, 1874-10-10
-rtfaEs III rTBhf. Ddt c0fffo u69n bofjnd tKo SoN1
ahcd and look at my back"
Aud when they got there


All Dld-Ttnlo story 0f a f:ntno oil
~ DrtlHv - In Alabama.
Communication h, Ta,G Eleld ant Farm,
saa' Ogllyio was gambler by profession and
Practice; but among tho planters who froq1ontcd
II l.In iaro bank lana 4 gu 81 tiose q nuy weatl
nt t when tiny could) tlero was not % ono VIC VIC
would entertain question as TO San'a honesty.
In TINT little whito cosago. almost dten l,y Lilo
surrounding grovo. nono but tho faircat OF faro
was doalt, none but tllc squatost Of poker was
bot on.. Whon tho chips wero bought aud
tho cnr18 tut, oncl ono fo1t that what fortune
nlcant tho pack to bring him would not bo Inter-
fered will " any manipulation Of the cnrt1a.
tion Adam foil, CmsRr foil. Warrcn foll (at
Nnnkor llilO, aud oven Hccchcr il H,sarected.
One dny sam ~ Mns to'nptod and ho-. But lot MO
Judge Humphrey. Col. suain, old Andrews
(whoAu plantation WA measured by the tl,os,-
sand acros). mud Sol Loyott, from st. Louis,
wero sittng III oGlIyios front ,pnrlor playing d
tcrs when they hold tho casds but just then the
cards were running light, as, 10 woro tie botB.
Sam, who cared worry littla for poker, he4 sat by
Watching tho gamo rather than going iu it. lie
rntllcr on tho lay-out III tho next room than on
| tllo cardB iu Lis hand. Several tlmcs lio had
hunted ut abandoning tho gasao bnt each timo
tho others liad insHtott on going on, 80 Snnl had
seat NJ tho table.
AZ Tho clock was telling 10, Sam was cnllod
| from the table, ard, exeisng himself for tho
mo'nont, left tile room. His way was through
Tho tabio with it's layout tho case, pilos Of
checks. docks Of cards, all woro ready for the
playara. As llo glancod carelessly over them, =
st.dlon Thought seomed to ansh through SANTA
brain. 4 sai1lonlc smio cropt over his thin cut
lips. and hiH long fingers payad with hia mus
tache. AZ If to hide tho twltehtng lips from Bomo
unseen ob,oFyor 70, Advancing to the card-b9x,,
wiioro cartia ny tho dozen packs. In nnblokcn
packages, lay pilad UP. ho blHiod himself for q
! 1nunleHt in opening packs, breaking wrappers
and naaorting cartsB, then, with Nil oppression Of
glllleloss intlocenco upon hia faca, but With q
"cold deck" up lin sloovo, Lo returned 10 tho
poker-tabIc.
| In tew n,iautss It was Sasn's turn to deal.
LIS hond falterot as la lifted tho cards; lv,1ce
SPOT auttorcd into Ills lap, and, In picking i: ups
rapid movement Of the long. li:he hngers had
exchanged tho table puck for tho IA cold deck"
4 gsain Of re.norse ncau.et to touch his honrt
! when ho camo TO serve tao cards.
~ cant take lnnd This slcal gontlomon. Z
hare got to step around TO the hotoi for u mo-
ment."
Tho othcrs acquicsced and ths carJs vera
dealt. a good haud, Quo wonld say, by tue
actions OF thb ptayors. There wnR r thousand
IN tho pot and a very obstinate expression On
tho taecs Of tho players before the drawing be-
gan.
Then n singular circumstance WIS noticed.
Tho Judge only wnntsd one card; one card
1.osett and Anderson. Odd, thought eacl, ono,
altl wondered whotAor they wcre trying to bite
fnil or flush, or wore hiding fours. But each
glanced at his own hand, and calmly waited tho
issue, contitlent of his own and pitying tho
others hand.
Tho cards served, sam lit his cisar aud startsd
for the Aotes II lie haa waited Ae wou.a hive
see The tatlost betting that VIVA ever tlono in
first bot. 81 500 tue second 81 0o0 ttu third, aud
$4,000 ftom tho "ago OIL tic first round. Every
boay in nnd willing to lap hlH pile. Out carae
cleek.booka aud pencils, and eaci1 one rapidly
was good for among tic commission norchauts
OF New Orleans. Ghock after check was written,
tosn out, nnd placed OH tho tabie mt iittsore waa
enough staked to cripple the richcat innu there,
il ha lost.
Tho Judge stopped It. Why, don't know,
uuleHs it waa tint he had reached the Inst checd
in his book. Al lie filled TINT QUE he remarked,
, with judicial gravity:
'There il but one hand at tIp tabio tl,at eau
win That pot, gentlemen; ai!lt it about BIZ.
ouougl: will soo you, Colonel"
! This checlod the, game. Tho pnt was biz
, | enough il, al conscience. md son.o OF them
| tramblod Il little as thoy thought Ut the thou.
sauds piled t[ero aud how puor tho tall was tc
Il | make three OF their cotnraduB.
Two more sights aid call brought tho Eat1e
l. to focus. porspratiou stood cut nt,on mort
i. than ono forehead n4d tho Unge,s that gr,pec
!. the cords tightened percep:ibly u the erGcia
i moment approachod Ana heads had to ba turned
=; | 10 prevent tho hungry eyss from feasting toe
0 intensely npon tho rllH on lilo table,
r The venerable Colonel hardly locked up as hi
: gently laid down Lis hand: "Fou1a. Aced
Y gontlemon J"
u Then Anllrowe, with dtstondoa eyes and pursed
> up lips: Four aces for mel" and tho cards
i wore laidupon tho table to verify tie c:aim.
q Ropr0Achf,lly Loyett glanced nt his colnrat1et
& Of Ut inllospitablo basbaIiats from whom iltt
y title OF stranger was no protection. and blaudI,
: remarked: "Excusc me, but mine acoa
: Fours! and again tho caris proved tho claim.
p Dnpf3;nN Ills Stlactacca from lliS Roman most
r in his neat aud gazsd despairjngly from lace t
, fnco around tho board AZ bis eye mot Loyettf
Il ho partially straiglteucl himself and said; "Slx
/ toon aces, Us AM sinner, aud again four aco
: lay upon the bonrd.
& They waited for Sam that night, but he dit
>. uot return to tho cottage.
!