The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-15
That's difrrent," exclaimed old man


that the stranger paused as II bewil-
dered and at a loss to know just what
to say Stepping back behind the bar
he set his bungstarter in the corner,
and reached for the cards and chips,
talking rapidly meantime.
Just nachully, didn't had no way o
tellin' how yo' all was dsirous OF a
game. You ought To- to spoke sooner.
Beins it's poker, drinks is on the house
an they won't be no mo- said bout that
there round what want called TO. Step
right In the back room an I'll serve
'em there"
But the stranger was by no means
minded to be carried of his feet in any
such fashion.
Pause moment" he said with much
emphasis. IL see no reason for any
such unseemly haste. 1t Is quite true
that l did express to this gentleman
whose acquaintance l had the pleasure
of making on the levee just now a con-
siderable interest in the game of poker.
/ witnessed a contest on the boat last
night and II appeared to me TO be q
pleasing pastimc, not devoid of "a certain
element of excitement. In fact II
seemed to me that the gentlemen who
were playing were disposed to go to ex-
tremes In the matter of betting ON their
hands. for they wagered more at once
than I would care to.
Il could see no necessity. however,
for any such Incorporate play, for the
game itself Is interesting regardless OF
the amount OF the stakes. | watched
! 1t carefully until / understood the prin-
ciples OF 1t. which appear to be very
simple. and 1 feel that with a little in
struCtion IA to the relative value Of the
different hands I would not only be able
TO participate in II but | would derive
considerable pleasure from 1t. providing
the sum involved should be kept within
the bounds of moderation"
The gent means how he'd pier to
play limit" said Jake Winterbotton,
speaking for the first time.
"Sho is mo- safer TO a beginner" said
Blaisdell. tolerantly.
Exactly" said the stranger. II am
not very familiar with the Technology
of the game, but take II that a limit
implies that "a player should not bet
more than, say. "a dollar or two at any
one time. With a restriction OF that
nature. there would be no ruinous haz-
! ard attached to the game. and one would
be able to derive considerable pleasure
from the fluctuations of chance. win
ming at one time and losing at another.
us tickle fortune should determine"
Right go be-" said sam Pearssll, who
was understood to have had considerable
education in his youth and who had
listened attentively. We uns don't
gently play no limit. but tn amt no
Elections TO it case of a man just
learnin' the game"
I'VE aims to please" said old man
Grecnlaw
With that provlso," said the stranger
Il see no objection to playing. but
deemed ii best to explain the matter
before beginning and 1 want to be GER
tain that 1 am right as to the relative
value of the hands. hope you will
correct me ii am in error" And he
recited the different hands In order cor
rectly up to the full house.
Those are all l observed" he con-
tinued. in the game last night. II
there are others OF greater value rely
upon you to inform me-
We will" said Blaisdell promptly;
but them is enough TO b'ginnin'. an
| yo' all Is got EN- right. They Is some
hands what's better n them. but they
don't come out frequent. fo mought
play holloya while 'thouien seem
OF EN-. The best way d be to play with
what yo' knows now till 20 gets
fmiliar with 'em, an then go on to the
bigger hands.
They is one thing mo-" ne went on
hastily. seeing that his friends looked
a little surprised. "Yo all was speakin
of limit. amt kickn' at that under
the circumstants, but 81 pears to be
some trfiln'. Now s. amt no gre't sum,
an 1t makes the game mo- interestin
like. S'posin' we makes 1t s."
II don't object" said the stranger.
LAS you say. So Is not really important
money. would not mind losing as
much as that
Amt no use wastin' no mo time"
said old man Greenlaw. rather i'm
patiently. Yo' all en- learn "A heap
quicker playin'."
And he led the way 10 the back room
the others following.
Chips is $50 stack" he said, as he
counted them out. but o. co'se ! gives
the cash back to them that has EN- at
tn end o. the game" And they all
bought, the stranger paying cash.
They were not quite prepared to see
the stranger prove himself as much OF
q sport as he did. or to find that he had
really a fairly good Idea of the game.
lie lost more frequently than he won,
as was perhaps to be expected, but he
played with spirit and intelligence and
did not seem to be greatly disturbed
when he was obliged to buy more chips
in order to continue playing.
The game was so easy, however, FOR
the more practlsed players that they
found Ii unnecessary to make any spe-
cial effort. The only question appeared
to be as TO how long he would continue
to play. and with this IN view they were
well pleased to see him win occasion
ally.
on one OF Joe Bassett's deals 1t seemed
likely that he might make . consider
able winning, for having the age, he
raised II the limit after they had all
come in.
In consequence they all studied their
own cards carefully before playing fur
Their, and as no one excepting Winter
bottom had more than a pair they left
the contest to him. Az he had three ten
spots he decided to raise again, more
for the purpose OF trying the strangers
game than with any great hope OF win
ming. The stranger, however gave Il