The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-12-16
"A Western Parson.

A SHORT time since Missouri river
Ia steamboat left Fort Benton with a
party Of rough and well-to-do miners on
board. There were also among the passen-
gers three or four brace men, and before
arriving at Sioux City they had very gen.
orally cleared out the pockets of the min
ers. The boat stopped at Sioux City to
"wood up" and found among other per-
sons waiting to get ON board, ministerial
looking parsonage with the longest and
most solemn countenance on him you can
well imagine He was dressed in a suit of
black, wore white stovepipe hat and
"choker" collar, ornamented with black
neck handkerchief.
Well, he got aboard and the boat started
down stream. For two days he was un-
noticed by the other passengers, but one of
the sports at last thought he saw chance
to make something out of the sad and mel
ancholy Individual The latter would once
or twice day step up to the bar, and with
a voice that was as mild and as gentle as
maiden's, ask for "a glass of soda, if you
please" and then he would pull roll of
bills from his pocket and take aquarter
from their interior layers. Then he would
say to the barkeeper,as if under thousand
obligations, "Thank you sir" and walk
off again as If about to commit suicide.
This thing had gone far enough, and the
gambler have spoken of at last approach
ed him.
"Would you like little game Of seven
up, sirP"
"Seven-up? What is seven-upP Please
tell me, my good friend"
"Why, game of cards, you know, just
to pass the time let us play game.'
"My good friend, do not know any
thing concerning cards; cannot play
them.' M
Well, como along, we'll show you how
to do it," And the mild gentleman in
black after some further protests, at length
consented.
They showed him how twas done, and
they played several games. The gentle
man in black was delighted. Gamblers
want to know if he will play poker five
cent ante, just for the fun of the thing.
Gentleman in black says he can't play the
game, but they explain again, and poker
commences. The gentleman in black
loses every time. There are six men in the
game each one deals before gentleman in
black, and ante has been raised to dollar.
Gent in black deals awkwardly, and looks
at his hand.
! Next man to dealer bets five goes
around and the bets are raised to one hun.
dredred dollars. Gent in black sees il
and makes it hundred better Gamblers
look surprised, but will not be bluffed. The
bet has reached five hundred dollars-a
thousand. Gent in black makes it two
thousand. All draw out except plucky
Pixies Peak miner, who sees and calls him:
"What have you ?" +" Weal," answers the
gent in black, ~ heave-let me see,
let me see--weal, / have four ones"
The gamblers who have suspicioned
something before, now look wild, and the
light begins to dawn in the miners mind.
He leaned across the table and said in the
most sarcastic tone he could command:
"Oh you heave, heave you. You gol
burned sanctimonious son Of a gum"
The gent got up from the table and
handed one of the gamblers his card. at
read "Bill Walker, New Orleans" lone OF
the most successful sharpers in the country.
| A Remarkable St0ry-An Undertaken Bit.