Litchfield enquirer., 1870-09-22
WON HIMSELF <

s'That's tough crew from Natchez." re marked the clerk, who came on deck as we were about going below. They play hard and high" rs.{-...e. s. se ...st.
 '.Let's go and look on for awhiIe.' said the Judge. '-.'' ' -'' '' l3i@aa
 We went down into the saloon, where We found two parties at play. At one of the tables sat four men, about whom were gath cred large number of lockers on; and as these proved to be the heavy players, we joined the spectators. The game was twenty deck poker" and money was changing hands with startling rapidity.
 One of the players, a middle aged man, whose face showed plainly the ravages of an excess that was sapping bis life. and who, afterwards learned, was cotton planter, had staked his last dollar and ''called" his opponents hand. He held four queens, against which were laid down four kings And he was ''broke" He started to his feet as if to leave the table. ..--.
 ''Are ye dead broke, Colonel?'' asked he of the four kings.
 "Yes-to the last picayune." a
 "Give me your note, and I'll lend ye.''
 ''No," replied the planter with an oath, 'I can do better than that. Where's Mir. Wackman?' '5
 Here" answered dark -visaged man.
 'Bring the girl and boy here that I bought at Natchez Hold on the game just one minute, gentlemen and I'll make a raise"
 The man went away and sh ortly returned accompanied by the 'sgirl and boy" Said ''girl" proved to be bright muatto wo- man of five and-thirty, or whereabouts; and the boy was her son. -..
 The boy was not far from ten years of age, with face lighter in color than was his mother's-his features really hand some.
 "Look here, gentlemen, Spoke the plant CT, rising, there's as likely pair for girl and brat as you can scare up. paid eight hundred dollars for 'em. Who'll give six?"
 "Wby not put them up seperate?' asked one.
 {" 'Twon't do to sell lem seperate. The gal has sworn to 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's worth more than I ask for the pair. Now what dye say? who'll take lem at six hundred?
 The owner paited @ few moments with. out receiving any answer, and then said:
 'I must have the money, so here goes for rafde. Twenty dollars throw, and thirty chances for the pair. Come, gentle men, them that buys first will throw first"
 Here was excitement as we'll as chance for profit. The players took two chances each. Then the spectators surged up. and twenty chances were sold as fast as the plant. CT could take the money and write down the names, Then came Hull. The planter took two chances. whereupon his compan- ions took each one more. Then three men in the crowd doubled up,"
 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?"
 "GiYe it to the woman.'
 ''Eh-the gal herself?" ...--..
 s'Yes, Give her a chance"
 'All right. One chance for Ninette."
 Before the planter could call again, Judge Underwood had placed twenty dol lars on the table, saying, as he did so-
 ''This is for the boY.'
 "Goodr' cried the owner of the property. "Here's chance for Tommy. And that takes the lot. Where's the clerk?"
 "Here."
 "Have you got blanks for this sort of business?"
 sYes."
 ''Then won't ye fill up bill of sale for these two-Ninette and Tommy-and leave g place to put in the winner? Now, then, for the dice gentlemen.
 The dice were brought and the shaking There were three dice, and each player was entitled to three throws. Of the first ten throws thirty-ni was the highest number cast. The eleventh turned up forty-two. Then the scores fell again till the twenty-6rst throw, when one of the gamesters threw out forty-nine.
 The crowd was now all excitement. For ty-nine was a hard point to beat. The lowest number that could be thrown was nine-and the highest-nine sixes-was fifty-four; making what is called an average throw about thirty-one and one-half. Of hundred throws the majority will fall be- low thirty two:
 Again the dice rattled in the box as the second gamester took his turn. But his throw was low one. The twenty-eighth to the clerk of the boat, who had now returned with the bill of sale. He threw forty -nine-tieing the gamester.
 "Come, Ninette, it's your turn" The woman started, and quivered and pressed her hand over her heart. Only the groan- ing and putting of the engine broke the stiffness of the place. '
 ''Will the gentleman who paid for my chance throw for me?" she said, in low., musical tone, earnest and imploring, and of the purest accent.
 'sLet your boy throw for you," returned Mir. Clay, who shrank from the ordeal. His luck should be better than mine." 2 Tommy came forward and took the box His mothers hands elasped and her lips moved in prayer. The boy trembled like an aspen. What 8 world of veal or woe hung upon the ickle 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 on the hazard of 8 die. ssa -,sfus-t8ss e3|L --s l
 He shook the box, and turned the dice upon the table. Three aces! A moment he gazed on three single spots, and then, dropping the box, he sank. back pale and IL s=sr 3. s,ssE7~ -.e.Q
 ''Shake again, Tommy said the plant er. ..-. sf ss. s5 - |
 'sIts no use master, I cant get forty. nine." sc rafssrs a- Ea
 .But you have got your own chance, my boy" Il ea''4
 'tAye," cried the Judge, ''that was your mothers chance. Now throw for the chance [ gave you-throw for yourself--brace up