The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-08-19
Caught a Tartar
By SAMUEL E BRANT

about on an auto tour, stopped one da.
at country hotel and. liking the la,
Of the land. the scenery and more es
pecially the cuisine OF the house, con
ciuded to remain for awhile. The!
soon discovered a small game going OIL
in a room behind the office and wen
in to look on. They were adopts a
the national game of poker. but only
played as gentlemen with gentleman
for pastime and not for the purpose Of
replenishing their exchequers.
The game they watched was being
played by four men, one of whom ap
peared to be greenhorn, who was be
ing feeced by the other three. They
had not been playing long, and Riggs
saw that the sharpers were permitting
the greenhorn to win. When they left
the table for supper he was consider
ably ahead, and the others exacted q
promise from him that he would give
them their revenge during the evening
The two young tourists felt sure that
If the winner played In the evening
the sharpers would contrive that he
should lose not only all he had won
but whatever he had to lose besides
Riggs said be should be warned. but
Burch suggested that he would not
take warning. Fools like that, he
said, couldn't be taught wisdom. The
only way he could be taught lesson
was to win his money from him, then
hand 1t back to him with lecture on
trusting persons he didn't know.
After supper, while the two were
smoking on the piazza, the greenhorr
came out. and they began to chat with
him. Burch said to him that he ha6
watched his poker game and was sur
prised at his skill. Riggs chimed In
The result Of the talk was that they
invited him to cut the men with whom
he had been playing and join them in
a game in their rooms. The fellow
seemed indisposed to deny the sharp
ers their revenge and asked the friends
If they thought he had right to do So
Certainly" said Burch. Every sit
ting at poker stands for itself. II
these men had won your money they
would not have played again with yor
unless they wanted to. Isn't that SOP
he added. turning TO his friend.
Riggs confirmed his opinion. and the
three men adjourned to room up
stairs and sat down for game.
For half an hour the greenhorn was
permitted to win with ease. He play
ed very poor game, but the two
friends failed to bet on their good
hands and always bet on their poor
ones. When they had let their oppo-
nent win about $50 they changed theii
tactics and won 1t all back again. The
greenhorn pulled out a roll of crisp
ten dollar bills. manifesting an inten
ton TO buck against his adversaries fol
all he was worth.
The friends glanced at each other
knowingly. The little game they were
playing interested them. They were
not used to spending their time with
out amusement, and they were getting
all they wanted. The greenhorn play.
ed even worse than before, and. losing
his money, be became excited and lost
his head completely. One after anoth
er his beautiful banknotes passed into
the hands of his opponents. A thou
sand dollars of bis had gone into theii
keeping and he was diving into his
pockets for more when Riggs stopped
him. Putting his hand on the green
horns arm gently, he said:
MY friend, don't get out any more
money. We brought you up here to-
night to save you from those sharpers
with whom you were playing before
dinner IL you had Joined them to
night they would have had this money
instead of US. They would have kept
II. We are going to return it."
The man gaped at them as though
he could not understand what they
were driving at. Presently he asked:
How do you know those fellows ]
played with are sharpers?"
I'VE could see them playing you
"And you're going to give me back
all the money I've lost to you without
my winning it?"
I'VE are"
The greenhorn grasped the hand OF
each Of the friends promptly.
I'm mighty glad OF 1t Do you
know this money I've lost wasn't mine |
1t belongs to a dear little child for
whom | am guardian"
When the man had finished bis ex. /
pressions of gratitude the settling up
came. The money was put In pile
on the table, and the greenhorn was
told to help himself to what he had
lost. There was old money, as well as
the new bills he had brought out
I'm take the ragged stuff, gentle
men," be said. land leave you the
clean money"
Pocketing the ragged stuff. be
grasped his benefactors' hands again,
thanked them with moist eyes and
withdrew.
The next morning the friends looked
for him, but did not see him. Nor
were the sharpers about. either.
Burch, needing change, stepped up to