Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-03-29

High Betting at Monte in the Flush
Days of California.
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the PHILADELPHIA Times.
"MOnte was the great California game in'49."
said G.. 81 have seen many big stake made or
lost ut it."
'What was the biggest single bet you ever
saw nader
Sixteen thousand dollars. There was lit
tie gambler in Frisco who used to deal it:
Sandy Jackson was his name. He came, if am
not mistaken, from somewhere in New En-
gland George Walton, the banker. wandered
into his place q little full' one night and after
looking around rather unsteadly for moment,
laid his hand on Sandy's shoulder and said
Sandy, how much in the bank tonight
"The other players turned to look at the new
comers handsome. intelligent. but rather dissi-
pated looking face. Sandy took stock of his
pile. 1t had been a lucky night for him. "A
thousand ounces he replied (sl6,OO0).
"'Wil you take tap, Sandy asked the
banker.
SANDY seemed to study for moment. He
was evidently little staggered at the reckless
proposition. The lights shOne full on his
peaked, Old-mannish features Che was barely
turned Of 20). countless frcckles, sandy hair,
and little twinkling, ferret's eyes. He fixed his
gaze on the window so intenty that his eyes
seemed to pierce the panes and the darkness be-
yOnd to seek some far-away object his hands
opened and shut nervousiy. Suddenly the lines
about his mouth frightened; he leaned back in
his chair, and turning his face to look up at
Walton, uttered the one word. Yes
The banker seemed a little surprised. He
evidently did not think his offer would be &C
cepted. Still he was too proud and too game a
man to weaken now. SO lie walked over to a
side table, aud. drawing q blank check from his
pocketbook, filled it in tor the amount named.
scrubbed his name at the bottom, and tossed it
over to Sandy with the remark: lis that alright!
SANDY glanced at it. All right, guess he
muttered; does it go?'
THE banker nodded The gamblers at the
other tables stopped playing and clustered
around this one to see the result. In Monte the
first card shown is for the dealer the second
for the player Sandy turned up twO-the
first was queen, the second a nine. Which,
ever came first now would win. Sandy placed
them next each other a few inches apart. The
room was rs still as death.
SANDY gave quick glance around the
gallery and then began to pull away the cards
from the bottom one by one. He was as white
as ghost, but otherwise betrayed no emotion
nor would any one have supposed that all he
had In the world was at stake.
The excitement grew intense as card after
card was removed and not nine nor a face carr!
showed itself. Ten, deuce, eight, four, ace six
a dozen or more cards had been shown when
Sandy pauscd the card beneath the one he
was pulling had a thin layer of color along it's
edge-it must be a face card; but was it a
queen. or only jack or a king?
SANDY paused, and, taking his handkerchief
out of his pocket, passed it lightly over his face,
and then replaced it. Again he pressed his fin
ger against the bottom card, and. as it slowly
yielded. hOarse voice behind SaBGy's chair
called out: "A queen, by
'Sandy's face was the color of ashes, but all
ne said was:
81 leave for the states in the mornin''
'Then he picked UP the check. and. folding 1t
up carefully, placed it in an enormous red mo-
rocco pocketbook. Games closed forto- night
he remarked, in answer to question. Come
boys, let's 20 to the Belle of the West, and I'll
set up the wine for the crowd
"As the boys filed down the crcaking stair
way one very DID, white-hared gambler whis-
pered to another, loud enough for me to hear:
. The siickeSt | ever see. Must done 1t
when he wiped his face on that thar handker-
cher ~