University of Oregon monthly., April 01, 1908, Image 19

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©SiYsERSITY OF OREGON M O N TH LY
The scheme was for Charlie to'lose andm e H win. Thus, while 1
keeping our friend about even, we could encourage him to play
more freely? This he did and we made alternate large winnings,
'Charley losing Steadily and grumbling about S ® luck/ Under the
influencé,?ofi frequent drinks, he became quite hilarious and playe;d
recklessly until finally he-di^bvered that he had lost several hundred
dollars. This brought liitn to his penses 'and he talked of quitting.
Ì saw then that I had gone tbo fast if it ,were to be a complete suc­
cess, | R hoped get his entire pile^-^b I let him win a few hands,
whi(dh put him even with the board. This .made him quite, hilar-
ious once more, but h e ‘was now ready to quit. It looked aS though
we had failed after all; so,we made? a last effort; and persuaded j
him to play just one more. Our scheme noW was to get all we-
could out of him in this one round and then let him go.
He upset our plans still more at the outset by .demanding that
we let him deal (for such had been his inconceivable greenness and
ignorance’ at handling 'çards that he had allowed one of us gg deal
for hiih)t But we smiled at each otfier^for wè knew it Would be
I simple, matter to exchange cards and make-up a .Winner between
■ B Indeed, it seemed almost ridiculous for him to attempt to
for he was awkward in a way that beggars description. His àttempts
to Shuffle the cards, and his quaint vexation? sweating at their ob­
stinacy to come together, was funny in thç extreme. JA n d his fingers,
especially in his tipsy »condition, were alfiio’ât; uncontrollable. .
But at last, after much mixing and bungling, he got them all
straight to his satisfaction ; and of course we acquiesced, knowing
I that even if they .were not shuffled at all, he Was too simple to give;
himself any mote chance in the draw than we wptildhave? Tifi?
was; especialÿ|eyideht w hen,I ¿oked at my hand. There were
three queens and a chance tq dràw/'fco Ubavi Charley the wink and
. ‘held my cards.With three fingers on the back. This was our sys­
tem ;__one finger for aces/tw bjfor kings, three for queertê# etc. It
.Chick drew any he would pass them to me.
I made it ten to play. Chick growled and held one card for
looksf and < 0 1 d man dreW three,
the same time he seemed to
grow reckless again, and very clumsily 1 displayed three aces. I
could not, see-tile other'two, but this gave me thè hunch, for I drew
the other queen and ie'tt swrp he would play
S I began with a hundred and Charley s ta ^ d in, still for'looks.
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