Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-11-30
oeVoL'S GAMBLING YARN.
Being the story of How a Fellow Blacked
Up tn Beat the Bank.

before the war, Salu 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 a run of luck
you never saw. He broke every gam
bier for hundred miles around.
But one evening fellow came in
there and turned things about for a
time. He played with good run of
luck, and in one night succeeded in
making that bank she!l ont $500. Ash
by then in turn succeeded in breaking
the stranger. The contest grew warmer
as it progressed. How to get even was
all that occupied the strangers mind
for several days.
"'I'll beat you. il 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 niger trader who
played the bank every now and then,
and told him of his plan to beat Ashby
in the end.
"'Tll black up. he said to the trader,
and put on some old clothes. I'll
want you to take me up tonight and
sell me to Ashby, and take your pay in
checks.
"As 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 any body else arrived.
The black boy stood back by the
door.
"'Well, said the trader to Ashby, I'm
dead broke. and want to make little
play this evening. I've got no money
nothing but niggers-how much will
you give me on this boy?'
Now. Ashby wanted a boy to stay
there at the bank, SO he turned 10 the
niger and said;
"'Come up here, Niger and let me
have look at you
"The boy came up, and Jim felt of
him. and asked him how old he was.
The niger replied:
"'Fo' de Lawd. | dunno boss
"'How would you like to live here
and wait on the gentlemen? Jim asked.
I'D lack it fu3t rate.
"Well, the upshot of the whole matter
was that the trader got $500 in checks
for his niger. At the game that fol-
lowed, however, luck ran against him q
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 / got, boss the niger
replied. But | kin git mighty fine
coat eff had So
Jim pulled ont $40 bill from the
depths of his pocket and handed it to
the boy with instructions to make his
purchase and to hurry back, as the
game would soon start up.
We'll, that niger went out, put on
his good harness. and when he got
back to the faro table the first thing he
did was to change the go 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 been
sold for 800.
well, sir, that man played, and in
short time his pile amounted to $3.50.
Curse that man, said jim, when
his newly acquired niger had not re-
turned; Il told him not to be gone
long"
THE stranger could stand the sus-
pense no longer. He burst out laugh
ing.
"Well, Ashby,' he said, you told
the truth when you said you'd own me,
but you see, I've won myself back with
the $40 you gave me for that suit of
clothes
THAT" said Col. Devol, lis a true
story"