The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-31
right down thar.

right down thar.
"Giant Jack sot down ter ther table,
an Horton seated himself opposite ter
him.
"They cut fur deal, an Giant Jack
drew Their highest keerd.
"'What's yer gamer he axed, shufflin'
Their pasteboards.
"'Seven up, said Horton. That's ther
most poplar game jest now
"Ther game wuz small at fust, an HOr-
ton won six out ov ther fust seven.
Then bigger stakes wuz made, an Giant
Jack won erbout four ont ov every five
games.
"When Their young folks, back here in
ole Missoury, useter play keerds fur fun,
John Norval useter be Their smartes' an
luckiest one ermongst 'em; an, fur Their
fust time since he'd ben at ther camp,
Horton had found his match.
sit wuz er purely scientific game, each
man bein' too clever fur Their other ter
attempt any cheatin'. Horton wuz stead
lily losin', but he didn't offer ter give up
playin'. I've noticed, az er gineral thing.
that Their more er man loses when he's
gamblin', ther more anxious he is ter
play.
"At last Horton rose ter his feet, look
in pale an haggard.
eye have cleaned me OUT he said.
I've nothin' more ter stake
"'Thar's yer daughter said Giant
Jack coolly. I'll lay half NV Their pile
that I've won ter night g'inst her.
"Horton glared at him er minute, an
then sot down ter ther table erg'in.
"Giant Jack dealt Their keerds, an Their
game commenced Horton made Their
Jack, an Giant Jack wuz high, low,
game.
''Ther second heat, liant Jack went
high, low, jack an thef game.
"'Pve won,' he said, quietly.
Horton jumped ter his feet an drew
his pistol; but quick ez er flash Giant
Jack covered him with his own barkin'
iron.
"'Drap that said he, sternly, 'ur yell
find ken play at pistols ez well ez at
keerds.
ether pistol drapped from Horizons
trenholm hand ter Their floor. He knew
that Giant Jack wuz Their best shot in
the camp.
"Horton glared at Giant Jack fur
bout half er minute, an then he called
Clara from her little room at Their end Nv
Their cabin.
Take her erway from here at once,
he said ter Giant Jack. She can't stay
here ter-night; an hope I'll never set
eyes on her erg'in.'
''In er few words, Giant Jack told her
what had happened: an ther look uf
joy that shone in her eyes told palmer
than words could have done how pleased
she wuz at Their turn erfairs had taken
Without er word Nv farewell ter her
father, ur even er backward glance, she
TUX Giant Jacks arm an he led her from
Their cabin, leavin' behind him every
thing else that he had won from Horton.
eve gave up our cabin ter Clara that
night, an slept in Their cabin that be-
longed ter ther fellers that went with us
ter Horizons, which wuz close to our'n.
"The next day we-Clara, Giant Jack
and myself-took ther stage fur Frisco;
an ez soon ez we got thar Giant Jack and
Clara wuz married"
"And what became of her father"
asked.
81 don't know whatever become Nv
Horton. We never heard from him
since that night we left him erlone in
his cabin at ther Californy minin' camp.
Yes, that woman yer see jest now with
Giant Jack-ur John Norval, ez he is
known erbout here's his wife; an he
won her, not with er sword, nor exactly
by courtship. In plain English, he won
her at the old fashioned game uf high,
low, Jack. y. 81. Spencer in Chicago
Ledger.