Weekly Trinity journal., 1877-06-02
|. RATTLE FOR FREEDOM.

We translate from German sketch Of
American travel the subjoined account OF
an incident alleged to have occurred on
Mississippi steamboat short time before
the war.
Il assembled the Mississippi says the
writer, "on steamer on board Of which
were Judge i and General x
of Pennsylvania. with both OF whom |
was slightly acquainted.
"A hard set, these Natchez men, said
the captain, who met us on the cabin.
stairs. There's some of them down in
the saloon playing high game. How
men can be such fools, could never seeh
"'Let's go down and look awhile sug
gested the Judge.
"In the saloon we found four men seat
ed at table, around which Il crowd of
spectators was gathered. The four were
the heavy players
"The game was poker, and the money
changed hands rapidly. We had not
been looking on long, when one of the
players, a mlddle-aged man, who learn
ed was a cotton planter, bet his last dol
lar against the hand OF one of his antag-
onists, The latter showed four kings,
while he had only four queens. He was
cleaned out and rose as thou gh he were
going to leave the table.
care you broke, colonel p asked one
of the men.
dead = was the laconic reply.
"'Never mind III lend you
"No; | can make a raise, | reckon.
Here, Pompr
"Here, massa! responded an old
negro, as he emerged from one corner Of
the saloon.
"'Bring that girl and her youngest
here, that l bought in Natchez-wait Il
few minutes, gentlemen. III raise some
money
"The old negro went on his errand and
soon returned with the girl and her young
ster. The 'girl' proved to be n stately
mula;to woman about thirty-tive years
old. Her 'youngster' was fine intelli-
gent looking boy eleven or twelve years
old, whose complexion showed him to be
much more nearly allied to the white
race than to the black.
"'IIere, gentlemen, said the planter,
as they entered, you see this girl and
her boy-two as fine niggers as you can
find anywhere. | paid eight hundred
dollars for them yesterday in Natchez.-
Who will give me six hundred for them p
"'Will you sell them separate p asked
some one
"'No, can't do it, I promised not to-
The girl swears she'll take her life eifshe'.
separated from her boy and her old mas
ter said that he was sure she'd keep hel
word. But don't you see that the girl i,
worth more money than ask for both o
them ? Come, who'll give me six hun
dred for both p
1.-The planter waited moment for l
reply, and then said {:
"'Well, must have some money
Come, what say you to a raflle-tlfrty
chances at twenty dollars chance Out
with your cash, gentlemen. The first or
the list has the first throw !!
"This proposition created decided
stir among all present. The three players
at the table led off by taking three
chances each. Their example was fol
lowed by the spectators, and twenty
chances were taken as rapidly as the
planter could write down the names and
take the money. The planter himself
now took two chances, and he was follow
ed by his three fellow players, who each
took one chance more. Finally, three
more chances were taken by the specta-
tors, when the planter cried out:
"'Two chances still, gentlemen Who
will have them p
| General K whispered some
/ thing in Judge J------'s ear, and then
went to the table and laid two ten dollar
gold-pieces on it,
"'Name, sir, please
"Neyer mind the name. Put it down
for the woman
"'Eh-what! for the girl herselfY
"'Yes, certainly; let's give her a
chance
"'An right One for Ninettc. And
now
"'Thats for the boy, said Judge
J., quietly, as he laid twenty dol
lars on the table.
"Good bravo! bravo = cried nc
planter and several Of the bystanders
'One for Tommy, which makes the thir-
ty. Now, gentlemen, let's see whom
luck favors.'
"The dice was brought and the throw
ing began. Each chance entitled the
holder to three throws.
"Thrty-six was the highest thrown
until the holder of the eleventh chance
threw. He scored forty-two Then a
less number was thrown, until number
twenty one scored forty-nine.
"The excitement now became intense
Forty-nine was hard to beat the high.
est throw possible being nine sixes-finy
| four.
"Again and again the dice ratified il
Tie 'ox, until it came to mum Der twenty
nine.
Come, Nnette-it's your turn now!
"As the poor woman came forward
her hands crossed and pressed convuls-
lively against her breast, it was truly
4 painful to witness her agitation.
won't the gentleman who took the
chance for me please throw 2 she asked
in a low, tremulous tone.
"No; let your boy throw replied The
/ o.onoraI E,.orha,.. l. ,,...fl l..,o ,,,1r.