The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-04
HYPNOTIZED BY A BLOW.
A Strange story Told by an Old Riv-
err Gambler.


From the st. Louis G!obe-Democrat.
Speaking about close calls and card
games" said an old Aiississippi river gam
bier to me the other day, Il remember an
experience of mine away back in-now, let
me see-I believe it was in 1S-no, it"
1T doesn't matter what year it was in if
the story is good
wei, it doesn't matter. Anyway, it was
somewhere about 1876. In them days you
know We had some pretty swell sports in
the south. was a young man then--you
see, il was over fifty years ago-and kept
up my end of the line. We usually travel
ed-that is, my crowd, usually travelled
up and down the Mississippi on the look
out for play, and sometimes we'd catch
pretty hot lot of company in some of them
rich planters, who had been down the river
to sell cotton or niggers, and were going
home with gold. They were nervy, let me
tell you, and never cried enough as long
as they had dollar. Why, I've seen 'em
go broke, and then gamble off their
watches and body servants"
But you're getting away from your
story"
mo, no. AS l was saying, we usually
ran up and down the river, but one day
my friend Taylor-old Bill Taylor, guess
you never heard of him; he was killed at
Shiloh, poor devil-Taylor said to me-
" Let's take a trip through the country
--go to Grab Orchard, for instance
-" All right said l to Taylor. wen go
to Crab Orchard. Grab Orchard, as you
know, was then the Saratoga of the south
medical waters, race track rich men
and women, governors ball; right in the
edge of the bluegrass region of Kentucky,
sportiest place you ever saw So | took
Bill UP, and we went to Crab Orchard.
said the old ante-belum sport, as he
stopped to muse a moment
''Wel,' said he 1--WE started for Ken
lucky, going from Natchez by river to
Louisville, where we were to tale one of
the old-fashioned stage coaches overland
to Crab Orchard, going by way of Frank
Tort the state capital, LaWrencebure
Harrodsburg and Danville. We had 10
spend night at Danvile There we put
up al the old tavern After sumner We
were sitting in front of the building smox-
ing, and well-dressed young fellow who
mad come in on another stage, and who
had eaten supper at our table, came out
and Joined US.
The stranger was about 50 years old.
ana hailed from Louisiana. He was one
OF the hnest-loodng men ! ever saw, pol
ished, educated and easy in his manners
and conversation l saw at once that ne
belonged TO one Of the wealthy families Of
the south. We talked until afte 9o'clock.
perhaps. the conversation drifting from
one thing to another until we talked of
the races which We're 70 come off at Crab
Orchard the following week. the chances
Tor betting, and SO on l think TAYLOR
LED the conversation in this direction pur-
posely just to see If he couldn't get game
out Of the stranger
The young fellow said he was also so
Ing TO Crab Orchard, intending 70 stay nm
III the LIST or middle of October-it was
then the latter part of June-and that he
was anxious to get there before the races
began, as he was very fond of all sports.
Bil mildly intimated that we might have
little game of poker TO pass away the
remainder of the evening. and the strang.
or accepted the invitation without hesita-
zion.
We went to his room, and the game be-
gan. Al first the bets were small and we
played along pleasantly with the luck run
ming pretty even, no one winning much or
losing much, but as the night Wore on the
young fellow from Louisiana became
worked up and wanted to raise the limit
This suited us We knew he had plenty
of money with him. for one or two drinks
mad loosened his tongue, and he let hints
crop now and then which plainly indfca-
Tea MS ability as well as his willingness
20 play heavy game
don know to this day whether the
young Fellow was honest or whether he
was a sharp, but ] do know thar he was
rather young a the business. although he
could play his hand and keep a stlff lin
The thing which brought the game 10 an
tlu, however, always made me believe
tlat ne was trying TO queer us. About+ II
crock. on his deal TAYLOR got three aces
ana a KING. got a poor hand and staid
ou, Dut the young stranger seemed 10 he
satlshe4 with his cards and weht I'm TO
'-"' TN :" hnish. They bet until the