Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-08-31
pEvoL's GAMBLING YARN.
Being the story of How q Fellow Biacked
Up to Beat the bank.

Before the war;" said Col. George
Deyol 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 a faro hank
in those days. and n a run of luck
you never saw. He broke every gam
bier for a hundred miles around.
But one evening a fellow came in
there and turned things about for a
time. He played with a good run Of
lack, a.,! IN enc night Succeeded ~
making that bank shell ont $500. Ash
by then IN turn succeeded in breaking
the stranger. The contest grew warmer
a. it progressed. How to get even was
all that occupied the strangers mind
for several days.
"'Ill peat yoti. If il takes the rest Of
my life the fellow said, aud it was
only a few days before he had a plan TO
get even with Ashby.
He went 10 a Niger trader who
played the bank every now and then.
and told him Of his plan to beat Ashby
in the end.
I'm 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 anybody else arrived.
The black boy stood back by the
door.
We'll, said the trader To Ashby, Ira
dead broke. and want to make a 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. 50 he turned 10 the
Niger and said:
Come up mere, niger, and let me
have a look at YOU.
The boy came up. and Jim felt of
him. and asked him now Old ne was.
The niggsr replied:
70 lie Lawd. | dunno, boss
How would you like To live here
and wait on the gentIemeng' Jim asked.
I'D lack il fust 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 a
second time. and he lost the entire
amount that he had just got for his mig
ger.
Treat the boy we'll, 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 o got any bet
ter clothes than those you've got on?'
he asked rather sharply.
"'Dey> all | 20, boss. the niger
replied. But | Kin git a mighty tine
Goa eli | had go
Jim pulled out a $40 bill from the
depths of his pocket and handed it to
the boy with instructions to make his
purchase and to hurry back. a the
game would o 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 80 bill and be-
gin playing. OF course no one sus-
pected that the g~ood-looking stranger
sitting before them was the black boy
that but a few minutes before had been
sold for $500.
We'll, sir, that man played, and in a
short time his pile amounted to $50.
Course that man. said jim, when
his newly acquired niger had not re
turned; L 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 SO you gave me for that suit OF
clothes
That said Col. Devol, lis a true
story