The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-01-16
Or Else They Stay Too Long
Trying to Recoup Their
Losses, He Adds.

Through the closed blinds struggled
the first gray mists Of winters
morning. They fell upon four figures
seated at a round table. About the
room were scattered cards, cigar
stumps and cigaret ends. In the air
was the odor of stale tobacco smoke.
The listless attitudes Of the men told
q sieepless night, and yet they lin
sered. From a nearby church came
the sound Of chimes. Seven o'clock
The truth no longer can be concealed
It was the flag end of poker game
from which the winners had long since
departed, leaving the losers to combat
among themselves, with no hope Of
any one recuperating his loss, says
the Washington Post.
when the deal reaches me I'm
through" The remark came from a
man the size of whose stack indicated
thath was through In more senses
Of the word than one. There re-
manned three white chips. just enough
to allow of as many antes.
Knows He's Had Enough.
-Aw. come on. Let's play until s
o'clock" pleaded sleepy eyed OPP
ponent. "It'll get you home in time
for breakfast. You're in Dutch any
way. so you might as well stay and
not break up the game"
1.-THE game ends as far as am con-
cerned on my DEAL" replied the first
speaker, with as much emphasis as
his exhausted supply Of energy could
command. "You fellows may play all
day II you want, but I'm DONE"
They cashed In, every man loser.
On the way home in street car the
man who had ended the game contided
to the banker that for period OF
three months the weekly sessions
would see him no more.
ats all in knowing when you have
enough" he said. AT o'clock, when
1t was agreed that the game should
end. was SAT to the good. l stayed
to get So, SOS to make 1t an even $50.
Results; I'm $50 to the bad. and when
/ get home my wife will unburden
her mind of her real opinion con-
corning me. Her remarks l shall re-
gard as confidential, my only con-
ISOLATION being that nothing she can
say can make me feel worse"
Had Troubles OF His Own.
"Your troubles interest me-" replied
the banker.
.I lost sixty bucks myself, but as
] was never ahead at any stage Of
the game, can sympathize with a
man who was"
SAY" said the man who would have
won, but for the little word "lf." IAN
] asking you for sympathy? Any time
Il look to you for sentiment Of that
kind, I'll telephone to the doctors first
that I'm on my way and to have the
cell nicely padded
"I'm Just Offering few observa-
lions on the benefits Of knowing when
to quit"
Shoot" said the banker, settling
himself more comfortably in his seat
1.-THE mistakes most players make
are In jumping the game when they
are a few dollars winner, and hanging
on when the run of cards is against
them,' continued the narrator of mis-
fortune. ITO quote an authority, the
best poker player ! ever knew. they
will Jump when they have won a
shoestring and stay to lose tan
merry
System Works Both Ways.
&hA lie hath
ways. It may happen, as It did with
me tonight, that fortune, after fol-
lowing a man for the first two or
three hours Of play, will suddenly de-
sert him and he will end loser. I'm
fortunately, there is no way Of deter
mining the precise moment.
Zone instance of sudden decision
to quit fingers in my memory. 1t was
in table stake game in which seven
or eight Of us were accustomed to
meet once or twice month. On the
night In question one Of the regulars
a young fellow recently married, con-
fided to me that he was In need Of $50
10 meet a note due the next day. He
was likable chap and in receipt oil
of good salary, but it happened that
a combination of circumstances had
left him short Of funds. My advice tc
him was not to play. When man Is
In need Of money the best place not tc
look for 1t In poker game.
Refused to Accept q Loan.
II offered to make him loan, bu
he refused. Said he felt lucky ant
was going to win the amount. Dur
ing the first half hour it appeared
that his prediction would be verified
He was playing careful game, ant
while he won no exceptionally large
pots, his pile of chips steadily in
creased. The buy-out was S25, ant
at the end of an hour he had doubled
his stack. / tried to convey to hin