Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-01-10
GIANT JACK.

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 IS years Of age.
and his companion appeared to be about
twelve years his junior They were
seated in handsome carriage, drawn by
a pair Of beautiful, bIooded horses; and
it was evident that they belonged 20 .
wealthy class Of people.
That ere big fellerT' said mine host
in reply to my inquiry. wy, that's
John Norvnl. Ne n him has allus be n
chums ever sence we wuZ boys. When
Their gold fever broke out in 40, we went
Ter Caiiforny tergether. 1t wuz while he
wuz thar that he got Their nickname NV
Giant Jack Their name Jest fits him;
John is or giant in size, and his heart is
big IN proportion ter his body. Err better
Teller than John never stood III two
sence he wuz knee high ter er grass
hopper. ken swar ter it, He owns Their
big grocery store thar ercrost Their street,
Ia thrr dry goods store Jest beyond this
hotel; and Their big house yer passed Jest
before yer entered this village, is hisn.
Ne n John didn't make our fortin'
iiggin' Californy gold, ez some did,
continued the landlord. "Arter we'd
ben thar erbout five years, we got kinder
hornesick. an, ez we'd made er big
ernough 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 new arrival at the CAMPER
nan named Horton, an his daughter
When Giant Jack see Their gal he decided
ter STAY erwhilc longer, an. NV course
~ | didn't want ter start fur home with
out him. STAYED, too. Giant Jack had
fell in love with Clara Horton, almost at
fust sight an couldn't blame him fur
1t; fur she wuz purtier'n any picter
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 professional gambler: an before
he had ben at ther camp ten days, he
had feece' no less n half er dozen miners.
Sush scoundrels wuz very common in
Their 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
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 err lady, with her quiet vs. an
her wstful ewes, an not tall fitted fur
Their wild. rovn' life, which it wuz plain
her father wuz leadin' her.
PITY is akin ter love, they say; an
mcbbe it WIZ Their cause Nv Giant Jacks
fallin' in love with Clara Horton SO sud
den: fer ten days from Their time he had
fust seen her. be axed her ter be his wife.
81 like yer better'n any other man
ever see, she told him. an | would be
glad ter leave my father. whom l can
neither love nor respect; but on her dyin
bed. my mother made me promise never
ter leave my father, without his consent.
Ef he don't object, an you aren't ashamed
ter marry er gamblers daughter, l will
be your wife. but | can't break the
promise made ter my dyin mother
Horton not only objected, but told
Giant Jack he'd put er bullet through
him ef he caught him hangin round
after Clara any more. No one short NV
err 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.
Then 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 Isr # she
knew what er blackleg her father wuz.
an that it wuz foolish fer her ter make
her own life miserable, an bis'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 WIZ
pleadin with her. refused ter break her
promise.
"Fur three UT four days afterwards
Giant Jack went round iookin' suller'n
er mad bull. then one evenin' he got me
an three other fellers to go up to Hor-
toms cabin.
lets shake, he said 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 er little s'prised. fur
Giant Jack had allus refused ter play
with him before.
Nv course I'll have er 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.
What's yer gamer he axed. shuffiin'
ther pasteboards.
"'Seven up, said Horton. That's Their
most poplar game Jest now
''Ther game wuz small at fust. an Hor-
ton won six out ov Their fust seven.
Then bigger stakes wuz made. an Giant
Jack WOE erbout four ont ov every Eve
games.
when Their young folks, back here in
ole Missoury. useter play keerds fur fun.
John Norvai useter be Their smartes' an
iuckiest one ernougst EN-: an, fur thef
fust time since he'd ben at Their camp,
Horton had found his match.
1T wuz er purely scientiiicxame. each
man beiu' too clever fur Their other ter
attempt any cheatin Horton wuz stead.
lily iosin'. bat he didn't offer ter give up
playin' t'c noticed. az er giueral thing.
tina, ther more er man loses when he's
hin thor Z.