Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1869-08-12
Gamblers and their SUI
perstitions.

General A. L. S., Of KentPcky,
perhaps one of the best card play
ers in that State, would never play
a hand or risk q dollar il there was
a black cat in the room Ex-
Gov. B., from ore of The Western
States, an inveterate gamesters
would never set down to table in
a room where there was a looking
glass. Some gamblers refuse to-
play il, on entering the room, the
left foot crosses the Threshold
GrSt, and no persuasion can induce
them to do so until they leave and
return with right foot foremost
To put your loot on the chair of y
player is a sure premonition Of
bad luck. Some men will never
play on Friday.
In lS49 / 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
of the passengers deeply absorbed
in the mystery of old 'sledge,"
euchre and poker. All that night
and the next day the game went
on. Although they had played
ineessantly for four days and
nights, yet luck had favored nei-
ther party, and they were within
few dollars OF even. The
'bucking" had been principally be-
tween Brasher and SANFORD, who
heretofore had kept themselves
within The ''gentleman's limit
FIVE hundred dollars. After leav-
ing Memphis the game was re-
newed, and the bystanders OBJ
served "thas big play was on the
tapis, as young Sanford was con-
siderably under the influence Of
liquor, and in that condition he
was known to be a heavy player.
Late at night the two traders
came together; both had "Buck-
ing 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 hundred better passed between
them. At last Brasher leaned
back from the table, unbustoned
his vest, and took from mound his
body a belt filed with gold pieces.
Laying it down upon the ban.;
notes, he exclaimed "Threc
thousand betterrI' Sanford became
speechless his.face turned deadly
pale: he called for glass of liq-
uor, which he drank, never once
taking his eyes from the belt of
gold. He had exhausted his
means in the former bets all his
money lay upon the table. at
asst th hought struck him.
"Ben ! here, sir p he exclaimed.
"Yes, massa," and Sanford's
body servant, fne athletic pure
blood, came to his side.
Get upon the table, sir r.
Not daring to disobey-as he
knew well in that moment of fren-
" his young master would send a
'ulet through his brain, did he
slave trembling step
'ed on the table, crushing the
'ank notes and the gold beneath
lis feet.
"For the good Lords sake, mas
"a Ben, don't bet this nigger off
What will the old missus say
When you go home? Oh, massa
Sen, please don'tr' groaned the
10Y, but IN vain.
"Call you, sir !" shrieked San
ord, at the same time laying down
our queens and an ace.
Gan invincible, sirt' said Bro
her with a sneer; "four kings
nd an ace!" And as Brasher
cached for his belt of gold, young
sanford fell to the floor, the blood
,ushing from his mouth, nose and
ars. With one spring the slave
tarted from the table, dashed