knew that he would
do me IL he could. He took me for
tenderfoot and intended to wax fat on
my ducats.
How noble IL is to be surrounded by
llvln' natur'w he said as we made
dollar jack pot. and he looked away
over the prairie.
at is truly So" replied as I watch
ed him deal "and therein lies the sad.
ness of mans weakness. with such a
mother as Natur' man orter have
soul as white as snow"
"Ah-umr' he sighed.
"Ah-um!" sighed /.
/ picked up my cards to find that I
had two pairs, while lie had to draw
three. As he didn't better his hand he
let me rake In the pot 1t was dollar
for the heather.
After that we had but little. Down
in our hearts we wished virtue to tri. |
umph over vice in every nook and cor
ner OF the land. but when you are
playin' poker It is better 20 think than
TO talk. Think and watch the wiggle |
OF the other feller's whiskers.
Lured In the Usual Way.
The venerable old crltter lured me |
on by lettin' me win the first four of |
FIVE pots. but when the time came that |
he found three jacks in his hand and |
$40 in the pot he sat out TO work my |
downfall. ] had two big pairs and |
went in. and with guileless coun- |
tenance he saw and raised me un-
I'll there was $40 on the blanket, and |
then | called and was shorn. A feel
Ing swept over me that the sinner had |
me. and as he reached
for the spoils | reached for his neck
The struggle was brief. but fierce.
blackened one eye for tile venerable
villain. and he blackened two for me
IN return. inflicted Il scratch on his
nose. and he bit my ear till his teeth
met.
! was licked man. | found five
Jacks In that pack of cards. but had
to holler for mercy. When he had let
up on me limped over TO my wagon
md climbed upon it and said to him:
81 took thee for an emblem of in
locence, and thou hast deceived me.
Wilt mans inhumanity to man never
,ease?"
"And took thee for a man of in
egrity." he countered. but. 10. we had
lot played three hands when saw an
ice disappear up thy sleeve. Wilt
nan never learn that honesty is the
,est pollcy?"
"You old villain. but you are not on
'our way 10 any camp meetin'"
"You deep dyed ,scoundrel. you
would have given the hcathen no mon
y had you won 1t ALL"
And then. drove away n saddened
md chastened man. Mankind had
)ecome no better for my consoin'
words and my Instant Pain Allevia-
or. But for the hoss race | hoped to
yet up at Mount Misery ! should have
'een discouraged pilgrim.