The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1908-05-19
A Gambling Episode.


OF course I Travelled armed and KEEP,
my money In a money belt strapped
around my waist. was rather n live
y boy and not aversc at times to u
small game while travelling. Indeed,
I carried q pack Of cards and dice.
One evening was on stagccoac.,
that pulled up at a tavern In u small
:own In Kentucky ON the Ohio river.
I had gone there To take the tirst
steamb that would pass up to cin.
.tnnati. where ! could take n railroad
train for the east. No one could tell
lust when hoat would stop there aud
| had tue prospect Of u drcary time
ahead VI me. In those days IN that r..
siou gambling was open on the boats
aud In the taverns. During the even.
Ing Of my arrival watched II party ~
u,en shaking dice IN the bar. which
| was IN the Ratic room with the o,iicc
The next day ! spent my time watch,
Ing for q steamboat. A number Of
boats passed. but none Of them had
freight or passenssrs for that landing.
for they did not stop In the evening
went In and watched the dice throw.
srs.
Now. ! defy any young man Of or.
dinary spirit spending his time In such
Q place watching . game without long.
Ing TO be In IT, Z recisted for some
time. for the men were a had looking
lot. then pulled out some coins and call.
ed for the dice box In my turn
played far into the night aud when !
got up from the table had parted with
svery cent OF money I had for my ex.
psnses. some $500. ! was not quite 50
much Of fool a. this confession inii.
Gates. for I had noticed that my OPP
ponents knew exactly how to roll the
dice % that the figures they wished
sh0uid come up Resides. was not
especially timid. When cleaned out
reached for the dice and put them IN
ny pocket. The men who had won
my money looked threatening. but
said nothing. To object would have
bssn to confess that they were lead
ID. ! had no idea Of recovering my
money BY an exposure. I wished To
satisfy myself a. to whether I had
been swindled.
Taking my candle. ! went upstairs
and 70 bed. Undressing. ! threw my
trousers on the back OF q chair. not
thinking. since ] had lost all my mon
~. to take any precautions for their
safety. but ! didn't care TO lose the dice
tiil aftsr ] had chance TO break them.
% took them FROM the pocket aud re-
placed them with my own set; then !
vent to bed and to sleep.
was awakened during the night by
some one tampering with my door.
lay still and presently heard the door
open and . stealthy step In my room.
A figure passed the window. and !
could hear Il searching among ny
clothes: then Il went out got up.
felt in my trousers' pocket for my dice.
and they were gone.
The next morning was not especial.
y surprised to zee some Of the men
who had my money still about the
place. Had they not. a. they supposed.
secured the dice they would have got
out Of the way. After breakfast told
The landlord that ! suspected that !
had been swindled with loaded dice.
Hs professed to be very indignant and
swore that II such were the case be
would make the men who had won my
money disgorge. I told him to call
hem in and ] would prove my charge.
rhey. came, and ! could see by their
lssumed Indignation that they were
.onAdent that they had their dice and
could prove nothing.
After they had expended SUFFICIENT
verbal ammunition they called upon
ne to give reason for assuming that
be dice they had played with were
oaded. ! asked the landlord for a
hammer. and when I've had produced II
put my hand IN my pocket and pulled
ut the dice ] had kept under my pill
ow.
Hold on" said one Of them. Those
lrs not The dice"
"Why soi" asked.
"Becauss"- He stopped short. He
,ouldn't own that I had been robbed
4 Q set Of dice.
''Crack EN-" ] said to the landlord.
Reluctantly be put one OF them down
% the hsarthstons and cracked It.
There was the lead plain enough.
The men and the landlord stared at
~ smother. surprised. Meanwhile ]
I'D backed to . safe position and had
~ hand on my pistol. Hearing the
troks Of Q steamboat bella signal TO
ank dres-I knew that q boat was
bout 70 land.
"You men produce my money" ]
aid, "oP I'll ~ what ! can do when
hat boat lands."
The landlord was In no mood for the
sputatiop such Q charge would give
% place. and after Q few words with
DO oths1 be returned me my losings.
] don't think ! should have had tho
ourags to demand my money had !
ot heard that stroke Of Q steamboat
Oh. Il came In the nick OF time. ]
lu6IoA the funda into INV nocket ran |