The Panola star. ([Panola] Panola County, Miss.) 1856-1857, 1856-07-23


him later than usual, and having made
fifteen dollars in trade since dark, he had
determined to stake that amount upon the
altar of fortune. His wife was right in
her fears. The card table had gained a
fascinating power over him, and he had
lost some heavy sums. But on the pre-
vious evening he had been cursed with a
turn of winning luck, and had won back
very nearly as much as lie had lost, and
he was now on his way to continue his
luck. lie meant only to play an hour OF
so, and then go home. lie went up to the
sideboard and took a glass of wine, and
as he turned he bchcld stranger, who
had seemingly come for the same purpose.
"Good evening"" said the stranger. in
a pleasant, tone, as he poured out tumL-
Ter full of water, from the pitcher, and
drank it.
Ambrose returned the salutation.
$ | came i'll to take few moments re-
creation ut cards." said the stranger, ''but
tiiid Nc friends hcrc."
g So did l." answered Ambrose, g and
my friends are missing
"Thcn suppose We take hand or two,
Just to pass away the time until others
| Gomez"
"With pleasure said Dearborn.
And accordingly the two sat down, and
were soon on the most friendly terms
The cards were dealt, and for awhile the
playing was on a small scale, and the
luck about even. By-and- by Ambrose be-
gan to win, and he went on until he had
won over hundred dollars. tie would
have felt ashamed, somewhat, had not
his Antagonist maintained such good hu-
NOR, and smiled so kindly when he lost.
But anon the luck changed. Ambrose
lost all he had won, and soon lest over q
hundred dollars beside. lie had Just one
hundred dollars more III his port-mcnnaie,
and this he took out. A new hand was
dealt,-hc cut the cards carefully-and
he held four jacks. Twas the best hand
by far that had been out during the game,
it being the first ''four of kind" he
had seen during the evening. He bet ten
dollars, His antagonist t6ycrcd it and
went ten higher.
81 have an excellent hand" the strang-
cr said, with light l;ugh; g have held
better ones, but this is good. shall bet
high on it."
Ambrose did not speak: lie was excit-
ed. lie was afraid his antagonist would
mistrust how good his hand was, and stop
betting. But the betting went on until
Ambrose had placed his last fraction of
the hundred on the table:
|'Shall l go highcr?'' asked the
stranger.
CAS- you please"
s'Thcn must say hundred BETTER
BY the trump of trumps you shall have
chance to make pile this time
Ambrose hesitated a moment, and then
he placed his hand in his bosom and drew
forth d package Of bank notes. There
were four thousand dollars in the whole.
1t was a sum he had drawn from the bank
that very day. 1t was the accumulation
of over four years. labor and economy,
for the purpose of paying for his house
and store. lie drew out Il hundred dollar
bill, and covered his antagonists last
stake. lie hesitated a moment more, aud
then he drew another hundred and went
that over. The stranger covered the hun
dred, and Wci1t fte hundred better. Am
brosc covered the five hundred, but he
dared bet no more, and he called for his
companon's hand. The straiiger smiled
as he showed it-.foW' queens!
Ambrose. uttered a deep groan as he
folded his cards and placed them on the
pack.
s.Dy tfiy soul, that's hard, my friend
But better luck next time: c6frc-Fll
deal for you this time"
A new hand was dealt, and this time
Ambrose won a hundred dollars: lie be-
gan to revives Next he won two hundred
more. lie went and got another glass of
wine, and then returned in better spirits.
But at the next hand he lost FIVE hundreds
His spirits sank again. But he was now
resolved to play carefully, and win back
what he had lost, and then stop.
There is no need of following the game
step bv step. The man who held those
cards was not a professed gambler, nor
did he now gamble at all for his own
amusement. But he had been among
gamblers much, and he could handle cards
as he pleased. And more still, he could
handle a nervous, excitable man as he
pleased. lie kept Ambrose in good hui
mor-let him have occasional flashes of
luck-and finally, just as the clock struck
eleven, Ambrose Dearborn staggered up
ero,,, tho fable. nenffiless! All, all was