The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1869-10-14
IDAHO WORLD.
GAMBLERs AND THEIR sUPERsTIT1oNs.

General A. i. S., of Kentucky, perhaps ouo
of the best card players in that STATE wouaa
never play hand or risk dollar II tlero was
black cat In the room. Ex-G0V. d. rom ono
of the Western States, an inVeterate Samos'o,'
would never sit down to table III d ioou
where there was looking glass: Some eam-
blers refuse to play if on entering tne loVn'
the left foot crosses the thresnold hrs'' gnu Nv
persuasion can induce them 70 play anIn 'ney
leave and return with the right foot foremost.
To mt vour foot on the chair OF player Is q
aura nremonition of bad luck. Some men Will
never play on Friday.
In 1549 I was a passenger on the steamer
Star Spanqled Banner, from New Orleans to
I,ouisyile. She was crowded with people, and
an hour after leaving New Orleans twenty or
more card tables were drawn out and three or
four score of passengers deeply absorbed ia
mystery of "old sledge," euchre and poker.
All that night and the next day the game went
on. As fortune, however, soon singled out ana
made victims of the poorer and less skilled
PLAYERS, so the number gradually decreased
until the fourth day out Old Bob Brasher,
negro trader, young Ben Sanford, horse ira
der, and two planters from La FOurche, still
kept On. Although they had played almost In
cessantly for four days and nights, yet luck had
favored neither party, and they were within
few dollars of even. The "bucking" had been
principally between Brasher and Sanford, but
heretofore they had kept themselves within the
"pentleman's 'limit'-Of five hundred dollars.
After leaving Memphis the game was renewed
and the bystanders observed "that big play was
ON the tapis," as young Sanford was consld-
erably under the influence of liquor, and when
in that condition he was known to be heavy
player. Late at night the two traders came
together; both had "bucking hands" and Lou
lsiana and Kentucky bank notes soon almost
covered the table. The limit had been forgot
ten, and one, two, three, FIVE hundred, better
rapidly passed between them. AT last Brasher
leaned back from the table. unbuttoned bis
vest, and took from around his body belt fill
ed with gold pieces. Laying it down upon the
bank notes he exclaimed, Three thousand bet
teri" Sanford became speeches.; his face
turned deadly pale; he called for glass OF
LIQUOR, which he drank, and never once took
his eyes from the belt of gold He had tx.
hausted his means in the former bets, and all
his money lay upon the table. At last thought
struck him.
"Ben-here sir " he exclaimed
ayes, Massa," and Sandford's body servant
q fine, athletic pure-blood, came to his side.
"Get upon the table, sir
Not daring to disObey-as he knew well III
that moment of frenzy his young master would
send bullet through bis brain, if he refused
the slave tremblingly stepped on the table
crushing the bank notes aud piles of gold be
meath his feet.
."For de good Lords sake, massa Ben, don't
bet dis niger off! What will de ole missus
say when you 60 homea Oh, massa Ben, now
please DON'T" groaned the boy, but in vain.
"Call you, sir 4" shriked Sandtord, at the
same time laying down four queens and an ace
IAN invincible, SIR" said Brasher, with q
sneer flour kings and an ace!" And. as Bot
Brasher reached for his belt of gold, Sanford
fell to the floor, with the blood gushing from hi;
mouth, nose and ears. With one spring the
slave started from the table, dashed through
the thin folding doors of the Social Hall, out
on the boiler deck, and, with half uttered
prayer for the cole missus," he threw himself
into the dark waters of the Mississippi and was
seen no more. Death prevented Bob BrasheI
from claiming his spoil Sanford for week:
fingered on q sick bed but at last recovered
and forever renounced the gaming table. I'll.
''made good" however, to Brasher, the money
value of the negro.