Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1878-02-28
RAISING q cold Deck.

Va 1''O q SuANhS'' e'A'Nt A''tS, -Ae~N%S
& Andrews owned immensely
rich diggings in Forest City
Sierra county. They frequent
lly cleaned up from $4,000 Il
} $4,000. When a.clean-up waI
made one of the partners woulC
take the dust down to San Fran
cisco to The Mint.
In making these trips they
generally took turns. 1t was
their custom TO stop over nigh
in Sacramento, and take the
boat tac next afternoon at two
1 O'Clock for San Francisco
I When Andrews went down tt
Sacramento he frequently did
battle with the Tiger" but
Reddy's strong suit was poker
Three aces was his big hand
When be had three aces he
would bet his "bottom doliar.a
This was vel. known among
the sports.
On one occasion Reddy had
been playing all night with
some Sacramento sports, and in
the morning quit $500 ahead of
The game. The Sports-Char-
ley Dawson was among tho
number-did not relish his,get-
ting away with the coin, and
concluded, "just for the fun of
the thing" as they told Reddy.
to take little run down the
ebay"
The boat had not proceeded
far down The river, before, as
the most natural thing in the
world, a poker game wasstarted.
In the game were Reddy, Fos-
ter, a hotcl-keepcr from one of
the southern mining counties,
and Charley Dawson and two
other sports.
A job had been put up to
"raise a cold deck" and give
Rcddy his favorite hand of
three aces. The game proceed
ed, and at the proper time Daw-
son "raised the deck"
The cards were dealt, and
Ready got his three aces, Daw-
son three kings and the others
indinerenthands In the draw,
Dawson. got the other king.
Reddy drew two cards, but,
having his three aces, he felt
strong enough to fight an army,
and did not pick up or look at
the two cards drawn.
Betting was begun, and Fos-
ter and the two sports that were
with Dawson did not come in.
Having four kings, and be-
ing confident that Reddy had
only his three aces. Dawson
went in strong, and having his
three aces, Reddy felt that moth
ing could whip him.
The betting was red-hot, and
most of the loungers about the
boat were gathered around the
two men, watching the game
with breathlcss interest.
Among the lookers-on was
aDomingo joe" nervous,
restless little sport, who was
Dawson's friend and chum. Joe
was slipping back and forth in
his restless way, peeping at the
two men at their cards as often
as an opportunity offered, his
eyes sparkling with excitement.
He felt quite confident that the
cards had been properly stocked,
yet he would have given much
for a peep at those Reddy had
not yet picked up.
Several thousand dollars had
already been bet, and finally, as
a stumper, Dawson went 81
| 600 hettpr. Reddy promptly
"saw the raise" and said, 81 go
you another $4,000 better" !"
Quite absent-mindedly he then
picked up the two cards that
had all the time been lying un-
noticed by his side.
The weasel eye of, "Domin-
go Joe" detected the other ace
as the cards were lifted, and an
ashy palor spread over his Wis
age. 1t was as though he had
been stricken by death.
He almost Instantly recovered
his self-possession, however, and
thrusting both hands into his
trousers pockets he sheered off
from the party, and carelessly
saunteripg up and down the
boat began singing:
And fhe other fell in TOO, boys,
And the other fell in there, too.
That was enough for Dawson.
Joe's pretended song came to
his cars as a death-knell. He
turned pale, then red, threw
! down his cards, and said:
"Take it all; | squeal." 4"
As Reddy raked down the
whole pile he threw a glance a.
round at the faces of the crowd
of silent spectators, and sang
as though the words of "Do-
tmingo joe had just reached
him:
And the other fell in too, boys,
-.