Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1910-08-04
A Poker Game
BY REGINALD D HAVEN
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association

made up his mind thai the war of 81
I was coming on be concluded to take
his slaves into the heart of the south,
where he considered that they would
be safer than IN border state. They
consisted OF man. his wife and two
children, a boy and a girl He had
reached Bowling Green, where he was
obliged TO wait for train for Nash
vile. and was louuging with his hu-
man chattels IN the station when a
man stepped up TO him aud began to
chat with him, ringing in questions
about where he was going and what
he was going TO do with The negroes.
Having learned the facts, the stranger
asked If he would like 10 sell them.
Morgan said he would prefer that to
the trouble OF taking them south.
The stranger went away, but soon
returned with several men and said
1--WE don't IKE 20 see the niggers
going south: we want en- here These
gentlemen and | would like TO buy
your slaves. but no one OF MS has
enough money 10 buy EN- all, and
we're against the principle Of separat-
ing families What do you say TO
selling us chips 10 the amount OF your
price for EN-? Then wen play
game OF poker, and the man that even.
tually gets all the chips has the mig
gers"
Morgan. who was anxious 10 turn
his negroes into cash. consented, and
the party adjourned TO hotel near
the station TO carry out the plan.
Twenty-four hundred dollars was
agreed upon as the value of the prop
erty. The owner. much pleased TO be
able 10 get so high a price-for the
coming struggle had lowered the
market value of negroes agreed to
take a share of the chips and enter
the game with the rest AS they were
arranging themselves around the Ia
BILE gentleman wearing white era
vat stepped up and demonstrated
against the sin of gambling When it
was explained 10 him that the object
OF the party was to keep family OF
negroes from being separated he re
GREETED that he knew nothing about
the game or, clergyman that he was, be
would take a share and hand.
ION, come in" said one Of the party.
Wen show you how it's done, and
you will soon get used TO it,
An begged the clergyman to join
them, and finally be agreed that since
the object Of the game was noble one
there would be no sin In taking a
share. allowing some one else to play
his hand, but they wished that he
would do that himself, ard, dragging
him down into seat, they put The
cards IN bis hands.
For awhile the numerous que lions
asked by the clergyman about the val
ne OF the cards or the rules OF the
game delayed the play.
Nothing but an occasional case Of
blind luck prevented his being frozen
out. Several times when his pile of
chips was reduced to minimum 10
held the winning hand in large pot
and saved himself On this account,
while one 10y one the other players
hlhilIlNA Jul VI Nh' Ehlll'b 'A' NNh''hiN
kept bis place. Morgan also kept a
respectable pile before him, and when
all but he and the clergyman bad been
frozen out It began to look as II he
would still own the negroes and the
81 400 besides In case this turned out
TO be SO he could not even be prevented
from selling them separately.
ct all depends upon you, Darson,'
said one of the party
Gentlemen" said the clergyman,
~ protest against the fate of these
poor negroes being left IN my hands.
one Of you play for me"
But Morgan protested aud the cleri-
cal gentleman was obliged TO play his
own hand Despite the blunders he
made he held hands that enabled him
to keep even Morgan, seeing that his
adversary was having run Of luck.
ceased 10 bet I'll that run seemed to
have ended then made several appar-
ent bluffs With the view Of getting
considerable money IN the pot and taxi
ing IT, Singularly enough. every time
he tried this expedient the clergyman's
hand laid over his own.
when several Of these hands had
been played $1,000 Of the $1,000 was
before the clergyman. Morgan began
to look concerned. II seemed singular
10 him that a man who at the begin
ming of the game didn't know The value
Of the cards should have remained In
the game aud hold more than four
0fths Of the whole sum invested. lie
cast several scrutiulzing chances ut his
advers2rys face, but II showed moth
ing other than piety and beneyolenee,
But finally each seemed to bold Q
hand that warranted high betting,
Morgan opened with $50 the clergy
man raised him So Morgan raised
$50. The parson raised all Morgan
had left 5000 Morgan bad gone too
far 10 withdraw He saw" bis op-
ponent and-i0st
The parson scooped up all the money
there was on the table, and Morgan,
cursing his luck, made out bill or
sale FOR the negroes.
what Manner be asked Of the min