The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-05-21
HUNTED DOWN.
A Tale of the West.
by w. SCOTT WAY.

in the year OF our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifty. The scene
the social saloon of the beautiful steam
er Mercury, as she steamed swiftly
down the Missouri river.
"I'll play poker with any chap pres
ent, for five, ten, fifteen, or twenty dol
lars ante, ,'said rough looking custom
er, walking to table and throwing a
pack of cards upon it, "who'll play?"
"How much ante did you say, stran-
ger?" asked green specimen Of hu-
manity, on the long, lank, and bony
order, from his seat in the corner. His
clothing was of rough material and fitted
him poorly his hat was q beaver that
looked as though it had seen much
rough usage and many storms; his fore
head was high and we'll formed, his
nose prominent, and his eyes dark and
small. The remainder of his face was
covered with thick, coarse hair.
"Five, ten, fifteen, or twenty,is what
/ said," the rough looking customer re-
piled, seating himself at the table and
running the cards through his finger,
"you know how to play, 1 suppose?"
"Wal, reckon Jim Brown knows
somethin' about keerds when his dad
drawed his last breath a playin' all
fours The last words he sed were'right
'em up an shuttle 'em out, pardner I;
high. low, jack an the game for us, or
a busted biler! Yes, stranger" the green
customer concluded, "I'll play you
poker for ten dollars ante. 1 can't be-
gin any higher IAN that, cause Pm
rather scarce o. tim"
"a green one," whispered the gam
bier to friend, as Jim Brown seated
himself on the opposite side of the table
"and if l don't clean him out of every
cent he's got, in less than two hours,
my name amt Joe Sparks, that's ALL"
The cards were now shuffled, cut and
dealt, the ante posted in the middle OF
the table, and the game commenced.
Brown was allowed to win until he
had pulled about fifty dollars to his side
of the table, and then the luck sudden
ly turned and his opponent began to
win it rapidly back.
"Jingo!" he exclaimed, 81 never had
sich luck in my life. Can't git nothin
but duces an queens, an queens is the
durndest onluckiest keerds in the whole
pack. If my father was alive an here
now, he'd say to me, Jim Brown o. Ar
kansas, can't own son o. mine wher
he holds sich hands as them-jingo
pve lost agin %
"Let us raise the ante to twenty dol
lars" said Sparks, pulling the money
from the centre of the table.
"Jingo! its too much! You'll bus
me !" exclaimed Brown, half jumping
from his chair,"but I'll try it; maybe ,
raise in the ante III change the luck
Shuttle 'em up"
Sparks dealt the cards out, one at
time until each had five, and then plac
ed a twenty dollar bill in the centre G
the table.
"Jingo!" exclaimed Brown, lookin
at his cards, "I'll bet twenty five o
. her, if do lose."
IL "See your twenty-five, and go on
hundred BETTER" said JoeSparks with
smile.
l "See your hundred, and put fice hun
dred on top of it; there's no use o. bel
: tin'without you bet,as dad used to say;
Brown calculated, taking roll of bill
from an inside pocket, and laying tn
T. amount he had bet on the table; an
then, turning suddenly round, he sal
e to man who had been sitting benin
j. him from the time the game had con
menced:
u "Look here, stranger, I've seed yo
u lookin' into my hand twice, an the
wink at this chap l am playin' with
Il an il see you do it again I'll smas
> you in the face, that's all !"
"I'll see your five hundred, and &
one thousand BETTER" said Sparks, put
), ting up the money.
u "Jingo! you mean bettin'," cXclaim
ed Jim Brown of Arkansas, "wa' III
IL still in guess F; I'll go ye five thousan
+" better !"
, 81 call you," said his opponent, lay
ing down the required amount of mol
> ey in large bills.
"What ave you gOt?" asked til
=, green one, with smile.
u "What you can't beat" returned til
other laying down four aces on the Il
:, BILE, "pretty hand, amt it?"
% ), "Yes, it is; an', Jingo" I've got jill
" the same hand exactly" said Brown
Il showing four aces also.
"Thunderation!" exclaimed Spark
II "what does this mean, eight aces
one pack of cards-who ever heard te
of the like?"
% "I'll tell you what it means," sa
Brown, coolly; sit means that you g
IL your aces out Of your pocket. l saw yc
u when you got emp
$ "What do you say?" asked Spark
81 say that you got them four ac'
IL out o. your coat pocket" returned Il
% other; taking the money from the tab
a and putting it in his pockets.
"And l say that you are liar J" e.
claimed the gambler, drawing knii
III "and if you don't hand that mon'
ce over in five seconds, I'll try this A
ne kansas tooth-pick on you."
III "Joe Sparks" returned the other, /
h. small black eyes flashing as ne drew b
I'd knife, "that's game two can play
MS but hold awhile. have n few wor
A to say to you. Yes, 1 have short sto
to to tell you, and l want your attentio
d. "Ten years ago." Brown continue
,se keeping his eyes fixed upon the face
w Sparks, "there lived about thirty mil
sir west of st, Louis, one David Stanle
at farmer, who had daughter as good a
Mt as beautiful as an angel-you know h'
he beautiful she was, sir,-but of her bes
ok ty will not further speak. Well, Il
to young girl had suitors by the score.
I a the yOunp men for miles around drea