The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-06

in, givin' Same the eignals.
Well, he give 'em all right. Tho old
man never seemed to tumble, an he
WANT no ways cautious about the way
he held his hands, SO Wilson didn't have
no difficulty in seein' 'em, an he held up
his fingers like he'd agreed to, but the
old man peared to have the almightiest
streak O. luck ever
Twa'n't more'n a minute afore VIII
son held up two fingers, SO Sam knowed
the geezer had two pair. He skint his
own hand an sect he had three mines,
so he boosted it for fifty, afore the draw.
Babcock, he come back with fifty more,
an Sam h'isted it a hundred. Babcock
stayed an they drawed. Sam didn't
better, but Wilson held up nst c1inched,
an Sam had to lay down. 'Twa'n't no
lie, for Babcock throwed his hand down,
on his one card draw. Course, it were
luck.
Next hand. Wilson held up one finger.
an Sam had aces, so he played. Ketchin'
tours in the draw, he fggered that aces
up was good, even If Wilson did hold I'D
two fingers, an he stood bet O. twenty
dollars, but the old mans two pairs was
aces and tens.
''Then Wilson didn't hold up noth,n.
an Sam had threes, so he MADE a small
bet just to scoop the ante. but the old
man stayed, took one card an made
a flush. BY this time Sam had PLAYED
away all O Wilson'S money, bat know
in that the signals was comm right an.
thinkin' to hisself that he want likely.
to never get n" better game. an havIn'.
that eight thousand dollars in his mind.
he just naturally went down into his
own kick for more.
Well, the game didn't last hellova
time longer after that. Wilson he look
ed kind o scared when he seen what re-
n:arkable luck the old man was hayin,.
film his hands. but; he sot as steady
SIS a clock, givin' Sam the signals lust
as he'd greed to do an Givin' 'em right
e. cry time. an Sam he KEEP on playin'
his cards for what they were worth. an
gettin' beat in the draw, till he were
Done UP for fair. He'd played in his last
dollar, but afore he had chanst o.
sayin' anythin' the old man pulled out
big nickel watch an looked at it with
e sort O. start, an says he hadn't time
to play no longer. for he'd got to rush.
t. get his boat. An he calls Niger an
tells him to get the trunk aboard, an.
says goodbye, an gets out all in a
minute, leavin' Sam an Wilson lookin'
at each other like two dogs that's beer,
catched suckin' eggs.
course, there want much to saw.
wilson he says he's awful sorry an,
sam, he cusses a little, an gives Wilson
touch for. expense money, but Wilson
ne says he's broke, too. The two hun
dred he put in the game is all he had
put he's nice about it, an tells Sam moi
10 worry about what he owes in tI1a
hotel cause he'll stand for that. hut -
for money he can put up none.
80 sam, he kind o. loafs down to the
levee. thin4<in what he can do - ext. an,
he finds boat startin' up river. inst . :
he's p'intin' for the gang plank, trustin:
to luck to- make good after he gets
ABOARD. he sees tho niger that fetched
the OF mans trunk FIN the hotel. AN,
he calls him. Feelin' in his noc,,ets
he finds half dollar an he gives that
to the niger Who IS that old man
Babcock that you fetched his trunk down
from the hotel just now, he asks the
niger. -
"But the niger he grins. an, he savs
Dat ar gemman's name amt Bahcocl-.
marse. Him name loodgoodlBill Blood
good. He FIN New Orleans. a u q do
white folks say he am de best short card
player in de whole Souf sab. =
We'll, Just naturally. Sam he seen a
great white light Just about then. an,
he knowedz how twas the old man had
such rattlin' good luck in the draw All
the time, but he lmowed 'twa' mt no ,1se
goin. back to see Wilson, an he como
home as + said. He's give Up the idea
% seeing the Afardi Gras this year, but
I reckon he's kind o.. hopin' that Wilson
will stop on at Arkansas: City next; time he
Soovs a %y,y,S ri, q 3Yi1,aY-