Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-06-21
Gamblers SupeFsiifiOlis.
A New Orleans paper relates

perhaps one of the best card
players in the State, would new
Ier play a hand nor risk a dol
lar if there was a black cat in
the room. Ex-Governor B. :.
from one of the Western States,
an inveterate gamester, would
never sit down to a table in a
room where there was q look
ing glass. Some gamblers re-
fuse to play if, on entering the
room, the left foot crosses the
threshold first, and no persua-
sion can induce them to do so,
until they leave and return
with the right foot foremost.
To put your foot on the chair of
a player is sure premonition
of bad luck. Some men will
never play on Friday.
In lS49 [ was a passenger on
the Star Sangled 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 scores Of the pas
sengefs deeply absorbed in the
mystery Of old sledge, euchre
and poker All that night
and the next day the game
went on. AS fortune, however,
soon singled out and made vic
TINS of the poorer and less
skilled players, SO the number
gradually decreased until the
fourth day out, when only one
table was running. Old Bob
Brasher, a negro trader; young
Ben Sandford, a horse trader,
and two planters, from the La
fourche, still kept on.
Although they had played
almost necessarily for four days
and nights, yet luck had favor
ed neither party, and they were
within a few dollars of even.
The 6 buckling' had been prin-
cipally between Brasher and
Sandford, but heretofore they
had kept themselves within the
/ gentleman s limit, five hun
dred dollars. After leaving
Memphis the game was renew
ed, and the by ISLANDERS observ-
ed that big play was on the
tapis, as young Sanford was
considerably under the infu-
ence 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 back
ing hands, and Louisiana bank
notes soon covered almost the
the whole table. The margin
J of five hundred dollars had been
| forgotten, and one, two, three,
five hundred better rapidly
passed between them. At last
Brasher leaned back from the
table, unbuttoned his vest, and
took from around his body a
belt filled with gold pieces
Laying it down upon the bank
notes, he exclaimed
Three thousand better =
Sandford became speechless );
he called for a glass of liquor,
which he drank, never taking
his eye from the belt of gold.
He had exhausted his means
in his former bets -; ali his mo-
ney lay upon the table. At last
a thought struck him.
Ben! here, sir!' he exclaim-
ed.
Yes, massa, and Sandford s
body servant, a firm, athletic,
pure blood, came to his side.
Get upon the table, sir!'
Not daring to disobey-as he
knew we'll in that moment of
frenzy his young master would
send a bullet through his brain,
did he refuse-the slave trem-
blingly stepped on the table,
crushing the bank notes and
gold beneath his feet.
For the good Lords sake,
Massa Ben, don't bet dis Mig
ger off What will old miss
US say when you go home ?
Oh, Massa Ben, please don'tl'
groaned the boy, but in vain.
Call you, sir = shrieked
Sandford, at the same time lay
ing down four queens and an
ace. a
/ 'An invincible, SIR said
Continued on Fourth page.