The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-07-14
BATTLING FOR FREED OH.

AASA 6AAIS AAO" IL NGtA W ct4NA
I could never see !"
"Let's go down and look on for
awhile" suggested the Judge.
In the saloon we found four men seated
at a table, around which a crowd of
spectators were 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 middle-aged man, whom l
learned was a cotton planter, bet his last
dollar against the hand OF one of his an
tagonists. The latter showed four kings,
while he had only four queens. He was
cleaned out" and rose as though he
were going to leave the table.
Are you broke, colonel ?" asked one
Of the men.
Dead p was the laconic reply.
Never mind I'll lend YOU"
mo; | can make a raise, | reckon
here, Pomp"
"Here, massa :" responded an old ne
gro, as he emerged from one corner of
the saloon.
Bring that girl and her youngster
here; that | bought in Natchez. Wait
a few minutes, gentlemen, TH raise some
money"
The old negro went on his errand and
soon returned with the girl and her
youngster. The "girI" proved to be a
stately mulatto woman about thirty-fve
years Old Her ~"youngster" was a fine,
intelligent 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"
Here, gentlemen" said the planter,
as they entered, "you see the girl and
her boy-~two as fine niggers as you can
find anywhere. ] paid eight hundred
dollars for them yesterday in NatcheGz.
Who will give me six hundred dollars
for themY
"Will you sell them separate ?' asked
some one.
mo, can't do it | promised not to,
The girl swears Fshe'll take her life if
she's separated from her boy, and the old
master said that he was sure she'd keep
her word. But don't you all see that
the g!ll il worth nor than | ask for both
of them? Come, who'll give me six
hundred for both p
The planter waited a moment for a re-
ply, and then said:
"Well, ] must have some money.
what say you to a raf1e-thirty
chances at twenty dollars a chance?
Out with your cash, gentlemen. The
first On the list has the first throw? ?"
This ~propoCtjon created a decided stir
among all present. The three players
at the table led off by taking three :
each. Their example was fol- .
owed by the spectators, and twenty =
were taken as rapidly as the :
could write down the names and i
AXE the money. Then there was a :
light pause. The planter himself now !.
ook two chances, and he was followed =
" his three fellow-players, who each q
ook one chance more. Finally, three -
more chances were taken by the specta-
ors, when the planter cried out: &
1.-TWO more chances, gentlemen; who d
Till have them 2" q
General K whispered something u
Judge J-'s ear, and then went to /!
table and laid two ten-dollar gold u
ieces Oh it. "
Name, sir, please" LII
Never mind the name. Put it down IL
II the woman" al
Eh-what for the girl herself?" 10
Eyes, certainly; let's give her a :"
nc
"All right! One for Ninette. And al
wv" I'd
" That's for the boy" said Judge ~
quietly, as he laid twenty dollars p
the table. va
I" Good! bravo! bravo !" cried the Cn'
anter and several Of the bystanders. "a
)ne for Tommy, which makes the VIA
Irty. Now, gentlemen, let's see whom =.
X favors." 'he
The dice were brought and the throw tho
began. Each chance entitled the our
der TO three throws. m
was the highest thrown un-
the holder of the eleventh chance Do
He scored forty-two. Then a
number was thrown until number =
scored f~orty-nine.
he excitement now became intense. in
LYNNE was hard to beat; the highest the
Nv possible being nine sixes-sixty- vii
in I
anu again 'ne oic0r a'1leo IN The
until it came to number TWENTY sa+1,
J. -
Come, Finette-it's your turn nowr" III
S the poor woman came forward, her o..a,
Is crossed and pressed convulsively go.
nst her breast, it was truly painful 10
illness her agitation. 0''
tract
'on : 'n0 geh'ienlan 'ns' LOOK the hick'
&c for me please throwT" she asked Iao+h
.O"' 'ieAa'ro" 10ne. did v
fs yout 10y 'hio", replied three