The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-10-20
SOME TALL HANDS.


WERE SURE OF wINNING-sIXTEEN ACES.
A correspondent of the Turf, Field and
Farm tells of a remarkable game of poker:
Sam oglivie was gambler by profession
and practice; but among the planters who
frequented his faro bank land all of those of
any wealth or standing within one hundred
miles of Selma took turn at it when they
could), there was not one vino would enter
tain question as to Sans honesty. In that
little white cottage, almost hidden by the
surrounding grove, none but the fairest of
was bet on. When the chips were bought
and the cards cut. each one felt that what
fortune meant the pack to bring him would
not be interfarred with by any manipula-
ton of the cards. But alasl when wqs hui
manity beyond temptation? Adam fell,
Cesar fell, Warren fell, lat Bunker Hill,)
and even Beecher is suspected. One day
Sam was tempted, and he ---. But let
me give the details. Judge Humphrey,
Colonel Swain, old Andrews, Whose planta-
ton was measured by the thousand acres)
and Sol. Lovett, from st. Louis, were sit
ting In Oglivie's front parlor, plsyinga snug
little game of draw. All were heavy
betters when they held the cards; but just
then the cards were running light, and so
were the bets. Sam, who cared very little
for poker, had sat by watching the game
rather than going in IL. He held hand, of
course; but his thoughts were rather on the
layout in the next room than on the cards
in his hand. Several times he had limited
at abandoning the game, but each time the
others had insisted on going on, so Sam
had politely stifled his impatience and had
kept his seat at the table. As the clock was
telling ten, Sam was called from the table, and
excusing himself for the moment, left the
room. His way was through the back par
lor where lay the sleeping tiger. The table
with its layout, the case, piles CT checks,
decks of cards. all were ready tor the players.
AS he glanced carelessly over them sud-
den thought seemed to. flash through Sans
brain. A sardonic smile crept over his thin
cut lips, and his long fingers played with
his mustache, as ii to hide the twitching lips
from some unseen observer. Advancing TO
the card box, where cards by the dozen
packs, i'm unbroken packages, lay piled up,
be busted himself for moment in open
ing packs, breaking wrappers and asserting
cards, then, with an expression OF guilelsss
innocence upon his face, but with q "cold
deck" up his sleeve, he returned to the
poker table. In few moments it was Sans
turn to deal. His hands faltered as he
lifted the cards, deuce spot fluttered into
his lap, and, i'll picking it up, rapid move
ment OF the long, 1.-the fingers had ex-
changed the table pack for the "cold deck"
A grain of remorss seemed to touch bis
heart when he came to serve the cards. q
can't take hand this deal, gentlemen. !
have got to step around to the hotel for
moment" The others acquiesced and
THE CARDS WE'RE DEALT.
A good hand, one would say, by the action
.oi the players. There was Thousand in
the pot and very obstinate expression on
the faces OF the players before the drawing
began. Then, asingular circumstance Was
noticed The Judge only wanted one card ;
one card satisfied the COLONEL and: one car d
each took Eovett and Anderson. Cd d.
thought each one, and wondered wheti .er
they were trying to bite full or a flush, or
were Kidding fours. But each glanced ar his
own hand, and calmly waited the iss ue,
confident OF his own and pityiag the 9th ers'
hand. The cards served. Sam lit his
cigar and started for the hotel If he had
waited he would have, seen the talles,t bet
ting that was ever done inside of thfst cot
tage. A thousand dollars the fist bat,
81, 500 the second. $1,000 the third, AMI g, 500
frGm the "age" on the tirst round. Every
body In and willing to lap bis pile. Out
came the check-books and pencils and each
one rapidly cast ap in his own mind how
much his credit was good for among the
,mmission merchants OF New Orleans.
"
placed on the table, until there was enough
staked to cripple the richest man there. IL be
lost. The judge stopped It.. Why, / don't
know, unless it was that he had reacted. the
last check in his book. As he filled that out
he reme rked with judicial grav ity.. "There
lis but one hand at the table that can win
this pot, gentleman amt it about big
enough? l will see you, colonel" This
checked the game. The pot was big enough
in all conscience, and some, of them trem-
bled q little as the thought of the thousands
| piled there and how po or the call was
| to make three of theiJ. comrades. Two
more sights and q call brought the game to
| focus. Perspirations stood out upon raore
than one forehead, and the fingers that
griped the cards. lighted perceptibly as the
crucial moment sppreached- And heads
had to be turned 10 pre- vent the hungry eyes
| from feasting the intensely upon the pile on
the table. The venerable colonel hardly
looked up as he gently laid down his hand:
"Fours. Aces, gep.tlemenl" Then An
drews, with distenSe1 eyes and pursed ap
i lips: -Four aces for ma!' and the cards
were laid upon the table to verify the
claim. Reproachfu1y Lovett glanoed at his
comrades as at inh0spitable barbarians from
whom the title OF stranger was no protec-
tiou, and blandly remarked: "Excuse mo-
but mine are aces. Fouri" and again the
cards proved tho claim. Dashin2 his spec
tacles from his Roman nose TO his perspir-
| ing forehead, the judge eank back in his
seat and gazed desparingiy from face to face
around ths board. AS his eye met Loveit's
he partially straightened himself and said
\ Isl ixteen aces, as 1 am sinner, niand again
four aces lay upon the board, They waited
| for Sam that night, but he did not return tc
the cottage. a ~
/ The Two Republics, OF Mexico, mentions
the recent discovery of an artihciaily exca
waited grotto, fifteen miles from Tancitaro, in
the State of Michoacan, which can not fai
to enlist the attention of antiquaries and
archeologists. This grotto is represented tC
be of immense depth and vast extent; the re
mains of. walls and arched corridors are still
to be seen, and many curious specimens o
the handiwork of an unknown race have
been brought from this subterrarean palace