Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-09-03
Mexican Mantle


81 was just reading said a we'll
known Denver sport to a NelOs man,
'about man winking his eye after his
head was cut off. and | had an argu-
ment with Tom Rowe who said sucn d
| thing was impossible. But Tom don t
know. He never saw mans head
cut off. Now, know that have seen
| something just rs strange. | will tell
you about it. Twenty years ago this
month there was lot OF us took trip
| to old Mexico, to see what we could
scoop inland, Dy the way, we got
scooped--and went to bucking heavy
on every game we could strike. Well,
what | started out to tell was about one
of our gang, named Bill Brewster Bill
was rafting dealer, good hand at
short cards, and always had pocket
full of money till he got struck on Mex
lean monte.
Talk about your grcaser's infatua-
ton for the game. | never saw one OF
them that could hold a marker to Bill
He'd get broke. Then he "a get pack
of cards and deal himself He'd turn
the cards for anybody or anything when
| he was busted. Sometimes he'd make
a raise and quit, and 60 to playing
faro, where he was. as a rule, lucky
But no sooner did lie get big stake
than he would tackle monte, and would
invariably get downed. Us boys tried
to persuade him to stick to a white
mans game, but no, he wouldn't have
it. and was almost all the time in
chronic state of impecuniosity.
'One day Bill had established him.
self in pulque shop with his cards,
and was turning them for anybody who
wanted to wager a cent. There was a
party of Mexican bloods in the room,
and finally they saunted over to Bills
table, and one of them asked him If he
would turn for 800. Bill said he would
although he didn't have but SO in the
bank. The fellow slaps down his mon
ey, and Bill wins. That made the
Mexican mad, and he slaps down an
other. Bill wins again. The third
time, and Bill scooped the pile.
'The Mexican asked Bill if he would
turn for $1,000, and Bill told him it
didn't make any difference if he made
it million, as the bank was able to
pay ten times that amount. The Next
can bet and lost. Then he accused
Bill of cheating. Bill called him a
liar.
II was standing right to one side of
Bill. He had the cards in his left hand,
and had hold OF the bottom cards with
his right hand, The Nj xican's hand
was on his gun.
" Hold on, says Bill, don't draw
till ! make this turn. I'll bet you ST.
600 to 500 that it's the seven OF
spades.
-" Done, says the Mexican, who
threw 500 on the table.
"Bill commenced pulling the card out
slowly. The Mexican was watching.
There were two black spots showed up,
and Bits hand stopped. Quick as a
flash the Mexican drew his gun and
fired. Bill never moved in his chair,
but his right hand kept its slow motion
until the card was drawn from the pack
and held up to view. 1t was the seven
OF spades. The hand moved slowly
back again and the card was laid on
the table. Bill then leaned back in his
chair and shut his eyes,
1--WE were all SO excited when the
shot was fired that we didn't know
what to do, and, as Bill continued to
turn the card, we supposed he hadn't
been hit, but we found out differently
when we examined him. He was shot
directly through the heart.
"Now, | reason that thing out this
way: Bill was determined to convince
that Mexican that he didn't know as
much as he thought he did That
thought was in his mind when he was
shot, and, though killed instantly, his
wishes We're carried out after death.
Bill was game, too, and believe if he
hadn't realized that he was dead man
when shot, and hadn't wanted to win
the MeXiean's money, he would have
grabbed his gun and done some execu-
ton with it.
That's why | say man can do
thing after he's dead. "-Dencer Nes0s.