The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-10-22

and tempted all my papers out Of
my trunk on the floor and Mary
gentosef them, hunting for some
thing 70 raise money out Of. l empt-
led my pockets and Mary emptiedf
lher'nshnd between US we just had:
seven dollars and thirtycents. After
hunting over everything, we.found,
that every man who owed me was
either dead or broke. / hadn't one,
single paper on which / could raise
q cent on. After we got through
the pile, ] looked at Mary and
Mary locke at me. "Now what's to
be done, Mary9a says /. "I don't
know says she, "but the Lord will
provide You see; Mary was one Of
the kest Moinaniin theizorll. .apdshdi
hadta heap Of faith in her religion
| looked at her right straight a long
time, and at last says /, "Mary, you
are a mighty good woman, and Pm
going to tell yousomething. There's
to be big dinner ats this
evening, and I'm invited. They
always play poker at that house, and
you have always been agin me play
ing and reckon you are right about
it. But things have become desper-
ate with us, and somehow l feel if
you wouldn't be agin me, but would
pray for me, / could make a raise to-
night" Says she: Bedford, l can't
do it. It's wrong for you to do it,
and I'd heap rather you wouldn't
but, Mary" says |, 81 never was
in such fix before. Here we are
with but seven dollars and thirty
cents, and that won't pay our tavern
bill. | can't loose more than that,
for I'll swear / won't bet on credit.
If | loose that, I'll come home; and if
| win, then we'll have something to
start on. Well, 1 argued and argued
with her, but she wouldn't say yes.
But at last she says: Bedford, know
your mind is set Oh it, and l know
you are going to bet, whether I am
willing or not; SO l won't say moth
ing more about it,"
."But, somehow, I felt when Istart-
ed that she was for me, and jist
knowed t'would be. Well, | went
some time before dinner and, sure
enough, they were 1T it. They had
three tables-one hadaquarter ante,
one half, and one a dollar and a
half I wanted my seven dollars to
last as long as l could make it, and
so lsat down to the quarter table
We bet on until dinner, and by that
time l had won enough to do better;
and, after we had eat, l sat down to
the dollar and q half table. Some
times | won, and then again I'd loose,
on until about midnight, then Ihad
better luck. | Iknowed Mary wass set
ting up and praying. l felt like it
made me cool. set my hat down
by my side on the floor, and every
time I'd win I'd drop the money in
the hat. We played on, and didn't
know nothing about how much I'd
won. l didn't keep any account; but
l know'd | was winning. l thought
maybe l had won a hundred dollars,
or maybe two hundred, but | didn't
know. sat there until day broke,
and then we went home. ! took my
hat up in both hands and smashed it
on my head and went home so with
out taking it of. When got home
to my room there set Mary in her
gown and the bed wasn't mashed
She'd setup all night waiting for me.
She seemed tired and anxious, and
though she looked mighty hard at
me, she didn't say word. walked
right up to her, and pulling off my
hat with both hands l emptied it all
into the lap of her gown. And then
we sat down and counted it."
"How much was there general?"
"Just fifteen hundred dollars even.
And that" added the general, as he
walked off Agin me start"
What the Boy Bet.