The daily Alaskan., 1906-05-03
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cratic town of the blue grass region, Kentucky, a travelling minlster-they called them colporteurs-called at the house of Hunter Jackson, prominent citizen, and said he would like to do some work In saving souls in the neigh bOrhOOd. He gave his name as Ed ward Sherretts. So agreeably i'm pressed was Mir. Jackson with the rev. erend gentleman's appearance that with southern hospitality, he Invited him to spend what time he remained ln the nelghborhOOd at his house. Mir. Sherretts accepted the invitation and soon won further good opinion from his host by his sympathy with the south on the slavery question. l The long autumn evenings were spent by MT. Jackson and his friends at the national game of poker. At first MT. Sherretts at such times withdrew to the library with his theological books. | Then he remained by the table and watched the game, occasionally asking a question as to the relative value of cards, hands and other information pertaining to the game. He manifested so much interest and 1t was so unsO- l clable without him at the table that 1t was proposed to play one evening with out any stake In order that he might take a hand He objected on account of his calling but on being urged con sented.
 Notwithstanding bis many blunders he became SO absorbed in the game that when one of the party said, This is nothing compared to a game in which there is a stake" and another suggested that they make a stake of a penny with a five cent limit, just to show the rev erend gentleman how interesting it was, Mir. Sherretts, after much per suasion. consented.
 At 2 o'clock In the morning the party broke up, after having played for dollar stake with no limit and Mir Sherretts had lost S2OO. His host in- sisted on making it good to him, but he peremptorlly declined, declaring that he would stand the loss himself.
 Then the matter was discussed by all the players, and it was decided to induce, if possible. the clergyman to play one more game, during which they would permit him to win back his mon- ey.
 Mir. Sherretts, who seemed to have been mastered by a passion for gam bling, yielded. with tears in his eyes at his weakness. He held very poor hands, but the gentlemen eontrived to have him win an but S25 of his loSings, when there was jack pot involving q large sum and every one forgot every interest but his own. When the hands were laid down there was everything from three Of a kind to a royal flush, which was held by MT. Sherretts. When they told him that his was the largest hand he nearly falnred and de- clined to take the pile of bills they passed over to him. But no Kentucky gentleman would permit this, and at last the winner consented only on con dltiOn that he be allowed tu give them q chance to win it all back, From this time forward the game ran heavy.
 
 It was the night before Thanksgiv- Ing. In a little farmhouse in Ohio a negro sat breeding over the coals on the rude hearth. He had not been long used to the celebration of Thanksgiv- ing day because be had been slave in the south. where nothing of New Eng land origin was, at least at that time, acceptable, but his neighborS had been preparing to celebrate, and he was thinking of his wife and two little pick anlnnies, slaves in the land of Dixie. He had worked extra hours and had thus earned the money with whiGh to buy himself. He was now working hard to earn the money to buy his wife and children. On the morrow, when others were united in family groups, he would sit at his table alone still far from the day when he could have his own with him.
 To make matters worse he had a AEM NtGho AG4bAt v AAAA A9kNA N oNA tAA6SN with the few hundred dollars he had saved on the mans representation tha: he would put more with 1t and secure the freedom of his family. He had never heard Of the nan since and had DO doubt that his money had been lost to him. His neighbors pitied the sim pie credulity of one born in slavery.
 There was a footstep without, the door opened and in walked the man who had obtained the poor negrO's money, as he considered 1t, under false preteuses.
 "Hello, Jefr said the man. 'EYO' git out O hyer" exclaimed the ex-slave. "T know wha' yo' want; yo' want mo money. I hain't got no mo. To tux 1t all.'
 : "Jef," said the man kindly, laying hls hand on the negros arm, "I don't ] blame you for mIstrusting me, but you're mistaken. I'm really what ] pretended to be, an agent of the under l ground railroad company, to run slaves north, only this time I've worked plan of my own. told you I had | .----..4t,n.%tv, Ir