The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-05-14
REDDY'S BIG HAND.
A GOLD DECK" THAT MADE IT VERY
WARM FOR THE "RAlSERS."

A Game of Poker That the Old sports of
California Remember-Three Aces Was
His Weakness. bat Somehow ~. Caught
the Fourth That Time.
In the early days of California. in the
good times before the ranchmen and
Judge Sawyer came there with their in
functions To put stop TO hydraulic
mining and a stopper on the men of the
mountains who first lifted California out
of the hide and tallow trade and placed
her in the asterhood of states; i'm those
days when the honest miner was digging
his bushels of money out of the gulches
and hills, and making life possible and
profitable 10 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, a
man known to all the old time Pacific
coast sports), found immensely rich
diggings at Forest City, Sierra county.
They frequently cleaned up from $40, 900
to 100000 at one time. When a clean
up was made one of the partners would
take the dust Ia the mint in San Fran
cisco.
HE FoUGH. THE TIGER"
In making these trips they generally
took turns 1t 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.
Ii 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 a proverb
among the Sacramento sports. On one
occasion, when Reddy had been playing
all night with some Sacramento men
and quit IS, 900 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, a poker game was
started. In the game were Reddy, Eos
ter. hotel keeper from one of the south
ern counties; Charlie Dawson. and two
other sports. 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 Roddy had only three aces,
Dawson went it strong, and, having his
three aces. Rcddy 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 cot
in the draw.
DOMINGO JOE'S SONG.
The betting very shortly became red