Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-04-11
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
A RATTLE
FOR LIBERTY

and baby were about 10 he put up sep
arateIy.
step up. Ben said the auctioneer.
Stop" said a gentleman with a ruf-
fed shirt front These three should
90 in one lot. sun
Reckon there's not money enough
here i'm any one pocket to buy 'em all,
colonel"
Try it. subj
The auctioneer ordered the young
mother with her babe on 10 the stand
and called for bids. bur there was no
offer except from the colonel. and thar
WAS below the limit.
IN tell YOU what you'd better do"
said the colonel-''ra file 'em. I'll take
chances TO the amount OF my bid"
III take an equal amount 10 the
coloners." said Il man with II large dla-
mond I'm his shirt bosom. As the dis
position Of the crowd seemed to favor
the plan. il was adopted.
They're worth Si.SO0." said the auc-
tioneer. suppose we make il eighteen
shares at 500 a share
Il take fou' shares" said the colonel.
THAT lets me i'm for fOu','' said the
diamond Sud man.
After some delay the shares We're all
taken except one.
One chance left. Who takes it,"
called the auctioneer.
Gentlemen" said the husband ana
father. If the nuctiOneer will he so
kind as to take my agreement 70 Il
hundred dollars in work I'll sOlemHly
promise to pay the amount" He look
cant 10 that" said the aucrioneer.
ITS all cash here"
III indorse his note for hundred"
said the colonel.
Don't take paper" said the auc-
tioneer.
III lend him a hundred on the colo
nel's Endorsement" said the man with
the DIAMOND stud.
A note was drawn. the colonel put
his signature on the hack. and all was
ready for the rattle.
How will you have it. gentlemen"
asked the auctioneer-'dice or cards.
Il would be much obliged said the
owner of Il single chance for his and
his Eamily'S freedom. If yo' would
make il dice. and | would prefer that
nay little boy throw 70 me-
shall il he dice. gcntlemen:"
Dice II is said the shareholders
one after another.
Il have Il set here i'm my pocket"
said the diamond stud man. He took
out a box. shook il and rolled the dice
OH the platform. Colonel, will you
throw
The colonel gathered up the dice anG
throw
was twenty-five. the next thirty-nine.
The last thrower but one was the dia-
mond stud man. who threw forty-eight.
BY common consent the last throw
had been reserved for the slave. As
he took the box his hand trembled
visibly. The highest number that could
possibly he thrown was ffty-four, and
To make this the thrOwer must get
three skies three times in succession.
As even this was only six more than
the highest, he knew that he had but
ghost OF a chance for his freedom.
He put the box in his baby'S hand. Il
pickaninny OF eleven months. but il
was so clumsy that the child could not
grasp il.
Hold on" said the diamond stud
man. III just go into the saloon over
thar and get smaller set
He went To the saloon and returned
in n few minutes with a very small
dicebox and three tiny dice.
''Yo' gal he said to the mother,
take yo' boys hand in yOu's and throw
had. Dice don't roll lucky unless you
make 'em roll
The box was put in the baby's hand,
and the mother threw them. They
rolled out a six, five and Il six
Seventeen called the auctiOneer.
The next throw was two skies and a
three.
'-Thirty-twO.''
The anxiety on the fathers face was
painful to see. He knew that the
throwing of two skies twice was re-
markable. To beat the best figure (for-
ty-eighU he must throw two skies
n gain. and the third die must turn up
at least five.
Roll 'em WE'LL said the diamond
stud man 10 the mother
She did roll them well. and when
they came TO turn they showed UP
three skies
The negro fell over In a faint His
wife, who knew nothing about dice,
looked at the auctioneer piteOusly.
Lost she asked.
Lost? No. Thirty-twO and eighteen
are fifty. Fifty wins. Gentlemen. this
family belongs to itself. Make out the
bill OF sale
The crowd separated. most of them
good humorcdly. for at that time the
southern people were especially given
to taking chances and knew how TO
lose their money with "A good grace.
The colonel stepped up to the man OF
the diamond stud and whispered TO
him:
~You internal gambler, those little
dice were loaded
Not in bad cause, colonel"
You took 70 hundred dollars out o.
me. yo' rascal, and gave it TO that
niggahr'