The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-09-04
established July 1850.
CUTTING THE JACKS,

Jeduthan Bumpus more commonly
called Jed Bnmp, was corporal IN
the Thirteenth Maine Regiment dur
ing the late unpleasantness, and
while Col. Rust was in New Orleans,
Jed was with him "a part of the time.
Ir.7Jed was honest and reliable, and
though Yankee :. from, the back
woods, his eye teeth were cut and
his pluck and muscle were some
thing wonderful. r~,
One day Jed, with one or two
comrades was cruising about the city
and In the course IF his ram bles, he
dropped in at a saloon where mum;
Der OF rivermen were assembled, and
with them a fiashily dressed man,
who, from his looks. garb and tone,
might have been at once set down by
discerning person as black-leg.
lie was, In short, river Tiger-a
cut throat OF the approved species,
whom the chances OF war had driven
from his usual steamboat haunts to
the dens OF town. ''aae ~
Jed treated his comrades and him.
self to ale, and in paying for the
sans, he did not only expose his
broad Yankee accent, but also a
goodly roll of greenbacks. Our river
tiger saw and coveted, and straight
way proceeded TO make friends with
the proprietor of Uncle Sans prom
ises to pay.
Jed was willing to listen, also to
talk, and he did not refuse to drink
with the pleasant voiced citizen.
From word to word, theme TO theme
until finally the subject OF cards was
introduced The Tiger approached
the theme very kindly and innoce nt-
ly, at proper time ventured the re-.
mark that be could perform certain
tricks with cards which no other
man could do.
'For instance said he, 'here is a
pack of cards with which these gen.
lemen have been playing. You may
take them, shuttle them as you please,
then lay them on the table, and I'll
cut the cards four times, only four,
and at each time cut Jack
Jed didn't think it could be done,
that is, if he could have the privi-
lege of shuffiing the cards upon the
table himself.
The Tiger would like 10 bet $40
he could do it.
| Jed picked up the cards and look
ed them carefully over.
| SN ON oan oEo xnool - ,,a,,
wish,' said the black-leg, the bar,
keeper will let you have another
pack.
No. returned Jed, running the
cards over all the while, these will
do as well as any. l only wanted to
be sure't want a hull pack o. Jacks.
Its all fair and square, / assure
you,' meekly declared the fashy gen.
tleman. Lay the cards upon the
table. will cut four times and each
time cut Jack.
wall, said Jed, putting the cards
into compact shape and laying them
upon the table, there they be and
here is my $40. Put up your dosh.
The tiger covered Jed's 10 spot.
'Naow, mind, old boss, only four
cuts, and with them you're TO cut all
the four Jacks
Exactly aa a ROSS
Wv all-shoot.' @ a
Stand back, gentlemen said the
hashy man, 'and keep your eyes op-
en-. -Four cuts-a Jack at each cut.
Thus
And he drew from it's sheath un-
der his vest bowie knife, and ap-
piled its edge to the pack of cards
on the table. The edge was keen
and sharp, and it went through the
pasteboard in twinkline.
And he did this four times
There said he, strengthening
back FROM mis- work with triumph.
ant air, ARE the four cuts. Did /
not cat Jack each time p
Guess not, old hoss, added Jed
with twinkle, at the same time pro-
ducing four cards from the pocket OF
his flowing blouse. sYou couldn't
have cut what want in the pack.
Here's the four Jacks-they were in
my pocket all the time! Ii it's all
the same to you I'll take the money.
The tiger took good look at the
man of pluck and u-cle, and did
not deem it expedient to contend.-
For once, at least, he had been beat
en- at his own favorite game of cut
| ting Jacks. ~q~Fs.- arr