The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-06-06
A RAFFLE FOR FREEDOM.
rFrom Appleton's journal for june.

. I
! EFrom Appleton's Journal for June
. We translate from a German
sketch of American travel the sub
, joined account of au incident alIeg
ed to have occurred on a Mississippi
steamboat a short time before til,
war. s-e sr
81 assembled the Mississippi
says the writer, ION a steamer OF
board of which were Judge =
and General K, of Pennsyl
vania, with both of whom / was
slightly acquainted"
4i" A hard set, these Natchez men, .
said the captain, who met US on the
cabin>stairs. There's some ol
them down in the saloon playing
high game. How men can be such
fools, could never see %
"Let's 60 down and look on
awhile suggested the judge.
In the saloon we found four men
seated at a table, around which q
crowd of spectators was gathered.
The four were the g heavy players -
The game was poker, and the
money changed hands rapidly. We
had not been looking on long, when
one Of the players, middle-aged
man, who l learned was a cotton
planter, bet his last dollar against
tie hand of his antagonists. The
latter showed four kings, while lie
had only four queens, He was
'' cleaned out" and rose as though
he was going to leave the table.
Are you broke, colonei?" asked
one of the men.
''Dead!'' was the laconic reply.
"Never mind; I'll lend you
4" No l can make raise, [ reckon.
Here, Pompr'
"Here, massa !'' responded an old
negro, as he emerged from one cor
ner of the saloon.
g Bring that girl and her youngster
here, that L bought in Natchez.
Wait few minutes, gentlemen. FL
raise some money" a
The old negro went on his errand
and soon returned with the girl and
her youngster. The girl proved
to be stately mulatto woaIau about
thirty live years old. Her.youngster'
was a fine, intelligent-Iooking boy
eleven or twelve years old, whose
complexion showed him to be much
more nearly allied to the white. race
than to the black.
Here, gentlemen, said the plan
ter, as they entered, "you see this
girl and her boy-two as fine Mig
gers as you can find anywhere. L
paid eight hundred dollars for them
yesterday in Natchez. Who wilt
give me six hundred for them p
i. ''Wtll you sell them separate?' e
asked some one.
No, can't do it ); | promised not
to. The girl swears she'll take her
life if she's separated from her boy,
and her old master said that he was
sure she'd keep her word. But don't
you all see that the girl is worth
more money than | ask for both oil
them? Come. who'll give me six
hundred for both?''
The planter waited moment fer
a reply, and theu said: -
y' = w ell, / must have some money.
Come, what say you 10 ritfle-thlrLy
chances at twenty dollars chance!
Out with your cash, gentlemen.
The first onestiIe list has the first
throw II sea-8 asEB afsszz fHy
This proposition created decided
STIR among all present. lie three
players at the table led off by taking
three chances each. Their example
was followed by the spectators, and
twenty chances were taken as rapid
ly as the planter could write dowa
the names and take The money. Then
there was a slight pause. The plan
ter himself now took oachances,
and he was followed 10y his three
fellow players, who each took one
chance more. Finally, three more
chances were taken by the spectators,
when the planter cried out !: 1a.lg j..
1.-Two chances still, gentlemen
Who will have themE'
General K whispered some
thing III Judge Us ear, and then
went TO the table and laid two ten
NOItaL I-PlSSSS OH ie'
= Name, sir, please"
Never mind the name, Put it
down for the woman
Eh-whatl the girl herself?'
:. Yes. certainly; let's give her
chance
I" All right One for Ninette.
And now, .--s4.,,.. 4
That's for the boy, said -
quietly. as he laid twenty dollars on
the table. ss,
:" Good bravo bravo !" cried the
planter and several OF the by-stand-
ers. "One for Tommy. which makes
the thirty. Now, gentlemen, let's
see whom luck favors." -
The dice we're brought and the
throwing began. Each chance en-.
tilted the holder to three throws.
Thirtyrsix was the highest throw
until the holder of the eleventh
chance threw lie scored forty-two.
Then less number was thrown,
until NUMBER twenLy-o scored forty
nine.
The excitement now became in
tense. Forty-nine was hard te beat
the highest throw possible being
nine sixes-fifty-four.
Again and again the dice ratified
in the box. until it came to number
twenty-nine.