The Washington times., 1936-12-30

placeflng a II
Sluicing alon
M,11 the old Broac
Edwin ~ HILL way gulch;
Dallas, Texas, store reports tn
sale of two silver fox capes TO
$4,000 each; a Long Island part,
the other night used up $3.50
worth of champagne.
The only thing which ha
changed since 1929 is name
Jazz is now called Swing time
as the trap drummer picks III
his routine. Texas Guinan i
gone but her spirit carries on.
These meditations were induced
hy a session with a Sedate old-time
at a New York club the other day
His tale Of the literal gold-diggins
in the Nevada desert seemed X
me to have an interesting bearing
on it's figurative analogue, as WI
catch step again and let the devl
take the hindmost.
ASTOUNDING LUCK
81 was young and needless in
GoldfieId when it was roaring
and booming and people were
throwing money around like
birdseed," said my friend. Il
had new whipcOrd riding breekS
and boots with silver buckles,
which, no doubt, helped induce
my mood of abandon.
81 sat down at the crap table,
shooting half dollars. / had most
astounding luck. 1 was making
three, four or five straight.
passes, and somehow I always
managed to pinch at the right
time.
'It was 2 or 3 in the morning.
The dealer, with black sateen
sleeve holders, a black cOwlick
over his forehead and a moist
dead cigarette in his mouth, had
ended his chant and was eyeing
me cOldly and menacingly.
81 was afraid I was pretty
badly fuddled, but 1 still clum-
sily was stuffing half dollars into
nv pockets. One of my new
boots troubled me. 1t seemed to
me that my left leg was glued to
the floor. But 1 realized 1 was
breaking the bank and wondered
If would have to hire an ore
wagon to get all those half dol
lars home.
"They sent for another dealer,
and 1 was too fOggy to pay
much attention to him. don't
know whether they worked in a
pair of trained dice on me, or
what. That never happened in
CaSey'S place.
But, anyway, to my bewil-
dered amazement, I reached for
a fistful of coins and 1 had none.
/ felt in all my pockets over
and over again, but they were
empty. In perhaps half an hour
they had stood me on my head.
81 stumbled home to my
cabin, let down my hinged bunk
and tumbIed into it without ur-
dressing. It was IL o'clock when
/ awOke the next day. My head
was bursting; my tongue felt
like an old gunnySaCk; my
hands were trembling and I
ached in every bone in my body.
/ closed my eyes, again backing
away with pain from that crush
ing moment Of self identification
which comes with remOrSe.
Lying there with my eyes
closed, / thought Of the degrade
tiOn of the night before and the
evil Of gambling-all my money
gone, the impairment of my
health, the wickedness of such
folly.
REPENTANT
81 made a solemn resolution:
Never again would I cross
CaSey's door! Never again would
/ do so much as toss pennies.
was through with gambling.
"Suddenly 1 became aware
my left leg was swollen to drop
sical proportions. Only with
great difficulty could 1 move it.
This was my punishment!
Crippled for life, perhaps.
II managed to climb from the
bunk, my left foot falling like
a pile driver and almost bring.
ing me down in q heap. In a
flash / learned the truth.
Cali through that long night
I had been feeding half dollars
through q hole in my trousers
pocket. The loose breeks mOored
in the bOOttips must have held
about ton of them. My quick,
instructive, unpremeditated ac-
tiOn when 1 learned what hap
peped has always seemed to me
a depressing but possibly en-
tightening sidelight on natural
human behavior. This gesture
was a quick dive for my watch
to see how long it would be be.
fore they began dealing again at
Casey'S."
My friends story had been aprc
pos of the question of whether W
had learned anything from tn
depression.
0NNhu iS Il mn n,nurnr lrnnr,n An