The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1872-10-10


"All right. One chance for Nj
nette."
Before the planter could call again.
Judge Underwood had placed TWEEN
ty dollars upon the table, saying as
he did so:
"This for the boy"
"Gocdr' cried the owner of the
/ property, "here's chance for Tom
my, and that takes the lot; where's
the clerk''
"Here."
Have you got any blanks for
this sort of businessP'
Eyes"
''Then won't We fill up a bill Of
sale of these two-Ninette and Tom
my-and leave a place to put in the
name of the winner? Now, for the
dice, gentlemen"
The dice were brought on and
the shaking commenced. There
were three dice, and each player
was entitled to three throws. OF
the first ten throws, thirty-six was
the highest number cast. The ele-
venth throw turned up forty-two.-
Then the scores fell again till the
twenty-frst throw, when one of the
ganIesters threw out forty-nine.
The crowd were now all excite
ment. Forty-nine was a hard point
to beat. The lowest number that
could be thrown was nine; and the
highest (nine sixes) was ffty-four;
making what is called an average
throw, about thirty-one and one
half OF one hundred 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 a 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 games
ter.
"Come, Ninette! It is your turn"
The women started and quivered,
and pressed her hand over her heart.
Only the groaning and putting Of the
engine broke the stiffness of the
place.
"Wnl the gentleman who paid for
the chance throw for me?' she said,
in low, musical tone, earnest and
implOring, and of purest accent.
''Let your boy throw for you," re-
turned DR.. Clay, she shrank from
the ordeal. "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 fickel chance-I
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 ola die
He shook the box and turned the |
dice upon the table. Three aces =
A moment he gazed upon the three
single spots, and then dropping the
box, he sank back, pale and fright
ened.
"Shake again, Tommy" said the
planter.
"It's no use, master, I can't get
forty-nine."
"But you have got your own
chance, my boy"
"Aye," cried the judge. 'That
was your mothers chance. Now
throw for the chance gave you
brace up, and take heart-and may
heaven help youP''
That was not an assembly of re-
Iigiously inclined persons, by any
means; but the fervent petition of
the judge met with a warm and i'm
pulsive response of "Amen" from all
present.
Again the boy came forward ana
lifted the box. His lips were tight
" shut, and the old quivering of
the limbs was hushed. The only
sound in that saloon above the deep |
of the spectators was the
of the ivory cubes. Pres
emily the first throw was made.
"Five-fve-six, are sixteen" an
nounced the planter, setting down
The figures.
The dice was gathered up and
thrown again.
"Six-six-and five. Good
That's seventeen"
The boy was pale as death as he
took the box for the last throw, and
his mother leaned against q stanch-
ion for support. At length-and
the book was opened!
"Thcee skies! -eighteen-and
that is fifty-one! Tommy, my boy,
you are a trumpl Now, Mr.. Clerk,
ell up the bill Of sale, and I'll sign it
before these witnesses"
The scene that followed can be
better imagined than described
The last time I heard from Judge
Underwood, he was alive and well,
though long retired from active life.
was his housekeeper and |
Tommy his trusted and truthful
henchman.
Goats are impounded at Jackson
vile, Fla, and cOckroaches roam st
large. The favorite diet of the for
L Z