The Parker post., 1918-01-05
The Man In the
White Cravat
By JAMES BRAlNARD

Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union)
When 1 was young man went out
West to seek my fortune. That was
just after the war between the states,
and that region Of country was still
very rough. The plains were divided
between Indians, buffalo hunters card
sharps, desperadoes and a few good
people who were trying their luck In
a new country.
For the want of something to do
evenings l used to go into a certain
gambling den and watch the card
sharps. When there were no "scabs,"
as they called those stupid enough to
be gulled by them, they would try
their card manipulations upon one an
other. The game was to cheat without
being detected. If a player dealt
card from the bottom of the pack and
his opponent saw him do it the latter
had simply to say "I'm onto that bot
tom deaP' and restitution would be
made at once. It was amusing to me
to see their feats of legerdemain and
to observe how their opponents caught
them in the act.
One evening after supper went into
this den and was looking at the men
play. They were all sharps except one
man who was greenhorn. I had seen
him there on many an evening and no.
ticed that they were gradually taking
his money from him. Presently a
young man wearing a white cravat
came in and said:
"Gents, there will be prayer meet
ing over the Alhambra saloon at nine
o'clock this evening. All those who de-
and get aboard the express for heaven
are invited to attend"
He had scarcely finished this quaint
announcement when a little boy came
in and, going to the greenhorn, said:
Papa, ma wants you to come home.
She says the baby is in commissions"
The dupe's face wore look of an
guish. He wanted to go to his child,
but he had just lost hundred dollars
and wanted to stay and win it back.
""Neighbor," said the man in the
white cravat, ''give me your seat. I'll
play for you till nine o'clock; then,
since I'm conductor of the train for
heaven, I'll have to go. think can
play this game as well as you"
THE greenhorn surrendered his seat
apd the conductor of the heavenly
train took up the cards which had been
put before him to deal. 1t was evi-
dent at once that he was not unfa-
miliar to them. He shuff1ed them In
a way that would take any ordinary
man long practice to learn, If indeed
he could ever master it. Then he
dealt. them, fiinging them into the air
SO that they came down like leaves in
a November wind, and the betting be-
gan. =
"Please give that card back to the
gentleman on your left-the knave of
clubs" he said to one Of the players.
+ The man addressed threw the knave
Of clubs on the table, the man on the
left took it up and the game proceed
ed without any further interruption.
Presently the parson, seeing a good
~ pic Ou tic ldDIS, Sdlu Surprising
we make this jackpot, gents?" All
agreed and the parson, whose deal it
was, opened it. The betting ran high
and it was not long before there were
several hundred dollars on the table.
Then some one called"
Gents" said the parson, throwing
his cards on the table, face up, ''there
you see royal flush; the ace, king,
queen, knave and ten Of hearts. Since
there is no hand to beat a royal flush
I'll scoop the pile" And he proceeded
to rake the money off the table.
After that he held his own till an
other fat pile was gathered on the ta-
Ple, when all dropped out except the
parson and one other. They raised
and raised each other till finally the
parson showed four aces. His oppo-
nent showed four kings. Again the
parson raked in a goodly sum.
At that moment the man whose
place he had taken came in.
"How's the baby?" asked the par
son.
"All right and asleep"