Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1918-02-16

his vile who were about 20 be taken on Il
board n steamer az vicksburg. In 1910.
u hope you will get good master. I
was about 10 give you your freedom
when this blow fell upon me. The Law
takes you out Of my hands and I have
no power 20 make you free. The col.
onel who had heart rs big ms an OK
had endorsed n note to save n friend |
from bankruptcy and thereby become
bankrupt himself.
I'VE know dat Nurse Colonel" said |
the woman. Don't yo' worry yo'self
about dat; you couldn't help t."
The slaves were taken aboard the |
boat which was bound for New Or
leans, showering blessings on their old |
master, but as soon as they were OF |
on their Journey southwark they began
TO bewail their probable coming sepa.
ration; for they would doubtless be
sold 10 different masters.
In those days the steamers plying on
the Mississippi river we're infested
with gamblers. In the cabin Of the
steamer on which these slaves were ia
ken, were half dozen tables around
which sat card players with chips or
money stacked up before them. A man
whose serious mind marked him for n
clergyman, went 10 one Of the tables
and said to those playing:
Gentlemen, there are a couple Of
slaves on this boat, man and his wife,
who are going to New Orleans 10 be
sold, quite likely, separately. II has
been suggested to me that a game Of
"freeze out" be played for them-what-
ever that may be-the winner 10 give
them their freedom. VIII someone
please tell me what Is freeze outT'
"what this plan Is that has been sug-
gested u you, sir" said one Of the
gamblers, "is to sell chips TO the
amount Of the price the owner puts on
his slaves, and the chip holders play
IA game Of poker till one Of them owns
all the chips. He then buys the slaves
and sets them free"
Several OF the players at the table
bought chips, and the clergyman went
TO other tables and induced others Ia
buy. But when he had got In all he
could IL was only half enough. The
owners OF the negroes wanted S1,GOC
for the two, and chips only 10 the val
ne Of 5000 could be sold.
"Friend," said the clergyman, "al
the money have I'm the world is sew
en- hundred dollars. will buy the rest
Of the chips II anyone who knows how
TO play this game Of poker will play
for me-"
you needn't take all the unsolt
chips, parsOn," said the owner OF the
slaves. "rll divide II with you. IL
take half; you take the other half"
The game was arranged but Their,
was trouble in finding anyone TO play
for the parson. He would not commit
the interest to any professional gam.
bier OF which class he professed hOr-
ror; and no one else would accept the
responsibility Of playing for him.
"Gentlemen," he said at last. "the
Lord will play for me. / know moth
ing of the game, but in such IA cause
the Lord will send me luck with enough
of the element Of luck, will need no
skill"
The chip holders took table and
the game began. II was n slow pro-
ceedlng. for everything must be explain
ed % the parsOn. He neither won nor
lost for time, but one by one the
players lost all the chips they had
bought except the owner OF the slaves
and the clergyman. The former deslr-
ing TO hasten the winning Of the par
sons chips proposed Jack pot. When
a jack pot was explained 20 the parSon
he acceded 90 II snd after consider
able enlargement of the pile on the Ia
bic his opponent opened IL. The par.
son won on three kings, the other
showing three knaves.
They played on with various success
TN the parson laid his cards on the
table face down, and asked which was
the higher hand. thrsae kings or a queen
und four deuces. when todd that lpur
deuces beat the kings In seemed sur
prised. But he took up his hand and,
after a profound study Of IL. uGt fifty
dollars in the pot. His opponent rails
ed him. He raised his opponent ard
the raising went on tin an the chips
were on the table. The cards we're
turned over
us that what you call royal hushf p
asked the purson looking w from his
cards, showing four aces and king.
There was "a clapping Of hands
among the loOkers-on. The slave own
or had been frozen out.
The clergyman made out free pa
pers for the slaves.
"Nho is that manT asked the slave
owner, IL think there Is something
wrong about him."
Something wrong and something
right" replied a bysander. Hes "a
notorious card sharp, but he's given his
money and his skill 10 free a connla