The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-08-29
DEvoL's GAMBLING YARN.
Being the Story of How Fellow Blacked
Up to Beat the Bank.

Before the war;" said Col. George
Devol to an interested party of listeners
in the lobby of the st. James hotel, New
York, "Jim Ashby was the most noto-
rious gambler in New Orleans.
"Ashby was proprietor of faro bank
in those days, and such run of luck
you never saw. He broke every gam
bier for hundred miles around.
"But one evening a fellow came in
there and turned things about for I.
time. He played with a good run OF
luck, and in one night succeeded in
making that bank shell out $500. Ash
by then in turn succeeded in breaking
the stranger. The contest grew warmer
as it rogressed. How to get even was
all that occupied the strangers mind
for several days.
"'I'll beat you, if it takes the rest of
my life,' the fellow said and it was
only few days before he had plan to
get even with Ashby.
"He went to a niger trader who
played the bank every now and then,
and told him of his plan to beat Ashby
in the end.
"'I'l black up he said to the trader,
and put on some old clothes. Pll
want you to take me up tonight and
sell me to Ashby, and take your pay in
checks
Gas he was low in cash, the trader
quite readily agreed to take part in the
scheme. They went over to the bank
at an early hour. so that they could
catch Jim before anybody else arrived.
"The black boy stood back by the
door.
"'Well, said the trader to Ashby, I'm
dead broke, and want to make a little
play this evening. I've got no money
nothing but iggers-how much will
you give me on this boy?'
"Now, Ashby wanted boy to stay
there at the bank, so he turned TO the
nigger and said:
have look at YOU
@The bov came up, and Jim felt of
him, and asked him how old he was.
The niger replied:
".Fo' de Lawd, l dunno, boss.
"'How would you like to live here
and wait on the gentlemen?' Jim asked.
''Td lack it fust rate.
'Well, the upshot of the whole matter
was that the trader got $500 in checks
for his nigger. At the game that fol-
| lowed, however, luck ran against him a
second time, and he lost the entire
amount that he had just got for his mig
ger.
"'Treat the boy well,' were his part
ing words with Ashby as the trader left
the place Jim was rather impressed
with his late acquaintance, but the mig
gers clothes were not to Ashby's liking.
"'Say, boy, haven't you got any bet
ter clothes than those you've got on?'
he asked rather sharply.
"'Dey's all I got, boss, the niggel
replied. But kin git a mighty fine
coat eff had $10.'
Jim pulled out a so bill from the
depths Of his pocket and handed it tc
the boy with instructions to make his
purchase and to hurry back, as the
game would soon start up.
'Well, that niger went out, put or
his good harness, and when he go
back to the faro table the first thing he
did was to change the so bill and be-
gin playing OF course no one sus
pected that the good-looking stranger
Sitting before them was the black boy
that but few minutes before had beer
sold for $500.
"Well, sir, that man played, and in g
short time his pile amounted to $3.50.
"'Curse that man. said Jim, wher
his newly acquired niger had not re
turned; I told him not to be gone
long"
"The stranger could stand the sus
pense no longer. He burst out laugh
ing.
@'WelI, Ashby,' he said, you told
the truth when you said you'd own me
but you see, I've won myself back witt
the SO you gave me for that suit
clothes
'That, said Col. Devol, "is a tru
| c+o1,v