The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-07

Jim, wish you'd tell the old man
to send me bottle o. good whiskey.
hain't put nothin' In the hat yet ND to
the meetin' an I reckon it's up TO me to
cntribute somepin' to'ds the preachin'
Yo' mought mention how II the old
man'd send II with his compliments, I
reckon the preacher'd be liable to call In
TO to thank him. Mebbe II mought be
good idea To- TO nave q game goln' on
In the hack room when he calls"
: Crashing the IDEA Ola man Ure-nlaw
not only sent a bottle OF choice LIQUOR
but had his saloon swept out daily and
even had the windows washed In honor
OF the expected visit which came In due
time. Moreover. he shaved himself each
morning, and when the reverend gentle
man arrived he was greeted with POM
pous courtesy.
II am informed by one OF my flock"
he said on entering, that you have
been good enough to send me some Bit
tiers. which have already found OF use
incidentally. thank you. sir, and I
trust that your liberality betokcns an
interest In my work.
81 sho' be interested" said the old
man. II hain't herd o. nothin' To-
quite spell what's done worked me up
/
kansas City. Tn amt nothin' I'd like
better n to see that did
you surprise me-" said Mr.. Rathbun.
II had been informed that there was
frequent gambling on your premises"
! Whoever told yo' all anythin like
that IN boss thief" said the old man
holly. II don't never low nothin' o. the
kyind. It's d'moralizin' to the c'munity
an it's liable TO interfere with the poker
game IL II gifts started. I'm dead ag'in
It,"
Pardon me- said the other, but
hardly follow you. You speak of poker
game. Surely that is gambling"
Taint nothin' o the sort" retorted
| the old man. "Poker's a scientific game
an gamblln is games o. chance. They
is n big dlffrence"
II never looked at II that way" said
| the preacher. ut Is true that / have
not Joined in a game OF poker since my
college days, but my idea has always
been that 1t was n most insidlous form
OF gambling"
TIL amt nothin' deciduous about it,"
Insisted the old man. mot when it's
played proper. tn Amt. II yo' all was
TO step into the back room with me l
cd prove 1t to yo'. They Is a pahty a
! pldyln IN tnefe right now
We'll. / am always ready to learn"
was the reply hoped for but hardly ex-
pected, and the two went forthwith into
the room where Winterbottom. Blais-
dell, Bassett and Pearsall were busily
engaged with cards and chips.
There was no installing the fact that
the preacher was keenly interested in
what he saw.
II seem to remember something Of
the game" he said when the old man
started to explain the governing prin-
ciples OF It, for. as | tell you, I used
to take a hand in 1t occasionally when
was at college: but as / recall II the in
terest lies wholly in the amount OF
money that is won or lost by the par
Elephants. That is the Objectionable fea-
ture of 1t. and I fail to see why 1t is
not equally harmful with any other pas
time OF an aleatory character"
For an instant the old man was
plainly staggered by the unfamiliar
word, but he rallied nobly.
II never heard nobody call 1t aratory
afo'." he said but that's neither here
nor there. o. co'se. they is money used
into the game, same as they is In all
p'suits but the pint is how all d'pends
on Judgment m skill, stead o. be.n' a
matter O. chance.
"A man bets on av'ridges n p'centage.
an them Is intlechul matters. tn amt
no better edication on airth n draw
poker, nor tn amt nothin' elevates a
mans character no mo-, bein's IT learns
him to d'pend onto his nachul talents,
stead o. relyln' on the oncert'nties o.
luck.
"Now II q man like yo' all what's just
nachuly gifted with sperior edication
was to set in with these 70 gents. yo'
couldn't help winnin'. Tn amt no doubt
but they Is good players, but they
wouldn't have no show ag'in a man
what Understands the higher mathe-
MATES like I reckon yo' all sho' does
This argument was presented with
great earnestness, so that the old man
seemed fairly carried away by his own
eloquence; but despite his enthusiasm
he did not fail to watch his auditor
keenly, and he was rewarded by seeing
a CLEAN in the latter's eye which seemed
to indicate a daring purpose. The play
ers in the game meantime were too Alb
sorbed In their play to pay attention to
the conversation.
what you say Is certainly interest
ing" said Mr. Rathbun. II was ac-
counted an excellent mathematician al
ways, and l see no reason why l should
not turn that gift to advantage. pro-
vlded these gentleman do not object
to my joining their party
They won't be no Elections" de-
clared the old man eagerly. This
yere s a open game, an tn aint no
! body barred. That's the beauty O draw
poker. Anybody en- 1ine In an prosper