The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-05-06
'MyUncle' sStory
by A. B. SEARIE
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

reach New York from Cincinnati, the
the Queen City of the West. on
might go part OF the way by steam
boat, another by stagecoach aud tn
balance by canal. In such convey
ances people were thrown together In
timately. and lifelong friendships wer
often made. The passenger canalboa
was the first TO pass out Of use, anC
there are few living who remember q
as n method of travel.
Ii was In 1916 that one of these pas
senger canalboats was being dragged
along by n horse on the towpath
There were no staterooms. only berths
something like those on modern
sleeping car. Between these was the
cabin. where the passengers lounged
during the day and evening. At that
time the professional gambler worked
in the narrow channels OF the period
He was on the steamboat. but did not
disdain the canalboat. On this canal.
boat a portion of the bow had been
curtained off. and I'm 1t were card ia.
| bles. At one Of these tables sat a pro-
fessional gambler fleeing a youngster
of twenty.
That youngster was my uncle. and ]
him.
He had been deputed to carry some
$4,000 from Pittsburg to Harrisburg.
How the gambler knew that he had
the money with him he did not learn.
My uncle played with the sharper till
he had lost all the money that had
been given him for his expenses, then
began to play with his trust fund. He
quit at ii o'clock at night. having lost
half Of the $4,000.
The next morning was Sunday. A
service was held in the cabin conduct
ed by clergyman slightly past mid
die age. My uncle was much Impress
ed with his appearance and the fervor
with which he spoke. His accent was
that OF the southerner My uncle said
that the clergyman attacked gambling,
telling a number of interesting, many
Of them pathetic. incidents. in which
some foolish person had been robbed
Of all he possessed. In these stories
the speaker showed an intimate
knowledge of all forms of swindling
at cards. He was looking straight at
my uncle while be talked and seemed
to be speaking to him personally.
Then my uncle remembered that while
playing with the gambler he had seen
the clergyman standing among those
overlooking the game.
Notwithstanding that it was Sunday
my uncle was eager to renew the play,
hoping to win back what he had lost
He argued that TO lose any part of
the fund with which he had been in
terested would ruin him the same as
IL he lost the whole Therefore Sun
day afternoon he proposed to the gam
bier that they go to their curtained
space for more play. The gambler,
who knew well enough that the
youngster .would be. after, him, assent
ed, and they were soon at play.
OF course my uncle Test steadily.
His last thousand dollars was slowly
melting away when who should walk
in but the clergyman. He stood look
ing at Che game for awhile, then said
to N.Y. uncle: boy, yqp can't play
with. this man. Hes, q professional
gambler aud is playing with marked
Picking up one Of the cards lying on
the table face down. the speaker, rub |
bling his thumb on it, said, "The king
of clubs" Then, turning it over, his
prophecy proved correct. In the same !
way he told the value of other cards. |
They were all provided with minute
points that could be felt. but not easily
seen. Then. turning to the gambler.
he said, Give the boy the money you
have won from him"
The gambler put up n vigorous bluff.
"What you got to do with this bust
ness, anyway? You're parson and
don't know any more about cards than
n mule. You just get out of here or
I'll find way to put you out"
"How much has he won from you,
boy?" asked the clergyman Of my un-
Gle.
"Seven thousand dollars"
"Giye me what you have left The
only way l can get your loss back for
you from this man is to win 1t at his
own game There's honor among
thieves. He won't do 1t one way, but
he will another"
My uncle turned over few hundred
dollars he had left. The clergyman sat
Town, new pack Of cards was
brought out, and at It they went. At
he end Of an hour the clergyman had
recovered 5000. At the end of the
second hour he had lost $500. At the
md of the third hour he had regained
III but $500 of my uncle's loss, and In
half an hour more he had won every
,ent the gambler had taken. He SHOW
ID his winnings over to the boy he had
aved from ruin.
'"There's only one man that can get
he better of me on any game of
ards" said the gambler, land
layen't seen him for eighteen years."
warren Phillipsf"
Eyes"
"Thats my name" a,q ,