The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1874-09-15
SIXTEEN ACES.
AN OLD TIME STORY OF A GAME
OF "DRAW W. IN ALABAMA.

Communication in Turf. Field and Farm
sam OgIiyls WAS gambler By profess
on and practice but among the planters
" DO frequented his faro bank and oil of
hose OF any wealth or standing within u
hundred miles Of Selma took q turn Att
" hsn they could there was rot one who
would entertain u question as to Sans
honesty. Ia that little white cottage, al,
most hidden by the surrounding grove
none hut the faire.t Of faro was deaIp
none but the squarest Of poker was
bet on. When the chips were bought
and the card. cut, each one felt that what
fortune meant the pack to bring him
would not be interferei with by any
man prlhii7n Of the cards.
But. alas when was humanity bcyond
temptation Adam fell, Cesar tell,
Warren fell lat Bunker HilN, and even
Bescher il slSpected. Ono day Sam
was tempted and he. But let nc give
the details.
Judge Hum phrey, col. Swain old An
drow5 whose plantation was measured by
tho thousand acres and Sol. Lovett, from
ST. Louie, were sitting in Oglivie's front
psrlor playing snug little game Of draw.
All were heavy bc.iers when they held
the cards but just then tho cards were
INNING light, and so were the bets Sam,
WHO cared very little for poker, had sa.
by watching the game rather than going
in it. lie held hand, Of course; but hi,
thoughts were rather on the layout in
the next room than on the cards in bis
nand, Several times he had limited a.
sband oning the game, but each time the
others had Insisted on going on, so Sam
had politely siitiled his impotence and
had kept his seat at the table.
A.. TIE clock was tolling ten, Sam wa,
called from the table and eKcuting him.
self FOR the moment, left the room His
way was through the back parlor where
lay the sleeping tiger. The table with ~.
Law out the ooae, Piius Of checks, decks OF
ord, all were ready for the players As
no glanced carelcssly over them, q sudden
thought seemed TO fash through Sans
bran. A ssrionic smilo crept over his
thin cut lips, and his long fingers PLAYED
with his mustachc, as if TO hide the
twitching lips from some unseen observer.
Advancing TO tho card.box where card.
by the dozen packs, in uubrUked packages
lay piled up, he busted himself for a m q.
mcnt in opening packs breaking wrap.
pers and asserting cards then with an er.
preston of gaileless innocence upon his
face, but with "coli deck" up his sleeve
he returned to the poker table
Ina few minutes it was Sans turn to
deal. He hand faltered as he lifted the
cards deuce spot tuttered into his lap
and, in picking II up, rapid movement
Of the long li,ho fingers had exchanged
the table pack for the " cold deck"
a grain Of remorse seemed TO touch his
heart when he came to servo tho cards.
IL can't take hand this deal gentle.
men. have 90. to stop around to the
hotel for = moment
The others acquiasced, and tho cards
were dealt A good hand, one would say
by the action Of the players. There was
a T. oussnd in the pot and a very obsti-
nate expression on the faces Of the players
before the drawing began.
Then singular circumstance WAS no.
ticed. The judge only wanted one card :;
ono card satisfied the colonel, and ono
card each took Lovett and Anderson.
odd, thought each one, and wondered
whether they were trying to bite full or
a fush, or were hiding fours. But each
glanced at his own hand, and calmly
waited the issue, confident OF his own and
plying the others hand.
The cards served, Sam lit his cigar and
started for the hotel. II he had waited
he would have seen the tallest betting
that was ever done inside OF that cottage
A thousand dollars the first bet, fifteen
hundred the second, two thousand
tho third, and twenty-five hun.
dred from the "age' on the fret round
Every body Ia and willing to lap his pile
Gut came checS-books and pencils, and
Zach one rapidly cast up in his OWE
mind how much his credit was good for
among the commission merchants OF Now
OrieAns. Check alter check was written,
conn cat and placed on tho table, until
there wa, enough stsked TO cripple the
reho'i man there II be lost,
The .ligo stopped IL. Why, ! don't
know uu'e.s it was that no had reached
the r.st check in his book As no filed
'bH. out he remarked, with judicial grav-
l.y
"Iao-a is but one hand at the table thai.
can win that pot, gentlemen amt It
about n.s enough viii! SEQ you, COL
ouo.'
This claokod the game. The pot was
big enough in all conscience, AM some Of
them from blod little as they thought u
the Thousands piled there and how poor
the call was 70 make three Of their com-
radcs
Two more sights aud a call brought the
game TO focus, Preparations stood out
upon moro than one forehead, and the
fingers tina, griped the cards frightened
percopubIy as the crucial moment APP
preached. And heads had to be turned to
prevent tho hungry eyes from fessting too
Intensely upon the pile on tho table.
The venerable colonel hardly looked up
ss he gently laid down his hand; "Fours.
Aces gen,l men
Then Andrews, with ds,endod eyes
and pursed up lips; "FouTs for ma " and
the 'sris were laid upon the table to verify
the claim.
Reproachfully Lovott glanced At his
as at inhospitsble bsrbarisns
from whom the title Of stranger was no
Protection, and blandly remarked "E1-
cuse me, but mine are aces. Fours and
ssain the cards proved the claim