The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-06-16
lost, even If he had sold them with the
understanding that they were to be re-
deemed. Anyhow, they prefer actual a.
sets in the pot.

understanding that they were To be re-
deemed. Anyhow, they prefer actual a.
sets in the pot.
"When I was in Church's Landing
it was toward the end of the blackber-
ry season, and there were a good many
Of these tame savages around. The
| squaws and children were there to
work, and the bucks were there to take
their money away from them as fast as
they should ge. it. They had sort of
camp, little way out of the village
perhaps half mile off, for Church
would not let them camp near by-and
visitors, when they had time, used to
walk around the camp from curiosity.
The Indians seemed perfectly indiffer-
ent to the scrutiny they were subjected
to as long as the stranger did not ne
| glect to throw few coins to the chill
| dren. They would sit, smoking, eat
ing or drinking, as calmly as if no
one was near, and even when they
were playing poker it did not disturb
them to be watched.
''The day | was there two big bucks
were having game of cards, and
probably a dozen Others were looking
on. | heard afterward that there was
ill-feeling between them, though not
enough TO provoke bloodshed, and that
both being gamblers, it was struggle
for reputation a. well as gain. When
came up and joined the lOokers-On
one of the two had just lost the last Of
his money and had thrown his blanket
OH the ground for an ante, for they
played on the bare ground, squatting
on their launches. The other player,
who was the larger of the two, dealt
the cards, and, after looking at his
own hand, threw in his own blanket
without a word. Each drew three
cards, and the dealer, after looking
again, put up a 81 bill. The other
man calmly pulled off his shoes and
laid them beside the bill. 1t was call,
and the big man won with two small
pair.
ain perhaps Lalf dozen deals more
the smaller man lost his hat, coat,
shirt and trousers, and giving them
up stolidly a he lost, was left as naked
as he was born, save for breech clout,
which, TO my amusement, found he
had under bis trousers. While this
was going on noticed that they did
MT play jack-pots, but if the dealer
didn't like his cards he threw them
down and the age man drew back his
ante. And | also noticed that while
the smaller man hal nothing but col
lateral to stake, the other seemed per-
fectly eontented to play for anything
at all, but kept putting up money in
preference to anything else.
'The naked man had still hunting
knife and fairly good rifle, and stak-
ed the knife on the first hand he got
which he thought worth betting on.
He lost that, for the luck was running
steadily against him, and | looked to
see him put up the rifle next. He did
not, however, bat instead, when he
caught another hand, he said a few
words which / could not understand.
The other nodded, and the small man
shouted out three or four more words
in his own language. In answer boy
about l. years old came trotting up,
and in obedience to a sign from his
father stood little in front of him, al
most between the two players. To my
amazement he was to be played for.
Boys appeared to be worth something
in that camp, too, for the big man put
up Sl0 against him. Then came the
draw, and concluded that the small
man must have bettered, though nei-
ther player held his cards so that any
bystander could see them, for he was
evidently going to bet more. / looked
AGAIN - see the rifle go into the pot,
bat he was wasSS, vet ready for that.
Again he spoke few S,erds, ana the
other nodded, and the small mai an
ed his squaw. She came up, and, like
the boy, seemed to understand what
was TO be done, and, without muir
muir, took her place beside the other
stakes.
''To me, naturally, this seemed most
extraordinary, and looked around to
see if anybody was going to interfere.
No one offered to. \ squaw, it APP
pears, was worth $40, for that is what
the big man put up against her.
at was good hand the small man
held, for when it came to show he
laid down nine full. His luck was
against him, however, for the big man
had queen full, and at a sign from
him the squaw and the boy walked
away, though in different direction
from that from which they had come.
''The small man had now literally
nothing but his breech clout, which
was worthless, and his rifle, which
had been evidently his most precious
possession. He dealt the cards again,
however, and, though for three deals
there was 10 contest, he had his rifle
in as his ante each time it was his turn.
Even with this stake, however, his
luck did not turn, and the big man
stalking the sum against it that he had
against the squaw, won it on a king
high flush.
Neither player had changed eoun-
tenance in the least during the game,
as far as L could see, and both were
equally imperturbable after it was over
The loser rose without a word and
walked away, and the winner, putting
the cards in his pocket, sat still and
began smoking. 1 asked some OF the
white people around there if it was
usual for men to gamble away their
wives and children, and they said it
wasn't. Occasionally some Indian
would do it, but nobody felt called on
to protest"
xfn e. ~ .