The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-12-10

river fob over fifty years, I recognize
that yoh professional gamblers are an
institution; but, bless me, don't take
my son Toms view Of them. They
gamble fob living, yes, but believe
they do 80 honestly, as yoh or 1. We
are gambling nation, sub, fob we
are young, red blooded and prosper
GUS. but our country is incapable of
giving birth to man who deals off
the bottom of the pack. who is afraid
to meet fortune eye to eye. Yoh agree
with me, suh?"
GAS fellow patriot, yes-as sane
man, no." replied the other, the sa-
tiric CLEAN again smoldering in the
dead Stag Of his eyes. ''Yoh have yet
to be picked by brace Of these river
vultures-they generally travel in pairs
but as man of the world. Of co'se,
yoh would instantly recognize them"
"Of co'se. subj" heartily agreed the
other. aside from all else. yoh pro-
fessional gambler may be remarked
fob his lavish display Of diamonds"
"Yoh pardon. sub, but not always.
calculate that as man Of the world
yoh have heard Of Cameo Kirby?"
smiled Moreau, again paying atten-
ton to his companions glass.
"Kirby? That's IN old and honored
name in Plaquemine. suh." replied
Mr.. Randall. opening his coat and
tanning inflamed cheeks with his huge
SLOUGH hat. "Kirby was my neighbor,
sub. and knew his folks we'll. had
the honor to be of some slight assist
ance when he went under during
the panic years. Crops failed. banks
went to smash, but yoh remember,
reckon. Well. sub. Mr.. Kirby's
son, Eugene, came home from school
to find his poh father dead and a
bankrupt - everything swept away.
That was hard homecoming, sub.
Very sad case. l have often wondered
what became Of the boy. fob he had
all his fathers pride and refused to
let me exert my privilege Of an old
neighbor and friend That was twen-
ty years ago. and since then l have
heard in roundabout way that he
had become wild. drifted in with bad
companions and taken to the river for
a livelihood. In fact. become COM
mon gambler. But Of co'se don't be-
lieve 1t. for no Kirby could ever do
that. suh-fall SO low. Yet the name
is uncommon. Have you ever met
this gentleman of whom you spoke?"
mot socially. subj" replied the other
dryly. II calculate he is no relative
Of the folks you mentioned. fob his
reputation. sub. is the worst on the
river; known from New Orleans to st.
Louis and back again. He and his
side partner, suh-a dam carpetbag-
ging Yankee by the name Of Bunce-
are the most reckless characters on
the river. 1t is scum like them, sub,
who give our fair Mississippi her evil
name. Yoh speak of no man dealing
of the bottom Of the pack. Why,
sub. l assure yoh on my honor they're
so crooked they have to sleep in q
! roundhouse. l merely mentioned Kir.
.by's name because OF +he.-4ace~ thnt
man of the world as you are. sub, you
! would never pick him fob profession
al gambler. Never wore a diamond II
his life. The cameo is his favorite
stone. fob they say 1t once saved his
worthless life. and from it he gets his
name. sub. But shall we continue the
! game? / am still five hundred vol
master. and we have fob hours to Kill
befoh we make yoh landing"
Randall accepted the cards with un
steady hands II assure you. sub. yot
are betting against foregone conclu
sion." he said. "foh there is no stem
ming the turn in the tide. I'll bet vol
five hundred on this showdown, anC
then we'll pull stakes, sub. all square
fob further play would be sheer rob
berry You can't beat the Randall lucl
when once it has turned"
II never believed in luck" replied
Moreau. "foh life has demonstrated tx
me that there is no such abstract
Fob instance, If coin falls head ter
times out of ten it is still an even be-
fob heads or tails on the next toss
/! That is the law, sub, and all the SUI
perstition in the world cannot revoke
or change it."
"My dear subj" replied the planter
waving an impatient hand, "that is al
nonsense, for l hold that our entire
existence is greatly controlled by lucl
and not law. l believe in q Snaremt
Being, sub, and l attend church regu
larry. but l do not believe. sub, thai
our poh mundane affairs are regulat
ed by a celestial corporation. especial
~ such affairs as card games. Vol
know yohself, colonel, that the bes,
playing in the world can't stand against
run Of blind luck, and as a man oil
the world I've seen mob fortunes los,
on high hands-foh barmaids topped
by fob kings every trip-just because
their holders hadn't sense enough t.
realize that the tide had set In agains,
them. And give yoh my word. sub,
he finished, humping the table. "tha,
when fill fob card inside straight
the Randall luck ia sitting into the
game right with me, and yoh simply