The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-13

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nrI-=.===s=ss=-v sive game when luck
IN turns a cold shoulder on
I III any player and going
y01J Il EfIt broke" is as easy as
- rufiling a deck When
HIM If1i a man finds he has two
1RIlyll dollars left out of more
ls===s=z==-szs:a. than two months pay
and that it has taken
him less than thirty minutes to get down
TO that mark. he cannot be censured
much il he rails at that Will-o -the-wisp,
the Goddess OF Luck Put him good
ten days ride from home, acquaintances
and money, and perhaps he will be justified
in adding heat in plenty to his denuncia-
ton. He had played to win when he should
have coppercd, coppered when he should
have played to win, he had backed both
ends against the middle and played the
high card as wcll-but only when his bets
were small did the turn show him what he
wanted 20 see. Perhaps the case-keeper had
hoodoocd him, for he never did have any
luck at cards when tow-hcaded man had
a finger in the game.
Fuming impotcntly at his helplessness, 4
man crossed the main street in Colby, limp
ing almost imperceptibly constrained and a
little awkward in his new store clothes and
new, squeaiing boots that were clumsy with
stiffness The oaly things on him that he
could regard as old and tried friends were
the battered sombre-o and the heavy, wal
nut handled Colts as, which rubbed COM
iortably with each movement OF his thigh.
The weapon, to be sure, had ready cash
value-but he could not afford to part with
il. The horse belonged to his ranch, and the
saddle must not be sold; to part with it
would be to lose his mark of caste and be-
come walking man, which all good punch
ers despiscd.
"Ten days from home, KNOWN nobody,
two measly dollars in my pocket, an luck
dead agin me, he growlei with pugnacious
pessimisrn. "Oh, I'm wise old bird, ami
A h---l of a wise bird. Real smart an
cute an shiny, a cache OF wisdom, a real,
bohyiied Smart Alcck with 4 head full OF
spawned brains copper TIL deuce an tn
deuce wins; play tn King to win for ten
collars whan | ought to copper it, / lay
two bits and it comes right dollars an
L see my guess go loco. Reckon | better
slip these here twin bucks down in my kill
me-soon boo,s afore some Blind papoose
takes EN- away from me. Wiser'n Solomon,
Il am I've got old Cesar climbin a cactus
for pleasure an joy S-u-c-k-e-r is my mid
die name Ian Pm busted" Iu ol
He almost stumbled over little tray of a
three-legged table on the corner of the
street and his face went hard as he saw the
layout Three halves OF English walnut
shells lay on the faded and soiled green cloth
and a blackened, shriveled pea was still
rolling from the shaking he had given the
table He stopped and regarded it gravely,
jingling his two dollars disconsolately.
Don't this town do nothin else besides
gambler" he muttered, looking around.
"Howd'y, stranger" cheerfully cried a
man who fastened up. "Want to see me
fool your" psa
The puncher's anger was aroused to a
thin, licking flame; but it passed swiftly and
cold, calculating look came into his eyes.
He glanced around swiftly, trying to locate
the cappers, but they were not to be seen.