The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-02-23
Seven up for "A Wife /;
OR "GoOD AS WHEAT ~

In the State OF Tennessee there is GER
tain village boasting of tavern, three stores.
and four groceries, where from morning till
night, and from night till dawn, person
entering town may find in tine tavern, stores
and groceries aforesaid, one or more groups
OF persons playing cards. Gambling there
is reduced to science the history of four
kings is thoroughly studied, and from the
school boy to the grey headed veteran, from
the miss in her teens to the mother of a large
family, they are initiated into the mysteries
of high, low, jack, game, right and left bow
ers, the honors and odd tricks. One of the
best players in the village, was Mai. Smith.
the tavern keeper or as he expressed it,
the proprietor Of the hotel, widower, who,
like #l@ @f# Han #w# ~E.EF eFe
.a. "Japtha. Judge IN Israel: "#Es
. Had daughter passing fair.' .raE
Fanny, the daughter, was one of the pref
tiest girls in Tennessee, and therefore one of
the prettest in the world for we here d.
gress in order to lay down as ipse Dirt,
that Tennessee women, in point of beauty,
are matchless. The sweetheart of Fanny
was young farmer residing in the neigh
borhood, whom we shall designate by the
name ofBob.
1t happened that one day before harvest
the young man was detained in the village,
and night found him as usual at the hotel
seated between the Major and his daughter.
After dcsultory conversation between the
two gentlemen on the state of the weather,
the prospect ofthe approaching harvest, and
such important staples of conversation, the
Major asked Robert how his wheat crop
promised to yield. In reply lie was told
that the young farmer expected to- make, at
least one hundred bushels. The Major ap-
peared to study amoment, then abruptly pro-
posed a game of old sledge, or ''seven up"
the stakes to be his daughter Fanny against
the crop of wheat This ofcourse 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 bet,
or, that he should win a wife by gambling
for her, and, perhaps, because he knew the
old man was "hard to beat" and there was
strong probability oflosing 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 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 regularly shuffied and cut. and it fell
to the Majors lot to deal The first hand
was played and Robert made gift to his op-
ponent's high, low. game. Robert then dealt,
the Major begged; it was given, and the
Major again made three to his opponents
one.
"Six to two," said Miss Fanny with a
sigh.
The Major, as ne dealt the cards. winked
knowingly and said,
''I'm good for the wheat, Bob"
The old man turned up trump-it was
spade. Fanny glanced at her fathers
hand--her heart sank he held the three,
eight spot, and the king. She then looked
at Roberts hand, and 10 he held the ace,
queen, duce and jack. She whispered to him
to beg-he did so.
"Take it." said the Major.
Robert led the deuce, which the Major
took with the 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
as it ?" asked Robert as he displayed to
the astonished Major the ace and jack yet in
his hands.
"Ffigh, low, jack, gift and the game
shouted Robert.
"Out ~ 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 pleas.
ing nature to the happy couple they would
express their emphatic appreciation Of it, by
the phrase, "Good as wheat"
Lord Macaulay has left behiEd him the
materials FOR another volume, the publication