Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-09-26

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Communication in Turf, Field, and Farm
Sam Oglivie was gambler by
profession and practice; but among
the planters who frequented his fare
bank land all of those of any wealth
or standing within 100 miles of Sci.
ma took a turn atit when they
could) there was only one who would
entertain question as TO Sans hon.
esty. In that little white cottage,
almost hidden by the surrounding
grove, none but the fairest of faro
was dealt, none but the squarest of
poker was bet on. When the chips
were brought and the cards cut,
each one felt that what fortune
meant the pack to bring him would
mot be interfered with by any man.
| ipulation of the cards.
But, alas! when was humanity be-
yond temptation2 Adam fell, Cesar
fell, Warren fell fat Bunker HilD,
and even Beecher is suspected. One
day Sam was tempted and he
But let me give the details.
Judge Humphrey, Col. Swain, old
Andrews (whose plantation was
measured by the thousand acres),
and Sol. LoVett, of st. Louis, were
sitting in Oglivie's front parlor play
ing snug little game of draw. All
were heavy betters when they held
the cards; but just then the cards
we're running light, and so were the
bets. Sam, who cared very little for
poker, had sat by watching the game
rather than going into it. He held a
hand, of course, but his thoughts
were rather on the lay out 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 go
ing on, SO Sam had politely stifed
his impatience and had kept his seat
at the table.
As the clock was telling 10 Sam
was called from the table, and exeu-
sing himself fprthe moment, left the
room. His way was through the
back parlor, where lay the sleeping,
tiger TFhs tabfes with -ftst llay.oflt,.
the case, piles Of oheckss deeksSofs
cards, all were ready for the players.
A sandonicismiIe cfeptLo thin
cut lips, and his long fingers played
with his mustaehe, as if to hide the
twitching lips from somednseen OBJ
seryer.oz; Advancing to the card box,
where cards by the dozen packs, IN
unbrokenHpackagesg lay piled up, he
busted himself for a moment in open.
ing packs, breaking wrappers and
asserting cards, then with an express.
sioIof guiltless innooense, upon his
face,but with assfgold deck" up his
sleeve, he returned to the pokersta-,
ble.sa.f .551l odi sstiiidasso ~ zais u % {
Ina few minutes it was SANS
turnto deal. > His hand faltered as.
he lifted the cards.. a deuce spot
futtered INTO his lap, and, in picking /
it up,9a rapid movement of the long,
little fingers had exchanged the ta-
Bile pack for the 9eeld decklneio74 III
A-;grainz of remerse seemed to
touch his heart when he came to !
serve the cards, .l1siiqsae -=gIl os. y
aIcsp't take q hand this deal, gem
tletnansa I have got to step around 4
to my hotel a. moment. ''A 20 e..3...i .I.z-.I Il
The others ? a.cquliiesced and the
cards were dealt. A good hand one
would say, by the action Of the play
ers. There was a thousand in the
pot and a very obstinate expression
on the faces of the players before the
playing began. Then singular cir
cuInstance was noticed. The Judge
only wanted one card; one card sat
isfed the Colonel, and one card each
took LoYett and Andrews. Odd,
thought each one, and wondered
whether they were to bite a full or
a flush, or were hiding fours. But
each glanced at his own hand, and
calmly awaited the, issae, ieehfdent
of his OWN andO pityihgi tie others
hand. ,-TT7T--..--f rT71o7-ru 1Th "a q
The cards served, Sam lit his ci-
gar, and started for the hotel. If he
had waited he would have seen the
tallest betting that was ever done
inside that cottage. A thousand
dollars the first bet, fifteen hundred
the secondy two thousand the third,
and twenty-five hundred from the
sage" on the first round. Every
body in and willing to lap his pile.
Out came check-books and pencils.
and each one rapidly cast up in his
own mind how much his credit was
good for among his commission mer-
chants of New Orleans. Check af-
ter check was written, torn out and
placed on the table, until there was
enough staked to cripple the richest
theTe, if he lost,