The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1906-01-13
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[Original.l

[OriginaLl
In the autumn of 1859, a few weeks
before Thanksgiving day, in an aristo-
cratic town of the blue grass region,
Kentucky, a travelling minister-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 Mr.. Jackson with the rev.
erend gentleman's appearance that,
with southern hospitality, he invited
him to spend what time he remained
In the neighborhood at his house. Mr..
Sherretts accepted the invitation and
soon won further good opinion from
his host by his sympathy with the
south ON the slavery question.
The long autumn evenings were spent
by Mr.. Jackson and his friends at the
national game of poker. At first Mr..
Sherretts at such times withdrew to
the library with his theological books.
Then he remained by the table and
watched the game, occasionally asking
question as to the relative value Of
cards, hands and other information
pertaining to the game. He manifested
SO much interest and it was so unso-
ciable without him at the table that 1t
was proposed to play one evening with
out any 'stak In order that he might
take hand. He objected on account
Of his calling, but on being urged con-
scented.
Notwithstanding his many blunders
he became so absorbed in the game
that when one Of the party said, This
Is nothing compared to game in which
there is a stake" and another suggested
that they make a stake of penny with
five cent limit just to show the rev.
ercnd gentleman how interesting 1t
was, Mr. Sherretts, after much per-
| suasion, consented.
At 2 o'clock in the morning the party
broke up, after having played for a
dollar stake with no limit and Mr..
Sherretts had lost $500. His host in
sisted on making it good to him, but he
peremptorily declined, declaring that
he would stand the loss himself.
Then the matter was discussed by
all the players. and 1t was decided to
induce, II possible, the clergyman to
play one more came, during which they
would permit him to win back his mon
ey.
Mr.. Sherretts, who seemed to have
been mastered by passion for gam
bling, yielded, with tears in his eyes
at his weakness. He held very poor
hands, but the gentlemen contrived to
have him win ali but sos Of his losings
when there was a Jack pot involving O
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 Mr.. Sherretts
When they told him that his was The
largest hand he nearly tainted and de
clined to take the pile of bills they
passed over to him. But no Kentuck.
gentleman would permit this, and a
last the winner consented only on con
dition that he be allowed to give then
a chance to win 1t all back. From thi
time forward the game ran heavy.
1t was the night before Thanksgiv
ing. In a little farmhouse in Ohio
negro sat brooding over the Goals o.
the rude hearth. He had not been lon
used to the celebration of Thanksgiy
ing day because he had been a slave i
, the south, where nothing of New Eng
land origin was, at least at that time
+ acceptable, but his neighbors had bee
Y preparing to celebrate, and he wa
thinking Of his wife and two little picE
aninnies, slaves in the land Of Dixie
> He had worked extra hours and ha
3 thus earned the money with which I
s buy himself. He was now workin
d hard to earn the money to buy his wifi
= and children. On the morrow, whe
d others were united in family groups, b
4 would sit at his table alone still ia
o from the day when he could have hi
own with him.
To make matters worse he had
J. few weeks before intrusted a strange
n with the few hundred dollars he ha
Vt saved on the mans representation til,
=. he would put more with it and secul
). the freedom Of his family. He hs
+s never heard Of the man since and ha
no doubt that his money had been 10
- to him. His neighbors pitied the sir
i pie credulity Of one born in slavery.
le There was footstep without, Il
st door opened and in walked the ms
n who had obtained the poor negro
,e money. as he considered II, under fall
,r pretenses.
n "Hello, Jeffy said the man.
q "Yo' git out O. hyerr exclaimed Il
- ex-slave. II know wha' yo' want; y
y want mo- money. I hain't got no M
III Yo' TUX 1t ALL"
re "Jef," said the man kindly, layil
e. his hand on the negro's arm, 81 do1
ne blame you for mistrusting me, b
is you're mistaken. I'm really what
ne pretended to be, an agent Of the undo
ground railroad company, to run slav
north, only this time I've worked
er plan of my own. told yoa I hi
at served my apprenticeship In "bieedil
is Kansas" didn't I? Well, was bC
m der man long enough to learn sor
things. 1 learned how to shoot fiji