The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1867-11-19
NUMBER B
About Gamblers.

General a. l.. s., Of Kentucky, par
haps one of the best card players iu that
State, would never play hand nor risk
"a dollar if there was q black cat in the
room! Elk Governor B., from one Of tho
Western States, an inveterate- gamstef.
would never sit down to table ina room
where there was looking glass. Some
gamblers refuse to play il, on entering
the room, the left foot crosses the thrsss
hold first, and no persuasion can induce
them to do SO until they leave and return
again with the "right foot foremost" To
lput your foet on the chair Of player is
a certain prominition of bad luck.
Some men will never play on Friday.
In 1849, I was a passenger on the
steamer Star Spangled Banner, from New
Orleans to- Louisville. She was crowded
with people; and, an hour after leaving.
New Orleans, found perhaps twenty card
tables drawn out, and three or four score
oi the passengers deeply absorbed In the
mystery Of. "old sledge," eucher, and
poker. All that night and the next day
the game went on. As fortune, however
soon singled out and made victims Of The
poorer and less skilled players, SO tho
number gradually decreased until the.
fourth dag out, when only one table was
running. Old Bob Brasher,. q negro
trader, young Ben Sanford, a horse
trader aud two planters from the La
Fourche, still kept on. Although they
L had playe6 almost incessantly for four
days and nights, jet luck had favored
neither party, and they were within q
few dollars of even. The sbuckingr
had been principally between Brasher
and Sandferd, but. heretofore they had
kept themselves within the gentleman'si 81
ilimit''-fve hundred dollars. After
leaving Memphis the game was renewed,
and the bystanders observed sthat big
play was on the tapis," as young Sanford
was considerably under the influence Of
| liquor, and when in that condition he
was known to be a heavy player. Late
at night the two traders came together;
both had "backing hands" and Louisiana
land Kentucky bank notes soon covered
almost the whole table. The margin Of
FIVE hundred dollars had been forgotten,,
Land one, two, three, five hundred betteri
rapidly passed between them. At last
Brasher leaned back from the table, un-i
buttoned his vest, and took from around
his body belt filled with gold pieces
Laying it down upon the bank notes he
exclaimed. sThree thousand better!"
Sanford became speschless; his face
turned deadly pale; be called for glass
\ Of liquor, which he drank, never once
taking his eyes from the belt of gold. a.
/ He hadexhausted his means 10 the for
mer bets; all his money lay upon the
table. At last thought struck him =
! "Benl here, sirlD he exclaimed. 2 y
|aYes, massa," and Sandford's body SER
want, fine athletic pure blood, came to
his side. aisssIs I'D sai !
"Gst up on the table, sir!" ..,-:,n
/ Not daring to disobey-as he knew
| we'll in that moment of frenzy his young
| master would send bullet through his
| brain did be refuse-the slave trembling
.lly stepped on the table. crushing the
j bank notes and the gold beneath his feet.
"F0r the gooo Lor0 SAKE HasSas Deh,
!. don't bet this nlgger off What will the
!. old missus say when you 60 homer Oh,
!. -massa Ben, please DON'T groaned the
!. boy, but in vain. s
j. iCall you, sirf shrieksd Sandford, at
j. the same time laying down four queens
J. and an ace. aAn invincible, sir said Bra
!. sher, with sneer; "four kings and an
]. ace!'' And, as Brasher reached for BIZ
}. belt of gold, young Sand:ord fell to the
J. floor, the blood gushing from bis mouth
.. nose, and ears. With one spring tn
!. slave started from the table, dashed
K through the thin folding doors Of tn
b. aSocial Hall" out on the boiler deck ,an'
!. with half-uttered prayer threw himsel
VI. headlong into the dark waters Of tn
Mississippi, and was seen no more. Deaf
Ipveyented Brasher claiming his spoils.-
Sandfors fo; weeks fingered on sick be
= but at last recovered, and forever re
;. nounced the gaming table. He "msd
good however, the money worth OF to
"A NEGRO to his winner.