The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-07-01
GAME.

ways reminds me of poor Seth Cox of
Indian Gulch," said an old pioneer
from Mariposa county us no leaned
against the bar of a down town hotel
last evening and toyed with tumbler.
''P'r'aps, though, ho added, glancing
around inquiringly, "you fellows never
heard of him"
a withered old miner from Nevada
county limited that "mebbe he was re-
lated to the Bill Cox who was hanged
ut Red Dog i'll 1861"
This the Mariposa man disputed OH
the ground that Seth during bis life
time was too square man to have
even been thirty eighth cousin to the
chap who had come to such an ignomin-
ious end at Red Dog.
"Why, sho! he went on, turning
from the Nevada man to the four other
bystanders, Seth was rs square u man
as ever met i'll California Ho would
fight, if necessary, and would drink as
much rs the next man, and what more
was wanted in those days?''
but that amt what was going to
tell You about. You see Seth had one
fault, and that wns stubbornness of the
cussedest kind all one had to do was
to take stand Oh anything, and Seth
would rs naturally take hitch OH the
contrary side and outhold your hand
somehow, even if you had all trumps.
''Seth was marshal of Indian Gulch,
up our way, as far back as 1862, and
being so stubborn he carried things
pretty much his own way. If they
didn't go his way, they were not likely
to go any way. ="
The man from the butterfly county
paused to gaze through the bottom of
his tumbler for q moment, and then re-
sumed.
Now, sho! Just to give You an idea
of how stubborn Seth was, I'll tell you
of little incident. He had Il discussion
with miner about turkey buZZards,
and just because the miner said They
Were sinking things Seth maintained
that they We're second to nothing i'll the
poultry line Well the miner thought
he'd take a fall out of Seth and the
next day brought him turkey buzzard
and dared him to eat it. Yes, wagercd
him $50 on it. Did he win: Why. sho!
Seth alto the buZZard, and us he was
picking the bones inquired if there was
anybody else around who was anxious
to pay him for eating one of the most
delicious morscls in the world That
was Seth all over. He'd never give i'll
OH anything he undertook, Shot" and
the Mariposa man rcfillcd his glass
Zone day" he resumed briskly, just
as the Nevada man was about to say
something, ga new miner, who said he
hailed from Chinese Camp, anbled into
the gulch and made himself quite popu-
lar before night, treating everybody
time and again ut Red Ryan's saloon.
As Marshal Seth thought it his duty to
make the acquaintance of the strange
pilgrim who was SO we'll heeled appar-
emily with dust, it wasn't long before
Seth and the newcomer, who said his
nane was Dan Fletcher, We're bucking
against each other ut poker.
''Now, sho, that was all right but
Dan, while they were playing, began to
tell how he had made the pilgrimage
all the way from Poor Shoat to Angels
and cleaned out every poker sharp on
the road. Seth in his bullhcadcd way,
said he reckoncd if he had met Dan on
that journey Dan would have had to
take to the Wilderness for want of
clothes, he would have been so cleaned
out.
Then there was hurricane of an
argument, and finally Seth boastcd that
he'd put everything he had up against
all Dan had and play poker until one or
t'othcr was busted Dan jumped at the
offer, and arrangements were made.
1.-The game was to be played III
room at John Hanson's hotel, and each
mans wealth was represented by 20
$50 pieces, which they used as chips.
Seth, as marshal, proclaimed holiday
i'll town until he had cleaned Dan out,
then he promised Il big hurrah. Tho
whole town was gathered around Han
sons place, and ut intervals of an hour
| signs We're hung out us to the game.
One time it would be Seth is u hundred
| ahead, and at another Even game,
with Dams ante up There was lots of
betting OH the result. Red Ryan wa
| gcred his saloon against claim that
Seth would win. And, sho, all the
time Seth and Dan sat there Tipping
their cards like machines and not MOTTO
ing anything outside of the gamcr'
After stopping to clinll glasses with
his interested audience the man from
| MaripoSa took u fresh twist III his rem
| inisccnces.
| About 10 o'clock that night Dan was
out $500, and when some of the bows
took up supper for the players, for they
hadn't eaten anything, you know, he
growled ont to take it away, rs no man
could play cards and eat and drink too.
Seth was so stubborn that he wouldn't
! stop either, for fear Dan would think