OCR Text |
Show Judge Was Annoyed Old Gentleman Had Lived Too Long to Enjoy Playing Poker for the Drinks. The late Judge Treat was a gentleman gentle-man of the old school, and held by the manners and customs of the rapidly rap-idly disappearing code of a former generation. An amusing story of his views on what he sometimes characterized, char-acterized, with more of humor than of cynicism as the degenerate methods meth-ods of a decadent day, is told, by his friends in Rochester. The judge was joyfully admitted to membership in one of the most exclusive clubs in that city, and soon after his election appeared ap-peared at the clubhouse and beg?.n to ake himself accustomed to his surroundings. sur-roundings. He wandered from room to room, and at last passed Into the apartment reserved for cards. Three or four tables were filled up. and the Judge stood by and watched the game. Suddenly he started precipitately toward the door, and, going downstairs, down-stairs, met one of the board of governors. gov-ernors. "I beg your pardon, sir," said the Judge with dignity and elaborate courtesy, "I would like to obtain a kindly allow me to finish, sir," said the Judge. "I overheard one gentleman gentle-man say: 'I bet you $20.' Another gentleman observed, 'I will see that, and go you $.")0 better.' and another taid, 'I'll raise that $100.' " "My dear Judge, that was nothing, I assure you " again broke in the officer with a laugh of forced lightness light-ness upon his lips. He was getting nervous, for the club had a high reputation repu-tation for its moral tone, and upon gambling and the suspicion thereof it turned its fane resolutely. "I beg you, sir, to excuse me." the Judge coi. tinned, "b.. I was naturally interested in that conversation. Now, sir. I would like to ask you. sir, if those gentlemen were in earnest." "By no means, Judje," hastily spoke out the club officer. "They were playing what we call freeze-out, freeze-out, and the man who goes broke the first has to buy the cigars or the drinks. You'll enjoy it, I'm sure, Judge." The Judge rose to his full height. "I will enjoy 'it, sir, do you say, i r.lr?" he thundered to tiie astonished I governor of the club's reputation. "I toke the liberty of differing with you, sir. 1 hav? learned what 1 was seeking seek-ing for. You have given me the desired de-sired information. Sir, I have played poker with Ulysses S. Grant and with William Tecumseh Sherman, sir; and, by God, sir, I am not going to play it now for the cigars and the drinks at my age. sir." And he stalked out. Rochester (N. Y.) correspondence of St. Louis Globe-Democrat. little information from you. if you can spare me the time without inconvenience." incon-venience." The club officer was delighted to answer any question. "Well, sir," the Judge began, "I am naturally curious about the way in which this club is run. I am a new member, sir, and feel that such should be my first duty. I was passing through the cardroom just now, sir, and paused beside a table at which five gentlemen were engaged in a game of what appeared to be poker." "But, my dear " began the club officer, raising his hand deprecating- "Pardon me again, but if you will |