San Andreas independent., 1857-05-30
Good as the Wheat; or "Seyen
Upo for n Wife.

Is a
small village boasting of tavern, three
stores and four groceries, where, from
morning till night, and from night till
dawn, person entering the town may find
in the tavern, stores, or groceries afore-
said, one or more groups of persons play
ing cards Gambling there is reduced to
science; the history of four kings is
thoroughly studied, and from the school
boy to the gray-hcaded veteran, from the
miss in her teens to the mother of large
family, they are initiated in the mysteries
of high, low, jack, game; right and left
bowers; the honors and the odd trick. One
of the best players in the village was Maj.
Smith, the tavern keeper, or, as he ex-
pressed it, the proprietor of the hotel,-a
widower, who, like Jeptha, Judgein Israel,
had daughter passing fair.
Fanny, the daughter, was one of the
prettiest girls in Tennessee, and therefore,
one of the prettiest in the world; for we
here digress to lay down as i.pse dirit that
Tennessee women in point of beauty, are
matchless. The sweetheart of Miss Fanny
was a young farmer, residing in the neigh
borhood, whom we shall degisnate by the
name of Bob.
1t happened that one day before harvest,
the young man was detained at the village,
and night found him, as usual, at the
hotel, seated between the Major and his
daughter. After desultory conversation
between the two gentlemen, on the state
of the weather, the prospects of the ap-
preaching harvest, and such important sta
pies of conversation, the Major asked Rob-
ert how his wheat crop promised to yield.
In reply, he was told that the young far
mer expected to make at least one hun
dred bushels. The Major appeared to
study for a amoment, then abruptly proposed
game of old sledge, or seven up the
stakes to be, his daughter Fanny against
the crop of wheat This, of course, the
young man Indignantly refused, because
he could not bear the idea that the hand
of her he loved should be made the subject
of a bet, or that he should win wife by
gambling for her; and, perhaps, because
he knew the old man was hard to beat, and
there was strong probability of his losing
both wheat and wife
1t was not until the Major, with his
usual obstinacy, had sworn that unless he
won her he should never have her, that
the young man was forced reluctantly to
consent to play.
The table was placed, the candles lit, the
cards produced, and the players took their
seats, with miss Fanny between them to
watch the progress of the game. The
cards were shuffled and cut, and it fell to
the Majors lot to deal The first hand
was played, and Robert made gift to his
opponents high, low, game. Robert then
dealt; the Major begged it was given,
and the Major again made three to his op-
ponent's one.
six to two said Miss Fanny, with a
sigh.
The Major, as he dealt the cards, winked
knowingly, and said
am good for the wheat, master Bob ;
The old man turned up trump-it was
spade. Fanny glanced at her fathers
hand, and her heart sank; he held the
three, eight-spot, and king! She then
looked at Roberts hand, and 10 beheld
the ace, queen, deuce. and jack or knave.
She whispered Robert to beg-he did so.
Take it, said the Major.
Robert led his deuce, which the Major
took with his three spot, and followed by
playing the king; Robert put his queen
upon it. The Major, supposing it was the
young mans last trump, leaned over the
table, and tapping the last trick with his
finger, said
That's good as wheat
Is it?' asked Robert, as he displayed
to the astonished Major the ace and jack
yet in his hands.
High, low, jack, gift and the game,
shouted Robert.
'Oou! CALCULATED Fanny.
Good as wheat added Robert, as he
flung his arms around her neck, and kissed
her
In due time, they were married, and
ever after that, when anything occurred Of
a pleasing nature to the happy couple, they
would express their emphatic appreciation
of it, by the phrase, Good as Wheat
CRINoLINE.-Of late we have had MANY
! inquiries into the derivation and signifca.
tion of this fashionable term-many con-
sidering it significant of amplitudinosity.
The term is a French adaptation from a
Latin word, and means simply fabrication
of hair, of which skirts are made. Itcomes
! from the word crimes, which means the
| hair of the head. Grin is the French term