Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-10-10
SIXTEEN ACES.
An Oid-Time story of Game al
"Drawn in Alabama.

Sam OgIive was gambler by
profession and practice; but among
the planters who frequented his
faro bank-and all of those of any
wealth or standing within a hun
dred miles ofSelma took q turn a
1T when they eould--tnere was not
one who entertained a doubt as to
Sans honesty. In that little
white cottage, almost hidden by
the surrounding grove, none but
the fhirest of faro was dealt and
none but the squarest Of poker was
bet on. While the chips were
bought and the cards out, each
one felt that what fortune meant
the pack to tring him would not
be interfered with by any manip-
ulalion of the cards.
But alas! when was humanity
beyond temptation? Adam fell,
Caesar fell, Warren fell--at Bun
ker Hili--and even the immacu-
late Henry Ward 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, Loyett, from st.
Louis, were sitting in Oglive's
front parlor playing a snug little
game of draw. All were he. wy
better5 when they held the cards,
but just then the cards Were run
ming light, and so were the bets.
Sam, who cared very little for po-
ker, had sat by watching the
game rather than by going in it,.
He held hand, of course, but his
thoughts were rather on the layout
in the next room than on the cards
in his hands. SevcraI.times he had
limited at abandoning the game,
bnt each time the others had in
sisted on going on, so Sam had po-
litely stified his impatience and
gone on with the game.
AS the clock was striking ten,
Sam was called from the table, and
excusing himself for the moment
left lie room. His way was thro'
the back parlor, where lay the
sleeping tiger. The table with its
lay out, cases. piles of checks, decks
of cards, all were ready for the
layers AS he glanced carelessly
over them, a sudden thought
seemed to fash through Sans
brain A sardonic smile ~crept
over Sans thin cut lips. and his
long fingers played with his NOUS
tache, as if to hide the twitching
lips from some unseen observer.
Advancing to the card box, where
by the dozen packs, the unbroken
cards lay piled up, he busted HIM
self for moment in opening
packs, breaking wrappers and as
SORTING cards, then with an express
sion of guileiess ir locence upon
his face, but with a "cold deck !"
up his sleeve, he returned to the
poker table.
In few moments it was Sans
turn to deal. His hand faltered as
he lifted the cards; a deuce spot
fiuttered into his lap, and as he
picked itup, rapid movement Of
the long, 1.-THE fingers had ex-
changed the table pack for the
"cold deck"
A grain of remorse seemed to
touch his heart when he came to
serve the cards.
8" can't take hand this deal,
gentlemen. / have got to step
around to the hotel for moment"
The others acquiesced and the
cards were dealt. A good hand,
one would say, by the action of the
players. There was a thousand in
the pot and very obstinate ex-
preston on the faces of the players
before the drawing began.
Then singular circumstance
was noticed. The Judge only want
ed one card one card satisfied the
Colonel, and one each took Lovett
and Anderson. Odd, thought each
one, and wondered whether they
were trying to bite full or flush
or were hiding fOurs. But each
glanced at his OWL hand, and calm
liz waited the issue, confident OF
his own aud, plying the others
hand.
The cards served, Sam Lit his ci-
gar and started for the hotel. IL he
had waited he would have seen the
tallest betting that was ever done
inside OF that cottage. A thousand
dollar the first bet, fifteen hundred
the second, two thousand the third
and twenty-five hundred from the
"a ge" on the first refund. 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 the commits
sion merchants of New Orleans.
Check after check was written torn
out and placed on the table, until
there was enough staked to Grip