Daily Kennebec journal., 1870-08-31
NO. 2o7.
Miseellany.
THE BOY WHO WON HIMSELF AND
MOTHER.

deck as we were gong beloW. 1Hey
play hard and high"
Lets go and look on for WHILE" said
the Judge.
We went down into the saloon, where
we found two parties at play. At one of
the tables sat four men, about whom were
gathered large number of lookers-on;
and, as these proved to be the heavy play
ers, we joined the group of spectators:
The game was twenty-deck poker. and
money was changing hands with spark
| ling rapidty. One of the players, mid .
dle.aped man whose face showed but too
| pla MY the ravages OF an excess that was
sapping his life, and, atterward learned
was cotton planter, had staked his last
dollar and "calleda his opponents hand.
He held four queens, against which was
laid down four kings. a And he was '.bro-
ken" He started to his feet rs though he
would leave the table. ~
"Are We dead broke, colonel? ?" asked he
of the four Kings. Y3 n n
''Yes, to the last picayune."
Cant you borrow?"
"No,n replied the planter with an oath,
II can do better than that Where's
Wackman ?'
Here answered dark visaged man.
Bring the boy and girl here that l
/ lust one minute, gentlemen, and I'll make
Il raise.
The man went away, and shortly re-
turned accompanied by the "girl and
boy" Said "girln proved to be "a bright
mnlatto girl of FIVE and thirty, or there
abouts, and the ''boy was her son.
The boy was not far from ten years of
age, with face lighter in color than was
his mothers; his features really handsome.
Look here, gentlemen" spoke the
planter, rising, heres as likely pair for
"a girl and her brat, as you can scare up.
paid eight hundred dollars for 'em.
Who'll give six?"
"Whv not put 'em up separate? &
'.Twon't do to sell them separate. The
gal has sworn that she will kill herself if
her boy is sold away from her; and her
old master says she'll be sure to keep her
word, But don't you see the woman is
worth more'n | ask for the pair? Now
what dye say-who'll take em at six
hundredp"
The owner then waited few seconds
without receiving an answer, and then
said: }4
Il must have the money; so here goes
for a rattle Twenty dollars a throw, and
thirty chances for the pair. Come, gen
tlemen, let us see the color of your coin.
Them that buys first will throw first"
Here was excitement as well as chance
for profit. The three players at the table
took two chances each. Then the spec
tators surged up, and twenty chances
were sold as fast as the planter could take
the money and write down the names.
Then came lull The planter himself
took two chances, whereupon his three
companions took each one more. Then
three men doubled up
1.-TWO more chances, gentlemen"
Clay whispered apart to the Judge and
then made his way to the table, and threw
down two gold eagles.
what name p
Give it to the woman"
.Ah the girl herselfP"
.'Yes. Give her chance"
''All right One chance for Ninetter'
Before the planter could call again.
Judge Underwood had placed twenty dol
lars upon the table. saying as he did so
This is for the boy"
Good .scried the owner of the proper
tv, Here's chance for Tommy. And
that takes the lot. Where's the clerk ?"
Here" at
Have you got blanks for this sort of
business ?"
"Yes.n
Then wont We fill up bill of sale of
these two-Ninette and Tommy -and
leave place to put in the name of the
winner? Now for the dice, gentlemen"
The dice were brought on, and the shak-
ing commenced. There were three dice,
and each player was entitled to three
throws. OF the first ten throws, thirty-six
was the highest number east. The elev-
enth throw turned up forty-two. Then
the scores fell again till the, twenty-first
throw, when one of the gamesters threw
out forty-nine. .4.at
The crowd were now all excitement.
Forty-nine was hard point TO beat The
lowest number TO be thrown was nine
and the highest (nine sizes) was tiity-four;
making what is called an average throw,
about thirty -one and one-half, OF a hun
dred throws, the majority will fall below
thirty-two.
Again the dice ratified in the box, as the
second gamester took his turn but his
throw was low one. The twenty eighth
throw belonged to the clerk of the boat,
who had now returned with the bill of
sale. He threw forty-nine tying the game
| ster.
Come, Ninette. It's your turn
The woman started and quivered, and
pressed her hand over her heart Only
the groaning and putting of the engine
broke the stiffness Of the place.
.Will the gentleman who paid for the
chance throw for me?" she said in a low
musical tone, earnest and imploring, and
of purest accent.
''Let your boy throw for you,n returned
{ Mr.. Clay. who shrank from the ideal.
.'His luck should be better than mine"
Tommy came forward and took the box.
His mothers hands were clasped, and her
lips moved in prayer. The boy trembled
like an aspen. What a world of veal or
) woe hung upon the tickle chance! He held
in his hand the sealed book in which was
written the fate of his mother and himself.
and it was to be opened upon the hazard
, of a die
He shook the box and turned the dice
on the table, Three aces. A moment he