The Press., 1889-10-31
MELANCHOLY LUCK eF | GAMBLER. :,

Ea OneeI was on my wayup from Memphis. and after the first night aboard the boat i ran upon an, old-fime, gambler. whom I knew very we'll and whom found leaning over the rail at the stern of the boat look ing, with Q dead stare, into the water. while he pulled one by one the grains of an ear of red corn, and slowly dropped them into the river. I knew at once that something had struck the fellow, for I never before saw him act like that, and went up and slapped him on the back. Ihls salute made him turn around with a start and face me; but he did not seem even then to see me. There was an ab- sent, far-away look in his eyes.
 "Weli," asked, s'what's the matter with you? Why, you look positively sui
 Then the poor fellow leaned against the rail and began to drop the corn on the deck.
 My friend,1 said he, in tones of deep earnestness, sI've jumped the game for good, and you'll never catch me on the river again."'s
 "Well, weH," I exclaimed, by way of banter, "the devil must be deviiish sick this morning to be in such 8 monkish mood What sort of hole are you in, anyhow ?" '7''
 "You ought to know me we'll enough" he answered, ,swith solemn shake of the head, s't0 know that am not afraid of holes ; but, ,-sir. know how to take hint, and ! tell you I've jumped the game for good. Its just this way: For three en- tire trips I've been doing nothing but bncking fours and fulls, and last night the climax came. I stayed out Of the regulae games all evening because my capital was too low for them and my luck was . good deal lower. My plan, you see, was to. get up little nasty, social game among few timid amateurs, and, finally. Itook in tow a Yankee and two Mississippians who came aboard at Vicksburg.,a f
 "I was very shy about it, and. when we | got 2 table to sit at and the Yankee asked | for chips pretended that ], never carried such things with me. One of the Missis- sippians spoke up then and said that corn was good enough for our purposes, and he went oil to get an ear. When he came back he shelled the corn and opened the bank. I soon saw that there wasn,t one of them up to tricks, but, Holy Moses, l what hands they did heldt They didn't tknow enough to be bluffed, but I didn't find 1t out until they had strapped, me. You see, was mad and reckless, and when l felt in my pocket.and couldn't find any more corn to put up, and my capital was all gone, I determined to rob the crowd. Accordingly. I excused myself on the next deal and went below. It was as black as your hat down there, but I groped my way to the corn bin and, picked up an ear, shelled of handful and threw the ear back. Then I sal, in again, and when it was my time to chip I went down into my pocket and chipped. I was mortified the next moment when the Yankee said
 See here, my friend, we are playing with yellow corn -. .. : T had gone and chipped inired |. What could I do but throw up my hand and sneak away from the scorn of the whole party. I went straight to bed, and this morning as soon, as the sun. came up I slipped into my clothes and hurried down to the bin. Lying right on top was this ear from which I had shelled that pocket. ful last night, and overhauled the entire bin without finding another like it. Yes sir, there was only one red ear among all these hundreds of ears, and I got 1t You don suppose I'm going to, fight such luck as that, do you? Of course I'm not and I tell you I've jumped the game"
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