The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-05
A STEP
BACKWARD
By WILLIS BEACH POTTER
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

r. A young clergyman fresh from a
theological seminary entered a gam.
bling den In Dead Mans Gulch and
standing in the center of the ROOM
esaid in sonorous voice:
You are invited to attend prayer
meeting In Tompson's wood to com.
mence at o'clock 1t is now a quar-
tier to 4. trust that every man pres
sent will be there"
Instead of every man showing will
ingness to go to Tompson's wood ev-
cry man proceeded with what he was
doing. which was principally gambling.
The young clergyman-he might have
been twenty-seven or tweDty-eight
years old--looked mildly upon this
I want Of response. not in the least dis
couraged, and was about to leave the
saloon when his attention was attract
ed to young girl who came in, APP
preached table where half dozen
men were playing poker. and. putting
her arms around the neck of one of the
players. begged him to leave.
do come home, father" she said.
Mother is sick and your being here
worries her"
"After I've played few hands more.
Effie. I've had long run of bad luck.
which is sure to turn"
The clergyman from the moment the
girl entered was visibly affected by
her presence. Going to the table, he
looked over the game for awhile. then
said to her father. IF you go home
I'll see whet / can do to recover your
losses" Every one looked up at the
speaker surprised, especially the man
addressed He rose, leaving seven or
eight dollars on the table. and, telling
his daughter to go home and say to her
mother that he would be there soon,
stood looking over the game.
His fellow gamesters were five stool
pigeons and one card sharp. They had
feeeed the man who had given up his
place out of nearly ali the money he
possessed. The clergyman steadily
won, but in small amounts. till he had
Increased the pile before him TO sew
eral hundred dollars. Then the card
sharp gave his stool pigeons look and
opened the next hand for jack pot
All stayed in for one round, then drop
ped out on the second, and on the third
the betting was left to the card sharp
and the clergyman. who continued TO
raise each other till the pot resembled
a miniature mountain.
nx,f a III ~
lockers on, and the excitement waxed
high clergyman playing against
Dave Simpson. who was known for
the slickest card sharp at Dead Mans
Gulch. was an interesting sight to see.
When the two men tired OF raising
each other Simpson called the cler-
gyman. This by the rules of the game
compelled the latter to show his hand
first, an evident disadvantage to him,
playing with light fingered oppo-
nent who might increase his hand aft.
or knowing what the clergyman held. |
The broad hrim Of the parsons cleri- |
cal felt hat was pulled down over his |
eyes, and his cards were held close I'M
der them. Presently he said mildly:
II see four kings in my hand. and
nothing will beat four kings except /
four aces. Since I've got an ace. too.
there's no way for you to beat me ex- |
cept by introducing an ace from an
other pack, which would. to say the
least, be irregular. I'm going to show
my cards, and IL you have that fifth
ace I'd advise you to keep it dark"
The speaker seemed to be troubled
by an itching at the back of his neck
and put hand up to scratch When
he withdrew his hand he held in it
knife eight inches long. which he held
over his opponent The latter retained
bis nerve, sitting motionless.
You're no parson." he said. who
are your
~ am a clergyman of the Methodist
church. My name is James
Sykes. formerly desperate and black
leg, but reformed"
Throwing his cards on the table, he
told the man for whom he played to
scoop In the pot.
Every one had heard of Jim Sykes,
and not man among the gamblers
dared to tackle him. He went home
with the man he had befriended and
IN arrival said: In
''You people have forgotten me. but
haven't forgotten you. Once when {
/ posse was after me to hang me this
young lady. then a slip of a girl, hid
ne and saved my neck. These funds
ire small token of my gratitude"
He took the girls hand in his and
cooked into her eyes with his. which
we're full of gratitude.
IT remember" she said. six or sew .
n years ago young man coming to !,
ur house and telling me that be was
united for his life. but be could not n
'ossibly be you. He was a frightful n
boxing object. You. on the contrary. a
re the personification of all that is t
ood" t
"And what made the change in me9 7
he little girl who saved my life.
esolved that her effort should not be
D vain. | determined to live for the
God instead of the bad. was con-
erted by an evangelist and Joined the
lethodist church. Now am a work.
r in the vineyard of the Lord
And before he left he had secured
elpmeet to work with him In his new ?
eld The couple worked exclusively =
mong the toughest classes. for which |,