The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-08-05
The Hand Which Won.

It was one of the handsOmest packets on the
river, and among the passengers bound IF
Vicksburg were Georgian and his wife, who
have relatives in Mississippi.
He was a large-sized, handsome looking man,
and she was pleasant looking little woman,
with blue eyes and short chestnut crls. One
would lave said that she would have screamed
at a tilt of the boat.
He sat smoking with other gentlemen after
she had retired to her state-room, and the cab
in was entirely clear of ladies, when some one
proposed game OF cards. In ten minutes af
| ter half a dozen men were shuff1ing cards over
cabin tables and the Georgian was matched
against a stranger to all Oh board. He was a
| quiet courteous, well-dressed man, and had
| been 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
! he h; d met his equal he determined to lest the
strangers financial metal.
They had fifty dollars on the table when the
/ captain looked into the cabin. He caught the
Gtorgians eye and gave him to understt = II {!
that his opponent was Il river backlog, but
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 well enough and he flat
tered himself that he could teach the courteous
| blacll-eg a lesson.
| 1t was Il very quiet group around the table,
and after the play had continued for fifteen
minutes the gentlemen spoke in whispers, and
some Of Them were reminded of old times on
the Mississippi when gamblers had the fall
rus of every boat.
The Georgian had luck With him from the
start, and while be looked smiling and conf
dent, the gambler appeared to grow excited
and uneasy. His money was raked across the
table until the Georgian tad 5000 in green
backs before him. TIL. stakes had been light
up to this time, both men seeming to fear each
others skill The Georgian proposed to in
crease th. N. and the gambler agreed. In ten
minutes the l,ttterhad his $500 back. Luck had
| turned. The Georgian lost twenty, then fifty,
| then eighty. then one hundred dollars.
| The gamblers face wore q quiet smile, as
| the Georgian became nervous. His hand trem-
| bled as re held up the cards, and his face was
| wet with moisture.
| ''Come gentlemen 90 said one of the group,
''let's have a general game for amusement, and
then turn in.''
The Georgian looked up with fixed glance
and replied:
II have lost 800; he must give me fair
show -
The play went OH. 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 ore gained. He finally laid
down his cards, pulled Il roll Of bills from his
breast pocket, and counted out $500. This was
his pile. In less than tell minutes every dol
Ltr of it had been added to the gamblers 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 his
disguise, and they refused.
II 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 prone
made deck. The gambler turned to his stack
OF bills and was counting them when there was
q sharp exclamation, the sound of a brief strug-
gle, and the little woman with blue eyes and
chestnut curls, entered the cabin. She was
half undressed, and shawl thrown over her
shoulders, and she had revolver in her hand.
No one had seen her leave her state-rcom
and cross the cabin. No one kreW that her
husband had the revolver in his hand as she
softly came upon him. go back ~ he whis-
pered, II am coming in moment ~
With swift motion she seized the weapon
wrenched it from his grasp, and as she came
| down the cabin to the table at which the gam
! bier sat- and around which half dozen men
yet fingered, her blue eyes were full Of fire.
The gambler looked up.
The hammer of the revolver came up with Il
double click.
A white arm stretched out, and the muzzle
OIL the IcYOlNCI llOAcu SIIdlolI luto CIl0 gam
blers face.
He turned rale; the men fell back.
For half minute the deep silence was bro
ken only by the faint splash OF the paddle
wheels.
go - she said.
He looked into her flaming eyes as if he
could bluff her.
/ go -
He rose and reached for the money.
Leave y she whispered making threat
| ening motion with the revolver.
| lie retreated back.
| She followed
Foot by foot he backed across the cabin, the
muzzie OF the revolver always on live with
MS lace. lie backed through the door on the
promenade deck and the railing was there. !.
''You can have tine money! he said.
''Jump?' she repeated.
81 will mott"
The arm came up little, and the light from
the cabin showed him a bold, strange, deter
mined look on her face. He turned about.
shivered, and was over the rail, leaping far out
and unable to suppress cry Of alarm, as he
felt himself going down.
The boat swept along, her arm fell, and re-
entering the cabin, she sat down, leaned her
bead en- the table and wept bitterly.
The passengers said she was q ''brick.'
Was she p Vichsburg Herald.
NJ. T. H., Il