Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-10-21
INDEPENDENCE, IOWA, FRIDAY, OCTOB
Playing Poker on a Mississippi Steam
boat.

Playing Poker on a Mississippi Steam
You can not see now, as we did
ten years ago, the cabin tables sur
rounded by planters, merchants, and
politicians, calling themselves gen
tlemcn, who would gamble from
morning till night, and again till
morning, stalking, and often losing,
their entire fortunes. We do not
now encounter the elegant, gentle
manly, professional gambler, who
was accomplished in every way, and
not least in the use of the pistol and
bowie-knife. Well-educated, fasci-
mating gentlemen were they, whose
hands were again and again stained
with the blood Of their fellow-crea-
lures. All this class of men arc
hardly to be found in the Southwest
in this goodly year of our Lord 1870.
The war did splendid scavenger-
work in sweeping them into the 9th
er world. And the young men now
coming up into life, who would have
been such as they, find better ex-
istcnce in working for their daily
bread. The gang of gamblers who
are our companions on this trip be-
long to altogether another class than
those whose place they fill. These
are what the panel thief is to the
bank burglar, what Burns is to Nor
rissey. 1t is amusing for your ex-
perienced traveller to watch the
tricks and schemes of these miscra-
BILE wretches. One Of these is short,
rather fat, dressed in black broad
cloth, and carries under his plug
hat cunning, greasy, smoothsha-
ven face, which has small, ferret.
like eyes in it, and red snub nose
like carbunclc, imposed upon it
This man is called the "Judge," and
is, l believe, the leader of the gang
although another fellow in common
clothes, with woltish, cowardly
countenance, gives the cue to al
their doings. The third thief of the
party is small in stature, with black
moustache, and an assumed wobe
gone look. 1t is he who, in theil
make-believe games, bets wildly anl
largely, who most always loses, gets
angry, and appeals to the lockers
ON. The fourth of the squad look.
like an honest tradesman, who ough
to be in better business than bet
ting.
One day these gentlemen were
playing at poker, which is a favor
ite game for their netarious purpo
scs. The 'Carpenter'-we will Civ
them such names as describe then
best-had dealt 'Ferret-eyes' a han,
of three kings and seven and eigh
of clubs. To 'Wolf-mouth' he CAV,
three aces and nine and ten 0
hearts. With these hands Ferret
eyes and 'Wolt-mouth' began to be
and brag in the most excited way
talking to each other, appealing t
the crowd, and getting up an enthu
siasm pretty much as the clown IN,
ring-mastcr do in the circus, shout
ing and running in order to max
the audience believe that the hors
which the equine queen is riding
is going fcarfully fast, when it is al
a sham, gotten up for effect. Sucl
was the excitement about our steam
boat gaming-table.
Il see your twenty dollars and g
fifty better shouts 'Ferret-eyes.'
Il see your fifty and go ten better,
screamed 'Wolt-mouth.'
Il see that, and make it one hun
dred,' cries 'Ferret-eyes.'
AT this point there was a dea'
pause and silence, broken in an in
slant by 'Wolf-mouth,' who turne.
besccchingly to the by-standers will
the remark:
Gentlemen, I'm blowed if l aim
strapped
Meanwhile moving around the ia
BILE there was peaked, sandy-hair
ed man, who has on board fort,
mules, which he is taking to Mem
phis. This fellow had seen boil
hands, and knew that 'Wolt-mouth
had the strong cards. Just at thi
moment he caught the gambler
eve, who continued:
EFF had a mule, wouldn't l slim!
him, ears and all, atop O that pile: +:
you kin bet one of my mules,
was the answer Of 'Sandy-hair.'
will you take the mule" crie
'Wolf-mouth' to 'Ferret-eyes.'
sYes,' answered the other, askin:
the Carpenter as he had a right t.
by the laws of the game, for tw'
cards, in place Of his seven an'
eight of clubs. That obliging gen
tleman at once complied, giving hin
the fourth king and an ace. 'Wolt
mouth did not ask for more. The,
showed their hands. 'Ferret-eyes
swept in the pool, and 'Sandy-hair,
to his dismay, had lost his mule
GEORGE WARD Nichols, in Xv
per's Mogazine for Norember.