The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-05-25
Fl U N ED DO w N
A Tale OF the West.
BY W. SCOTT WAY.

The time-a beautiful summers night,
in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifty. The scene,
the social salocn of the beautiful steams
er Mercury, as she steamed swiftly down
tue Missouri river.
I'll play poker with any man present,
for five, ten, fifteen, or twenty dollars
ante, said rough looking customer,
walking to table and throwing pack
of cards upon it, who'll play!'
How much ante did you say, strau-
ger?' asked green specimen of human
ity, on the long, lank, and bony order,
from his seat in the corner. His cloth
ing was of rough material and fit him
poorly; his hat was beaver that look
ed as though it had seen much rough
usage and many storms; his forehead
was high and well 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 fingers,
you know how'to play, l SUPPOSE
Wal, l reckon Jim Brown knows
somethin' about keerds when his dad
drawed his last breathe playin' all
fours The last words he sed were
right 'em up ar shuttle 'em out, pard-
ner; high, low, jack an the game for US,
or busted bier! Yes stranger the
green customer concluded, IN play you
poker for ten dollars ante. ! can't be.
gin any higher an that, cause I'm rath-
er scarce O. tin
"A green one, whispered the gambler
to friend, as Jim Brown seated him.
self on the opposite side of the table,
and if 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 till he had
pulled about fifty dollars to his side of
the table, and then his luck suddenly
turned and his opponent began to win
| it rapidly back.
'Jingo! he exclaimed, Il never had
sich luck in my life. Can't git nothin'
but deuces an queens, an queens is the
durndest onluckiest keerGs in The whole
pack. If my father was alive an here
now, he'd say to me, Jim Brown O Ar
kansas | cant own son o mine when
he holds sich hands as them-jingo =
I've lost agalnn
Lets raise the ante to twenty dollars,
said Sparks, pulling the money from the
centre of the table.
'Jingo. its too much! You'll bust
men exclaimed Brown, half jumping
from his chair, but I'll try it, maybe-,a
raise in the ante IL change the luck
Shuttle 'em up
Sparks dealt the cards out, one at q
time until each had five, and then placed
a twenty dollar bill in the centre of the
table.
Jingor exclaimed Brown, looking al
his cards, 'rll bet twenty. five on her, il
l do lose
"See your twenty-five, and go one
hundred BETTER said Joe Sparks, with .
smile.
See your hundred and put five hun
dred on top of it; there's no use O bet
tin without you bet,as dad used to say );
Brown calculated, taking roll of bills
from an inside pocket, and laying the
amount he had bet on the table; and
then turning suddenly round, he said to
a man who had been sitting behind him
from the time the game had commenced
Look here, stranger, I've seed yor
lookin' into my hand twice, an ther
wink at this chap I'm playin' with; an
if l Isee you do it agin' I'll smash yor
in the face, that's all y
I'll see your five hundred and 90 one
thousand BETTER said Sparks, putting VI
the money.
'Jmgo! you mean bettin, exclaimed
Jim Brown of Arkansas, wal, Fm still
in guess I'll 60 ye five thousand bet
teri
Il call you,' said his opponent, laying
down the required amount Of money in
large bills.
What ave you got?' asked the green
one, with smile.
What you can't beat returned the
other laying four aces on the table
pretty hand, amt it 2
Yes, it is; an Jingon I've got jist
the same hand exactly said Brown,
showing four aces also.
'Thunderation exclaimed Sparks
what does this mean eight aces in one
pack of cards-who ever heard tell Of
the like?'
Il tell you what it means, said Brown
cody, it means that you got your aces
out of your pocket. | saw you when
you got 'emn
What do you say asked Sparks.
Il say that you got them four aces
out o your coat pocket returned the
other; taking money from the table and
putting it in his pockets.
And say that you are a liar" ex-
claimed the gambler, drawing a knife
if you don't hand that money over ir
five seconds, rllt-y this Arkansas tooth
pick'on you
| Joe Sparks returned the other, hi:
small black eyes flashing as he drew his
knife, that's game two can play at
but hold awhile / have a few words to
say to you. Yes, have short story
to tell you, and want your attention.
| Ten years ago. Brown continued
keeping his eyes fixed upon the face o
Sparks, there lived about twenty mile!
west of St Louis, one David Stanley,
farmer, who had daughter as good ant
beautiful as an angel-you know how
beautiful she was, sir-but of her beau
ty l will not further speak. Well, thi
young girl had suitors by the score Al
the young men for miles around, dream
ed, thought, and talked of her, and al
she was not flrt she was more annoy
ed than otherwise by the attentions o
so many. But it is only with two o
these young men whom we have to deal