Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-03-14
TRAVELLING wrTH GAMBLERS.

In the year 1861 I wa q passenger
On one Of the mail boats running on /,
the Ohio river from Cincinnati to
Louisville. Among the passengers
unknown to me was Q. party of gen.
tlemauly-appearing gamblers, travel
ing for pleasure and ofcourse to ply
their vocation whenever opportunity
presented. Not being aware Of this
however, when it wrs proposed 70
have q game Of cards. after the boat
got under Roadway, simply to pass
away the time, I did not mistrnst for
. moment that a job was being set mp
on me.
l was the more i~nnocently drawn
into the spiders Web from the
fact that grains OF corn were only
usedto "ante up with instead Of mo-
ney. We played TINS until the boat
struck q landing, when a boy coming
ing on board vith a basket OF ..per
cans, each n buying q measure,
we continsed the game, substituting
the nuts for the corn, playing and
eating until they were exhausted az
ter which . of the party suggested,
in order t. make it more interesting,
to ante a small amount of money,
which was done, the etakes being,
gradually increased as the game
progressed.
They had g nearly 500 from als,
when snddsnly looking around, | dis
covered that % man--one Of their
pals--hsd all along been stationed
behind nay chair, and as nay next
hand was being played | observed
che man seated opposite to me es-
change chances with him.
In a moment 7 realized that l had
been yietimizea / knew, though, it
Ass no use to s'sqneal,"1 but being
the loser / declined, as Was my priyi-
lege,g to play any further. When
commenced I had $40. 1 calculated
the trip would cost me $50, besides
what I had paid, and leave NE a sur
plus OF SIS instead OF which now
actually lacked five dollars of having
enough TO get back heme. OIL what
was / 10 dor IL IL trueI had q fine
watch and chain ; / did not relish the
Riea Of parting with these, though.
Z The gamblers thinking me, n
aeuht, "a man OF means and a good
subject, kept on importunjng me tt
resume the game, and laughed at wha'
fhtyatermed my eowardice, or wan
Of piack, especially the one who had
stationed himself at the back of iii,
chair, aud made the signs.
When I stood their banterhlg ant
laughing abont ~ long rs | could,
turned suddenly on the gambler whit
had made the signs, saving:
'.I-ook here, now@-yoa have al
laughed at me about long enough.
hare been beat oat OF nearly twent,
dollsrs, whether by fair means or fou
Idon't know-you do; but l pro
pose nov -" s
greater cause to laugh, or to laugh
itrsfe myself"
Putting my hands in my pocket,
drew out q silver half dollar, whicI
was all Ihsd besides the twenty dol
lara, aud slappiHe it down iii tiea'
earnest, said: sa0 - 7af
srsHssds or tails, now, for a 90
billii' y ilf
The gaInblsF was completely take
by surprise. This was a fair an
honest game that he was unused 70
and n at which sporting signs woul'
he Of no avail to him; yet he dar
not refuse 60 accept the candid ban
ter, for fear Of the laugh being turn
ed on him at being bluffed. His fec
elongated perceptibly, as he sxclaim
ed:
Are you IN earnest SIR"
Perfectly .so,' said /.
The gambler, matched, and lost
and, with as good grace ss possibl
under the circumstances, teok out hi
pocket-book, aud handed me twj
fsn-dollar bills.
Whose turn is it to laugh now?'
said 4. "And il airy of you fellow
get that twenty dollars ont of me, jus
let me know it,"
The gamblers dii not modest IN
any further. i was now all right
getting more back than l had bee,
aefraudcd oat of, bad plenty 10 &c
home, aud had Learned d good lessoI
that l have aercr forgotten.
Experiences, though solsstim mes dearly
bought,
Has to many o msB = coed lesfon..tsugh
1t served In this case fer many 3 day
70 teach me with shsrpsrs cards never {
play,
kEEPING Up APPEARANCES