“Yes.”
“Well, now; you know your Uncle George is an old man, and, as the saying is, ‘has travelled’; and having been a man of the world, has seen much of the world’s unwritten doings. Though you consider yourself smart—and I admit you are fully up to the average of those of your age,—yet you would be surprised at what [9] ]I can tell you, of what is going on all about you of which you know nothing. But as you remind me that this is the 22d of February, and a holiday, and as you have no business downtown this morning, if you are willing to listen to your uncle, he will gladly spend an hour in talking to you about this game of ‘Draw Poker,’ this ‘Great American Game,’ so called on account of its origin and its devotees; for at the present time it is indulged in by all classes in our country—old and young, male and female, rich and poor, church-goers and professional gamblers; all classes, with ‘antes’ varying from a penny to a hundred dollars or more. Now, as a game for recreation and pastime, I do not object to it; it is said to possess qualities as an intellectual game, superior even to whist. But when engaged in for the purpose of gambling, I class it with other games in which professional gamblers live and thrive, by cheating and robbing those with whom they play. It has been said there is no such thing as a [10] ]‘Square Gambler’; and a well-known Wall Street banker has said: ‘Whoever plays poker will cheat.’ I can not agree with the latter, but, with my definition of a gambler, I fully agree with the former. I define a gambler to be ‘one who cheats in games of skill and hazard.’ I know this definition is not in accordance with that given by our lexicographers, but I know it will be accepted by all who play at games for amusement, and object to being called gamblers.
“In my talk with you this morning, I shall take it for granted that you are acquainted with the manner of playing the game, as it is played at the present time; for you must know, it’s not the game of poker your Uncle George played, years ago, upon our Western waters. It was then called ‘Bluff,’ and we knew nothing of ‘Straights,’ ‘Straight Flushes,’ ‘Blazes,’ or ‘Jack Pots.’ The game was known simply as ‘Bluff’ or ‘Straight Poker.’ The value of the hands in order was ‘One Pair,’ ‘Two Pair,’ ‘Triplets,’ ‘Flushes,’ ‘Fulls,’ and [11] ]‘Four of a kind.’ Your hand was made on the first deal; no discarding and drawing to fill afterwards. I suppose, my boy, you are familiar with the present game, with all its innovations. All this you have learned from your experience at the clubs and social card parties, and from works of instruction. But what I desire to impress upon your mind this morning is:
“First.—
The fact that gamblers, according to your Uncle George’s definition, are found in the clubs and private card parties, all over our city and country; respected as gentlemen, with ‘Honorable’ and high-sounding titles attached to their names. And yet these men are cheating you every time you play with them. A case in point: I read in the Century a few days ago, where a game was being played between Col. Randolph Snaughter and Major-General Brown, a brief extract of which I will give you, in order to show you how even a Major-General could stoop to employ the crookedest [12] ]kind of aid to gain his ends. As far as my memory serves me, it was in this wise:
“‘The Major-General was a man of smooth and courtly phrase,
Who had most charming manners, and winning little ways.
The hands he held were wonderful,—beyond all sane belief,—
As Colonel Randolph Snaughter found, to his exceeding grief:
For, though he play’d a dashing game, and did not want for pluck,