The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-01-03
REDDY'S BIG HAND.
A GOLD DECK" THAT MADE IT VERY
WARM FOR THE "RAlsERS."

III tilt tsti Vi Sdliiotukds III tbC
good times before the ranchmen and
..FS e, lere with their in
...r B. r op to hydraulic
...... an on the men Of the
wV tr ted California out
a. DID,. trade and placed
H ID. @ { states; in those
I Jays wnen the honest miner was digging
his bushels of money out of the gulches
and hills, and making life possible and
profitable to those on the ranches in the
valleys, gold coin and gold dust were
not held with the throttling grasp char
acteristic of this horticultural and bucolic
era. Then the eager and alert eye Of the
calculating rancher sought out the min
ers as he descended from the heights of
the Sierras, and his hand was extended
in welcome, while the man of nuggets
and 'chispas' was still afar off.
In those days of old, and days of gold,
Reddy and Andrews tom Andrews,
man known to all the old time Pacific
coast sports), found immensely rich
diggings at Forest City, Sierra county.
They frequently cleaned up from $50, 900
to $4,000 at one time. When a clean
up was made one of the partners would
take the dust to the mint in San Fran
cisco.
HE FOUGHT THE "TIGER."
In making these trips they generally
| took turns. It was before the days of
| the railroads; was in the old, romantic,
sociable, happy times Of the steamer
lines on the rivers of the Golden state.
It was the regular habit of the partners
on getting off the rolling, humping
mountain coach, to stay all night at
Sacramento, taking the boat the next
afternoon for San Francisco. When it
was the turn of Andrews to go down to
the BAY with the dust he frequently did
battle with the "tiger" while lying over
at Sacramento, but Reddys strong suit
was poker. Three aces was his big
hand. When he held three aces he would
bet his "bottom dollar and go his liver
and lights blind" This was SO well
known that it had passed into proverb
among the Sacramento spons. On one
occasion, when Reddy had been playing
all night with some Sacramento men
and quit $4,000 ahead Of the game, it
was concluded to follow him up. In
pursuance of this plan some of the sports
with whom he had spent the night
Charlie Dawson among the number
told Reddy that they had concluded, Just
for the fun of the thing, to take little
run with him down the bay.
The boat had not proceeded far down
/ the river before, as the most natural
thing in the world, poker game was
started. In the game were Reddy, Fos-
ter, a hotel keeper from one of the south
ern coJ1ties; Charlie Dawson, and two
other sforts. A job had been put up to
raise a cold deck and give Reddy his ia
vorite hand of three aces The game pro-
ceeded, and at the proper time Dawson
raised the deck. The cards were dealt,
and Reddy got his three aces, Dawson
three kings and the others Indifferent
hands. In the draw Dawson got the
other king, and Reddy drew two cards,
but, having his three aces, he felt strong
enough to fight an army, and he did not
pick up or look at the two cards he had
drawn. Betting began, and Foster and
the two sports with Dawson did not come
in. Having four kings, and being conf
dent that Reddy had only three aces,
Dawson went it strong, and, having his
three aces, Reddy felt that nothing could
whip him. He was SO sure that he was
right that he paid no attention to the
cards lying by his side which he had got
in the draw.
DOMINGO JoE's SONG.
The betting very shortly became red
hot Most of the loungers about the boat
were soon gathered around the two men,
watching the game with breathless inter-
est. Among the lockers on was Domingo
Joe, nervous and restless little sport
who was Dawson's friend and chum. Joe
"a Portuguese or Spaniard-was skip
ping back and forth in restless way that
seems characteristic of understood men
H.; ho cho
of the two men at their cards as often as
an opportunity offered, his eyes sparkling
and dancing with excitement.
He felt confident that the cards had
been properly stacked, yet he would
have given whole handfuls of gold for a
single peep at those which Reddy had
not yet picked up Several thousand
dollars had already been bet, and finally,
as stumper, Dawson went $4,000 bet
ter. Reddy promptly saw the raise and
said, 81 go you another $4,000 better"
Quite absent mindedlc he then picked up
the two cards that had all along been
lying unnoticed at his side. The weasel
eve of Domingo Joe detected the other
ace as the cards were lifted: Instantly
an ashy pallor spread over his weazen
visage 1t seemed as though he had been
stricken by death However, the stroke
paralyzed him for only moment, and
almost instantly he recovered his self
ID both hands into
a-a #@ a.. as assuming an
d off from the
..er s lntering up and
5awa .. ID.
#.# af in, GOO, boys,
- - ~----- - = -iere too
That was enough for Dawson. The
words of Domingo Joe's pretended song
came to his ears as a death knell. He