The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-06-11
H unte d d ow n,
ATale Of the West.

| \ in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifty. The scene--the
social saloon of the beautiful steamer
Mercury, as she steamed swiftly down the
Missouri river.
"I'll play poker with any chap present,
for five, ten, fifteen, or twenty dollars ante" F"
said rough looking customer, walking to
a table and throwing pack of cards upon
it, "who'll play ?" U....n
How much ante did you say, stranger"
asked a green specimen Of humanity, on
the long, lanl1, and bony order, from his
seat in the corner. His clothing was of
rough material and fitted him poorly; his
hat was beaver that looked as though it
had seen much rough usage and many
storms; his forehead was high and we'll
formed, his nose prominent, and his eyes
dark and small. The remainder of his face
was covered with thick, coarse hair.
"Five, ten, fifteen, or twenty, is what 1
said," the rough looking customer replied,
seating himself at the table and running
the cards through his finger, "you know
how to play, suppose?"
"Wal, l reckon Jim Brown knows some
thin about keerds whom his dad drawed
his last breath a playin' all-fours The last
words he sed were right 'em up and shuf-
file them out, pardner; high, low, Jack an
the game for us, or busted biler Yes,
stranger" the green customer concluded,
"Ill play you poker for ten dollars ante.
l can't begin any higher than that, cause
I'm rather scarce of tin"
GA green one," whispered the gambler
to friend, as Jim Brown seated himself
on the opposite side of the table "and if
don't clean him out of every cent he's got,
Sparks, that's ALL" u.u
The cards were now shuffled, cut and
dealt, the ante posted in the middle of the
table, and the game commenced.
Brown was allowed to win until he had
pulled about fifty dollars to his side of the
table, and then the luck suddenly turned
and his opponent began to win it rapidly
back. f''tl
"Jingo p he exclaimed, 81 never had
sich luck in my life. Can't git nothin' but
duces and queens, and queens is the durn-
dest on luckiest keerds in the whole pack.
If my father was alive and here now, he'd
say to me, Jim Brown of Arkansas, / can't
own a son of mine when he holds sich hands
as them-jingo rve lost agin p'
"Let us raise the ante to twenty dollars"
said Sparks, pulling the money from the
centre of the table.
"Jingo ! its too much You'll bust me p
exclaimed Brown, half jumping from his
chair, Z" but I'll try it; may be raise in the
ante will change the luck. Shuttle them
up"
Sparks dealt the cards out, one at time
until each had five, and then placed a
twenty dollar bill in the centre of the table.
"Jingo P' exclaimed Brown, looking at
his cards, "I'n bet twenty-five on her, if
do lose."
"See your twenty-five, and go one hun
dred better" said Joe Sparks with smile.
"See your hundred, and put five hundred
on top of it; there's no use of betting with
out you bet, as dad used to say;" Brown
calculated, taking roll of bill from an in
side pocket, and laying the amount he had
bet on the table; and then turning sudden
ly round, he said to man who had been
sitting behind him from the time the game
commenced: m t..i tl.tl.a .l
"Lools here, stranger, I've seed you
looking into my hand twice, and then wink
at this chap am playing with, and if see
you do it again III smash You in the face,
that's all p
"I'll see your five hundred, and go one
thousand better" said Sparks putting up
the money.
"Jingo you mean betting," exclaimed
Jim Brown Of Arkansas, "wall I'm still in
guess; I'll go ye five thousand better"
81 call you, =" said his opponent, laying
down the required amount of money in
large bills.
"What have you got p' asked the green
one, with smile
"What you can't beat" returned the
other laying down four acres on the table,
"pretty hand, amt ftp" 1"'.a "
"Yes, it is; and, Jingop I've got jist
he same hand exactly,p said Brown, show
ing four acres also. np'
"Thunderaton % exclaimed Sparks
"what does this mean, eight acres in one
pack of cards--who ever heard tell of the
like p
"Hlltell you what means,' said Brown,
| ooolIx. Git ,,aauo thor vo,, oot vour acas