Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1917-12-06
What a
Worm Did
HyE.AMTchElL

n have to do Is to enlist all the pro-
ssional gamblers in the United
ates, furnish them with ample funds
d send them down there to win the
untry for you"
The words were spoken by man
20 had lived most OF his life in Mex
\ and had travelled much in Central
4 South America.
"The people Of those regions are all
mblers,' the speaker continued, "and
n sufficient force Of sharpers were
ut among them every foot of ground,
every article on it would soon be
their possession. Thus the gamblers,
those they represented, could meet
convention, vote annexation to the
lited States, and the trick would be
ne.
Il spent a winter In Brazil and every
ening as soon as the days work was
ished, the set to which I belonged
journed to the back yard of an old
low named Papilado, who had a
ulette wheel he had made himself,
d spent the time far into the night
milling. The roulette wheel was
lde Of wood. and there was cover
: It, which was put on while the ball
Is still spinning so that the betting
uld be carried on indefinitely.
"Some Of the gamblers played for
e enjoyment they got out Of the
me, and some played to earn the
)ney on which they lived. None Of
en- was very scrupulous, and would
We cheated IL they could. l taught
. Pm the American game of poker, but
ere was so much opportunity for dis
nesty In IL that 1t was not fitted for
EN-. Every player was bent on
eating, and the game soon broke up
a row.
There was among them a young
azilian who had a very pretty wife.
} had small patrimony, which he
IS gradually eating up. He won
out as much as he lost, but he had
live. II was really a case of eating
little fortune. His wife usually sat
side him, sometimes sewing, and
len their baby was wakeful she
uld hold him in her arms. The
ms name was JOSH Gomez, and his
fe Maria, for the Virgin.
If Gomez won a hundred pezOs one
ening, lost a hundred the next, and
$ ahead in the game twenty-five at
, end of the week. he considered
It he was twenty-five pesos to the
od; though he had spent a hundred.
s wife took the same view of the
tier.
AT the time l joined the circle the
lie fortune of the young couple had
an nearly eaten up and il had be-
ne apparent to them that that was
They were looking anxious. JOSH
S betting fitfully. Papilado bet like
others, and won or lost like they
L He charged nothing for the use
the wheel, seeming to play for
usement only. But one night he be-
q to show a gamblers greed. He
n good pile on red five; and after |
At it was noticed that whenever he !
v largely It was on red five.
There Is a worm down in that cli- |
ts vtlsat lsetsgfntO-~ furniture, and |
'es and bOres and bOres till nothing |
a she'll is left. One may sit down |
chair that looks perfectly strong, |
at the first touch it collapses. This
temeht thrust in here seems to have
hing to do with my story; the truth |
the story hangs upon it.
Papilado continued occasionally to
Of red FIVE, taking care not to at
ct the attention of the others to
fact that il was a winner. When |
won on it he invariably bet the
t time on some other number. He
d that he didn't believe in light |
& striking the same place twice.
netimes he would not bet once on
i'll the wheel had been spun many
les. I was not playing myself, and |
! an opportunity to watch the 9TH
I noticed that whenever Papila-
bet on red five, just when the ball
p heard to drop, his countenance as
ped very pleased and covetous ex-
,ission.
i took an interest in JOSH Gomez,
little wife and innocent babe, and
I day cOnfided TO him my suspicion
t Papilado had some way Of know
! when the ball dropped into red
= JOSH said nothing to me In re-
2, but It was evident that he was do
q good deal Of thinking.
fThe next evening came the crisis.
pilado did not bet on red five till
yen O'Clock, when he laid a hundred
os on 1t. JOSH Immediately laid a
pdred pesos on another number,
ok nine. PapIlado laid five hum
ID more on red five. JOSH laid one
usand Of black nine. The others
.pped out. was astonished TO see
: two who remained bring out so
CHI money. They bet on and on till
ny thousand pesos were on the
le. When their funds were exhaust
the cover was lifted. Black nine
/ won.