Bisbee daily review., 1903-05-23
A GAME CT
 FREEZE OUT
IoriginaLl

tte3nlDOatS or the miSSlSSlppl were ID ,aeir glory The ladies' cabin was cur laincd eff from the main cabin, which was chiefly occupied for gambling One morning a man got on the steamer Prairie Queen at Natchez with an old slave and his wife, intending to take them to New Orleans to be sold. They expected to be disposed of separately and were broken hearted at the pros poet. Seating themselves on a coil of rope on the forecastle, they bowed their heads in their hands and gave way to convulsive weeping.
 By the time afternoon came on most of the passengers had seen them, and a great deal of sympathy had been ex. cited. Finally man approached the owner and asked him what he expect ed to get for the couple.
 ''Six hundred dollars each"
 "Tll tell you what I'll do," said the inquirer. I'll make up party to buy poker chips to the amount you ask for your man and woman. and we'll play a game of freeze out for them, the man who gets all the chips to own the niggcrs."
 That would be agreeable to me, suh." said the owner. I'll take my share of chips. Make up your party"
 It was not long before four men were seated in the cabin to play game for two human beings, 1t being understood that the winner. other than the present owner. should not sell them separately. In an hour one of the party was frozen out. and soon after another met the same fate, leaving the owner of the slaves. the principal winner. to play out the game with one man who had gone into it on purely philanthropic motives.
 It was about this time that clerical gentleman stepped from his stateroom and as he passed the gaming table, seeing crowd looking on, asked the cause of the especial interest. Upon being informed he pushed his way to the remaining players and said:
 .Gentlemen. I am surprised that you should play for this old couple without giving them chance in the game for their freedom"
 They don't play poker replied the owner.
 'Some one might be found to play for them," pursued the clerical man.
 Very well,' said the owner. If you want to play for them I'll sell you a hundred of my chips"
 "I gamble? I never touched card in my life But if any good poker player can be found to play their stake 1 will advance $1O0 for the chips"
 One or two men standing by offered to do the playing. but after state ment of their fitness some one in the crowd protested.
 Give me -he chips" said the cleric. Tt is the Lord who will decide the fate of these his servants, and l, who know nothing of this game of evil, will make i, a game of good. l will play it myself"
 The chips were turned over to him and the money paid. whereupon he began to play, asking q dozen ques- tions with every hand, though finally the game proceeded without any marked stoppage for information Meanwhile nearly every. passenger on the boat was looking on. Then tue clerical man began to have fine run of luck ir the hands he held. He blundered so frequently that he did not win all he might have won, but his pile grew steadily A'
 Finally the S1,aOO represented ir chips. owing to the blind luck of the cleric, was pretty nearly divided be tween him and the owner of the slaves the other mans pile being reduced to SiJ0. Then came a large jack pol that no one seemed able to open. Wher it was opened, it was the cleric's turr to bet. He studied his hand for some time. then laid down his cards and asked for an explanation of jack pot The players somewhat impatieutly eX Dlained it to him several times, wheI lie said that he thought he understood it. Then he resumed the study of hi! hand and seemed in doubt what to do once making q movement to throw l down, which he reconsidered. Takin. jack from his hand he asked one o his opponents if it were not king. ol being corrected, he showed a queer and asked if it did not stand next be low the jack Corrected again. hu unused for awhile. then put up the re gured chips and drew one card. H. had had one straight and knew what was It was plain either that he drav for another or to two pairs. One O the players bet all he had. and whel the betting continued was frozen out Tine other the slave owner. had tlIre sevens and filled with a pair Of q suces He determined to end the game b! taking all the cleric had, thus retaining his slaves and 5000 besides.
 There was no trouble about drawing ] the cleric in. Every time his Opponen ] raised him he raised his opponent 1 Finally when the chips of both partie were all in the pot it was explained t the cleric that nothing remained 10 b 1 done. His opponent threw down hi "full hand"
 Does that beat four ten spots?" ask cd the cleric innocently, throwing fou tens on the table.
 There was q shout of laughter iron the crowd and an oath from the ex owner. after which a bill of sale wa drawn transferring the slaves to tn