The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-07-14
NARMINGA
| SERPENT
~ F. A. Mitchell

the Mississippi river was a thor
,ara for palatial steamboats, ply
|hotween the south and the north
In those days the western peo-
|rora more prone to gamble than !
and these steamers were used by !
Lssioual "blacklegs," who reaped
Il harvest from confiding persons
we're enticed by various schemes
Jay.
| morning several young men from
ouis were standing about a table
[bich sat professional gambler
rawboned countryman from the
Ior of Missouri. The onlookers
| friends and had often played a
ldlv gentlemen's game Of poker to-
d at each others home and prid-
themselves on being exceedingly
Fnl thereat. They noticed that the
bler was purposely losing his mon
[ the greenhorn, evidently with the
tion of drawing him on to play
(irher stakes, when he would take
he cash his opponent possessed.
eutly the two were notified that
ahles must be set for dinner, and
were obliged to cease playing, the
bier exacting promise that he
a be gwen a chance for revenge
bg the afternoon.
party of st. Louisans knew well
the countryman would be cleaned
Ind regretted to see him made a
IN. one of them was deputed to
him and explain the gamblers
The countryman was not con
ID At any rate, he declared that
lad passed the word Of a Mis-
an to give the man whose money
ID won his revenge and he would
the promise.
In his would be benefactors con-
d that they would ask him to play
bill game with them before sitting
with the gambler, designing to
his money and hand it back to
exacting his promise not to risk
ain to any one during the trip.
bid that he had promised to play
the man whose money he had
during the morning, but had not
Used to play with any one else
doing 50; therefore he felt that
uld be honorable for him to ac-
the invitation.
soon as the dinner dishes were
ID away the st. Louisans and the
lyman sat down at a table and
their game. While they were
the gambler came along and, see
hat his victim had been taken
him, berated him sOundly. The
lyman excused himself on the
d that he would give the gambler
Pvenge before the afternoon had
D. and the st. Louisans volunteer
give him up at 4 o'clock p. m
did not allay the gamblers ire
pr time it was feared that there
be fight between him and the
rrlan. However, the gambler
quoted and left the party, say
at he should expect his revenge
the other at 4 o'clock.
81. Louisans did not proceed tt
be greenhorn's money all at once
to brighten him off before they
aved it all for him. They per
him to win several pots, the1
% at one another the signal tt
operations at once. They intend
play fair game, believing tina
could by skill accomplish thei
about the time they were read.
the mans money he became
sed of several remarkable hands
lens full on aces he won a pot o.
pc next highest hand being full
on queens. Then he took |
pack pot with four deuces. Be
he st. Louisans were aware o
le game was going he had takel
EV from them. From this thei
N up to $500, and the country
as still winning.
men who had taken pity on tn
man began to feel that the.
armed a serpent In their hos
"here the mans splendid hand
rom they could not divine. Blu
not always need good hands t
whenever he bet high even /
low cards. he always overtoT
others.
after he sat down to play
10 looked like one Of the pas
'oitered by and stopped to hav
al the game. As 1t progresse,
neu TO be more and more inter
IL and maintained his position
was always behind one of tn
i'sahs, never behind the coun
suddenly one Of the forme
a0wn his hand, saying:
aoh we've had enough Of this
N going to quit"
j his manner his friends wer
'nat he had discovered some
'ohg, and all rose from the ia
4 ing the countryman some 81
Her. When they were out o
Vi their intended beneficiar
! = who had cried enough wa