The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-12-23

~ Camp, Calaveras County, California,
tells the following
"There was fellow here once by the
name of Jim Smiley, in the winter of 40
or maybe it was in the spring of 80
don't recollect exactly, somehow, though
what makes me think it was the one or the
other is because remember the big flume
camp but, anyway, he was the curiousest
man about always betting on anything
that turned up you ever see, if he could get
anybody to bet on the other side ; and if he
couldn't he'd change sides.
Any way that suited the other man
would suit him any way SOS he got bet,
he was satisfied. But still he was lucky,
uncommon lucky; he almost always come
out winner He was always ready and
laying for chance; there couldn't be no
solitary thing mentioned but that feller'd
offer to bet on it, and take any side you
please, as was just telling you. If there
was horse-race, you'd find him flush or
you'd find him busted at the end of it; if
there was dog fight, he'd bet on it; if
there was a cat-fght, he'd bet on it; if
there was chicken-fght, he'd bet on it !;
why, if there was two birds setting on
fence, he'd bet you which one would fly
first or if there was camp-meeting, he
would be there regular to bet on Parson
Walker, which he judged to be the best ex-
horter about here-and so he was, too,
and good man. If he even saw a strad-
die bug start to go anywhere, he would
bet you how long it would take him to get
wherever he was going to, and if you took
him up he would follow that stradde bug
to Mexico but what he would find out
where he was bound for and how long he
was on the road.
Lots of the boys here has seen that Smi-
ley, and can tell you about him. Why, it
never made no difference to him-he would
bet on anything-the dangdest feller. Par
son Walkers wife laid very sick once, for
good while, and it seemed as if they warn't
agoin' to save her. But one morning he
came in, and Smiley asked how she was,
and he said she was considerably better
thank the Lord for his infinite mercy !
and coming on so smart that, with the
blessing Of Providence, she'd get well yet I;
and Smiley, before he thought, says
"Well, I'll risk two and half that she
don't anyway"
This yer Smiley had mare--the boys
called her the fifteen minute nag, but that
was only in fun, you know, because of
course she was faster than that-and he
used to win money on that horse for all she
was so slow, and always had the asthma,
or the dstenper, or the consumption, or
something Of that kind. They used to give
her two or three hundred yards start, and
then pass her under way; but always at
the fag end of the race she'd get excited
and desperate like and come cavorting and
straddling up, and scattering her legs
around timber, sometimes in the air, and
sometimes out to side among the fences,
and kicking up more dust and raising
more racket with her coughing and
sneezing and blowing her nose-and always
fetch up at the stand just about neck
ahead, as near as you could cipher it
down.
And he had little, small bull pup that
to look at him you'd think he want worth
cent but TO set around and look ornery,
and lay for chance to steal something.
But as soon as the money was up on him
he was different dog his under jaw'd
begin to stick out like the fo'castle of a
steamboat, and his teeth would uncover
and shine savage like the furnaces. And
a dog might tackle him, and bullyrag him,
and bite him, and throw him over his
shoulder two or three times, and Andrew
Jackson--which was the name of pup
Andrew jackson would never let ON but
what he was satisfied, and hadn't expected
nothing else--and the bets being doubled
and doubled on the other side all the time
till the money was all up; and then all Of
a sudden he would grab the other dog jest
by the j'int Of his hind leg and freeze toit
mot chaw, you understand, but only jest
grip and hang ON till they throwed up the
sponge, if it was year.
Smiley always come out winner on that
pup, till he harnassed dog once that
didn't have no hind legs, because they'd