The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-01-10
WON HER AT CARDS.
A Wild California Story Of Love and
Seven Up.

that ! first saw Giant Jack. Twas seated
on the piazza of the only hotel that the
place could boast of, when l saw a large,
handsome man, accompanied by a very
pretty woman, passing down the street.
He was over six feet in height, with
broad shoulders, a deep, full chest,
muscular and well formed limbs, glossy,
chestnut hair, and a huge beard of the
same color, which hung nearly to his
waist. He was about 50 years of age,
and his companion appeared to be about
twelve years his junior. They were
seated in o handsome carriage, drawn by
a pair of beautiful, blooded horses; and
it was evident that they belonged to a
wealthy class of people.
'That ere big fellerf" said mine host
in reply to my inquiry. "W'y, that's
John Norval. Ne m him has ailus BEN
chums ever sence we wnz boys. When
Their gold fever broke out in 40, we went
ter Californy tergether. 1t wuz while he
wuz thar that he got Their nickname NV
Giant Jack-an' ther name jest fits him;
John is er giant in size, and his heart is
big in proportion ter his body. Err better
Teller than John never stood in two
shoes; an /, who've known him ever
sence he wuz knee high ter er grass
hopper, ken swar ter it. He owns Their
big grocery store thar ercrost Their street,
an ther dry goods store jest beyond this
hotel; and Their big house yer passed Jest
before yer entered this village, is his.n.
"Me'n' John didn't make our fortin'
1.oo;NJ Colsfor1x <rpll ~ 49, Al ~
continued the landlord. "Arter we'd
BEN thar erbout five years, we got kinder
homesick; an, ez we'd made er big
enough pile ter start US in business here
in our native village, we concluded ter
pull out fur home.
"But jest before we got ready ter start,
thar wuz a new arrival at the camper
man named Horton, an his daughter.
When Giant Jack see ther gal he decided
ter stay erwhile longer, an, NV course,
ez I didn't want ter start fur home with
out him, I stayed, too. Giant Jack had
fell in love with Clara Horton, almost at
fust sight, an / couldn't blame him fur
it; fur she u purtier'n any picter I
ever see.
Horton pretended that he had come
ter dig gold, but we found out after
wards that that wuz only er blind. He
wuz a professional gambler; an before
he had ben at Their camp ten days, he
had feeced no less'n half er dozen miners.
Such scoundrels wuz very common in
ther California gold regions in them
days.
"Giant Jack disliked Horton from the
fust, but he made friends with him so he
could git 'quainted with his daughter;
an before Clara Horton had BEN er week
at the camp, she an Giant Jack wuz Their
best Nv friends.
"Giant Jack had pitied Their girl on
Their day when he had fust seen her
when Their stage had brought her an
her father up from Their city; fur she
seemed er lady, with her quiet ways an
her wistful eyes, AM not a tall fitted fur
ther wild. rovin' life, which it wuzs plain
her father wuz leadin' her.
"Pity is akin ter love, they say; an
mebbe it wuz tiier cause uv Giant Jacks
fallin' in love with Clara Horton SO sud-
den; fer ten days from tller time.h ne had
fust seen her, he axed her ter be his wife.
81 like yer better'n any other man I
ever see,' she told him, AN / would be
glad ter leave my father, whom I can
neither love nor respect; but, on her dyin'
bed, my mother made me promise never
ter leave my father, without his consent.
Eff he don't object, an you aren't ashamed
ter marry err gamblers daughter, I will
be your wife; but I can't break the
promise I made ter my dyin' mother
"Horton not only objected, but told
Giant Jack he'd put er bullet through
him eff he caught him hangin' round
arter Clara any more. No n short NV
er millioner, he said, could have his
daughter.
'.Giant Jack drew his pistol from his
belt, thought erwhile, an then put it
back erg'in.
IF yer want Clara's father said he,
I'd let daylight through yer.'
''Tl1en he went back ter Clara, an
tried ter coax her ter marry him without
her fathers consent. He told her that
her mother wouldn't blame her. ef she
knew what err blackleg her father wuz,
an that it wuz foolish fer her ter make
her own life miserable, an his'n, too,
jest fur ther SAX NV keepin' er promise.
But all his argyin didn't do no good.
Clara, though she cried when he wuz
pleadin' with her, refused ter break her
promise.
Fur three ur four days afterwards
Giant Jack went round Iookin' suller'n
er mad bull; then n evenin' he got me
an three other fellers to go up to Hor-
tons cabin.
"sLet's shake, he sasd ter Horton when
we got thar; and ter show I've got nothin'
erg'in yer Ill play err game Nv keerds
with YER
Horton shook hands with him heart
lily, but he looked err little s'prised, fur
Giant Jack had ailus refused ter play
with him before.
"'Uv course I'll have err game with
YER said he, awful clipper; fur he
thought he'd got er new victim. Set
right down thar
"Giant Jack sot down ter Their table,
an Horton seated himself opposite ter
him.
''They cut fur deal, an Giant Jack
drew Their highest keerd.
Whats yer gamer he axed, shufiin'
ther pasteboards.
a. Z = --s i -. L crNr o. -