San Andreas independent., 1857-06-27
Two Hundred and Forty Thousand Dol
lars, or Nothing.
A CALIFoR RNIA STORY


In the latter months of 40 number of pro-
fessional gamblers in large practice were resi-
ding at the Graham House-among the rest.
two who were especially remarked for the bold
ness of their play and the steadiness of their
business nerves. These were a Hunchback,
named Briggs-and Joe Bassett, better sort
of graduate of the old Vicksburg school,
Both had been signally successful in many a
sharp operation during the year, and had ac-
quired considerable property in lots, which,
for their convenience in business, they had con-
verted into cash, and banked, partly with Bur-
goyne or Wright, partly on various monte ta-
bles
One day in an after-dinner chat, they COM
pared notes, and found that they stood equally
fairly on the gamblers change, each being
good for just one hundred and twenty thousand
dollars In Immediately available dust Being
both more than usually enterprising under the
inspiration of wine, Briggs offered a daring
banter which was recklessly accepted by Bas-
sett: that they should at once adjourn to an
upper faro room, fill up each check for the
entire sum he was worth in cash, divide equal
" between the two, the two hundred and forty
thousand dollars in red checks, and play for the
whole-neither to leave the room on any pre-
text until all the red checks were lost and won.
Accordingly, with not less equanimity and pleas
ant slngleness of purpose, they retired, with a
few choice spirits of their own set, to the priva-
cy OF a reserved apartment, and having prOvi-
ded store OF choice liquors, cigars and viands
for the company, executed the required docu-
ments, divided the rosy counters they took
their seats at opposite sides of the table and
began the extraordinary and most interesting
contest-a contest which called out such feats
OF memory, sagacity, discrimination, self pos
session, quick recognition of signs and detec-
ton of sly fnesse, such fine feints, nimble
thrusts and parties, hot assaults and we'll or
dered retreats, as would have made the for
tune and fame of a statesmen, general, or a
fencing-master.
The first deal was made at o'clock in the
afternoon, and the game went on with changing
fortune all night. At the elbow of each stood
glass of water: moderately treated with bran
dy. Neither smoked; cloud between them
would have been as culpable blunder as the
sun in the eyes of a duelst Ten o'clock next
morning found them yet in their places-both
looking somewhat pale and haggard but very
quiet. Briggs had four thousand dollars left of
all that he was worth in the world. The cards
were dealt The table at which they sat was
near the door of the room and just as Bassett,
whose say" it was, was making up his mind
some one entered and stood behind him.
briggs eyed MS antagonist, over his hand, with
a searching stare that held his very breath
Without noticing the entrance of the new
comer with no flutter of his cards. without any
startled glance, or even the movement of fin
ger, Bassett "went six thousand dollars
I" Take the money" said the hunchback-and
he took it. Briggs had two jacks, Bassett three
kings. As the two tossed off great bumpers OF
raw brandy, Briggs remarked, as he rose to go
off to bed :" If you had noticed that man
might have borrowed the money and held on a
little longer; but when I saw that you did not
turn to look over your shoulder, or drop the
faces of your cards, knew that you had sure
hand" few days after that, the hunchback
invested fifty dollars, borrowed from Bassett,
in a miners outfit, and started for the diggings,
where he died in month, a helpless pauper.