I had been attending to business pretty faithfully, and had
accumulated some wealth, when it struck me I must take a rest; so
when I arrived in New Orleans I laid off. I was playing the "bank"
one night, and was a big loser. There was a big fighter came in
and sat down at the same table, and in a short time he began to
pick up checks. I thought he would take some of mine next, and I
was not in the humor to let any one take my checks. Sure enough,
he clinched onto a stack I had on the nine. I said to him, "Those
are my fifty." He raised up, took me by the collar, and said,
"You're a d----d liar." I thought I would get the old head ready
for business once more, so I argued the question with him until I
saw an opening, and then I let him have it just between the eyes.
He dropped all in a heap, and it was some time before they could
get him to sit up. He was pretty badly hurt; his nose was broken
down flat with his face; the blood was running out of his ears,
and I thought it was about time for me to get out. I cashed in my
checks and quit the game over $6,000 a loser. So you see a man
must fight at times, even when he has quit his regular business,
and is laying off for a rest.