Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1875-09-23
The Hand which Won.
An Indignant WOman's Raid on a
Gambler.

"a
the passengers bound for Vicks
Q burg were a Georgian and his wife
= who have relatives in Mississippi
} He was a large-sized, hand,
, some.Iooking man, and she was a
} pleasant looking little woman,
; with blue eyes and short, chestnut
', curls. One would have said that
, she would have screamed at a tilt
of the boat.
He sat smoking with other gen
tlemen after she had retired to
her state room, ana the entire cab
in was clear of ladies, when some
one proposed game of cards.
In ten minutes after, half a dozen
men were shullling cards over cab
IN tables, and the Georgian was
matched against a stranger to all
on board He was quiet, court
eOus, welldresSed man, and had
beer taken for traveller in search
of health. He was lucky with
/ his cards, but he did not propose
playing for stakes. 1t was the
nettled Georgian who proposed it.
He called himself a champion
hand at poker. and when he found
that be had met his equal he de-
termined TO test the strangers f.
nanciaI metal.
They had fifty dollars on the
table when the captain looked in
. to the cabin. lie caught the Geor-
gian's eye and gave him to under
stand that his opponent was riv-
er black-leg; the other gentlemen
had dropped their cards and
crowded around, money was up,
and the information had come too
late. Besides, the Georgian was
doing we'll enough, and he fl ttter-
ed himself that he could teach the
courteous black leg lesson.
1t was a very quiet group a
round the table, and after the
pla7 mad continued for fifteen min,
utes the gentlemen spoke in wills
perS, and some of them were re-
minded of oldeu times on the Mis-
sissippi, when gamblers had the
full run ofevery boat.
The Georgian had luck with
him from the start, and while he
looked smiling and confident, the
gambler appeared to grow excited
and uneasy. His money was rak-
ed across the table until :he Geor-
gian had 5000 in greenbacks be-
fore him. The stakes had been
Light up to this time; both men
seeming to fear each others skill
The Gaorgiln proposed to increase
them, and the gambler agreed
In ten minutes the latter had his
$500 back. Luck had turned
The Georgian lost $40; then $50;
then $50; then Sl00.
The gamblers face wore a quiet
smile, as the Georgian became
nervous. His hands trembled as
he held up the cards, and his face
was wet with moisture.
"Come, gentlemen!' sail one of
the group, '1et's have. a general
hand, for amusement, and then
turn in"
The Georgian looked up with
fixed glance, and replied:
81 have lost S400; he must give
me a far show!"
The play went on. The heap
of greenbacks at the gamblers
right hand grew larger. Once in
a while the Georgian Won, but he
lost ten dollars for every one gain
ed. He finally laid down his
cards, pulled roll of bills from a
breast pocket, and counted out.
$500. This was his pile. In
less than ten minutes every dollar
Of it had been added to the gam
bler's heap.
Gentlemen, will you smoke?"
asked the gambler, as he turned
around and drew his cigar case.
They knew his true character
in spite of the disguise, and they
refused.
81 am sorry for my friend" he
continued, biting at the end of a
cigar, "but you will agree that the
play was fair
The Georgian had passed out
On the promenade deck. The
gambler turned to his stack of
bills and was counting them when
there was sharp exclamation,
the sounds of a brief struggle,
aud the little woman with blue
eyes and chesuut curls entered
the cabin. She was half undfess-
ID, a shawl thrown over her shoul-
lers, and she had a revolver in
Ter hand.
No one had seen her leave the
itate- room and cross the cabin
No one knew that her husband
lad the revolver in his hand as