Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-06-18
A ND five better than you again.
~ Handsome Harry" McCarter,

IA sometimes known as the Day
ton Adonis, sometimes as the
Mississippi river gambler and at all
times as the best spitball pitcher with
a second division team. leaned back
against the cushions of the private car,
punched his small straight and patted
his nose with it while he weighed the
chances and studied the frank. open
c~onntenance Of Bush Hawley. the
youthful outielder. The Ponies were
on tour and the nightly poker game
was just beginning.
The Ponies worked at professional
baseball for a living, but the only ma
tional. pastime they recognized was
the ancient and honorable game of
draw poker. AS working men. they
might finish in seventh place every
little while, with six teams in front of
them and the cellar champions clam
oring behind, but drop them into a
poker league and the Ponies would be
found banging away high up in the
first division.
They were a fine bunch Of athletes,
running to loud waistcoats, the early
'tWenties, cards. dice and single cussed-
ness-the most happy so lucky. devil
may care for we don't outfit in the
league.
Monk Lawson, who f1attered him
self that he managed the Ponies. did
not believe in carrying women with
a ball club. In his youth. when as
he so often remarked, he had beer
some pitcher, boys, some pitcher" he
had Travelled with one married club
and the experience had lasted him for
years. He fancied unmarried men, so
he signed them.
And now. having stalled long enough
to- give the old Mississippi river gam
bier a chance to figure out the situa-
ton and estimate the value of his two
to the six straight. we return to the
poker game.
~ bet him a buck after the draw"
unused the handsome one. land he
raised me ive-raised me five. He's
just about frightened up on me-" Nc
Carter marked a cross upon the table
and traced an imaginary line toward
his pile of chips. Gross shows where
the, ole Mississippi river gambler was
shot; through the heart" said he whimn-
sically. DOTTED lines indicates which
way they drug him out. All right.
Bush. I got to call. How big is your
full house?"
I'm out on a limb" said Bush sadly.
Showing the chips toward McCarter.
Il was trying to get by with two big
pair, and you went and hooked up a
straight on me. I'm ruined"
What I don't understand is why
you didn't raise the pants off Bush
/ instead of just calling. 1t looked to me
as if that should have been the play"
1t was Il new voice, and the poker
experts looked up for an instant.
Harry McCarter snorted loudly and be-
gan rif1ing the cards.
IF you know so much about poker,'
said he sneeringly. Its a wonder to
me you wouldn't sit into one of these
games once in awhile and teach us
how to play five cards. We don't bar
nobody. It's an open game. Hogan"
The young man addressed as Hogan,
who was perched upon the back of the
seat across the aisle closely following
the progress of the poker game. flush
ed slightly, but made no reply. Nc
Carriers remark had been an innocent
one. but the sheer gave an ugly sting
to the words. Hogan was not thick
skinned, and he had read resentment,
If not open hostility. in the short glance
the players had given him.
A few moments later he climbed
down from his perch, yawned. stretch
ed, and moved away toward the smok-
ing, compartment. He was neither
tired nor sleepy, but he did not want
the poker party to know that he had
been driven away.
Hogan sat in the smoking room curl
ed up On a leather couch and staring
out of the window at the night lights
as they whisked by the flying win
Vows. Hogan was not a mind reader,
and his ears were not burning. New
erthelss he knew that he was being
discussed by his fellows, and the
thought was not a pleasant M for he
could guess what they were talking
about.
1t was Hogan's first year in profess
sional ball. yet in a short space of time
he had acquired an unenviable reputa-
ton as the stingiest player in the
league. and the Ponies. the biggest
hearted. best natured lot of boys in
baseball. tolerated him simply because
Of his ability upon the field. To make
matters worse Hogan realized that he
could not blame his teammates for
keeping him outside the circle of init
mate relationship.
Hogan knew all this. He would
issye given much for the good will OF
his teammates. but he was not in a
position to explain matters or set up
any defense. SO he went early to bed
for lack of some one to talk with, and