The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-02-27
a GAnI8zENG SCENE.

In l849, l was a passenger on the
steamer ''Star Spangled Banner from
/ New Orleans to Louisville. She was
crowded with people and, an bours.f.er
/ leaving New Orleans, found perhaps
twenty card tables drawn out. and three
/ or four score OF the passengers deeply ab-
! s0rbed in the mysteries Of sold sIedge,"
euchre, and poker. All that night and
/ the next day the game went or. AS for
/ tune, however, soon singled cot and
made victims of the poorer and less skilled
| players, so the numbers gradually decreas-
ed until the fourth day out, when only one
/ table was running. Old Bob Brasher,
negro trader, and two planters from La
Fourche, still held Oh. Although they
! played almost necessarily for four days
and nights, yet luck had favored neither
party, and they were within a few dollars
OF even. The ''bucking'' had been prin-
/ cipaiiy between Brasher and Sanford, but
! henceforth they had kept themselves with
! in the ''gentleman's hmit7-fiye hundred
dollars. After leaving Memphis the game
was renewed, and the bystanders obse we'd
that ga big play was on the tapis,'' as
young Sanford was considerably under the
influence Of liquor, and when III that con
diti0u was known 10 te a heavy player
Late at night the two traders came togeih-
er; both had backing hands, and
Louisiana and Kentucky bank notes soon
covered almost the whole table. The
margin of five hundred dollars had been
forgotten, and one, two, three, five hua-
/ dred better passed between them. At last
Drasher leaned back from the table, uu~
buttcned his vest and took from around
his body bell flied with gold pieces
Laying it down upon the bank notes he
/ exclaimed, "Three thousand better -
Sanford became speeches. his face
turned deadly pale; be called for glass
Of liquor, which he drank, never once
taking his eyes from the belt Of gold. He
had exhausted his means in the former
bet; all his money lay upon the table
At last thought struck him.
'Ben here, sir!" he exclaimed
eyes, massa,'' and Sanford's body SER
want, a fine, athletic pufc-bIood, came 70
the table.
''Get up on the table, sir -
Not daring to disobey-as he know
well in that moment of frenzy his young
master would send a bullet through his
brain did he refuse-the slave tremblirely
stepped on the table, crushing the bank
notes and gold beneath his feet.
''For the good Lords sake, massa Ben,
don't bet this nigger off! What win the
old rnissus say when you 90 home On,
rnassa Ben, please don't!" groaned the
poor boy, bat in vain.
''CalI you, sir!' shricked Sanford, at
the same time laying down four queens
and an ace
'An invincible, sir,'' said Brasher, with
sneer, -four kings and an ace - And,
as Brasher reached for his belt of gold,
young Sanford fell to the floor, the blood
gushing from his mouth, nose and ears.
With one spring the slave started from the
table, dashing through the thin folding
doors of the ''Social HalI'' out on the boil
er deck, and, with half-uttered {rIyc.
for the sold missus," he threw himself
headlong into the dark waters Of The Miss
sissippi, and was seen no more. Death
prevented Brasher from claiming his
spoils. Sanford for weeks fingered on
sick bed, but at last recovered, and forever
renounced the gaming table. lie sn8Ce
good,' however, the money srorth Of the
negro to bis winner.