I was coming out of New Orleans one night on the _Ohio Belle_, a
Cincinnati boat, and she was full of good looking suckers. I went
out on the guards and called them all into the cabin, and opened
up monte. They all gathered around the table, and among them was
the Captain of the boat, who insisted on betting. I said to him,
"You are the Captain of the boat, and I do not want to bet with
you." He kept insisting that his money was just as good as anybody's,
and he put up $300. I gave my capper the office to take him away,
but he would not have it. I then told him I would not bet less
than $500. He called to the clerk to bring him $200, and then he
put up $500. I told him not to bet if the loss would distress him,
when he told me it was his money. I told him to turn the card,
for I saw it was the only way to get rid of him. He turned, and
lost; then he got mad, and made me close up. I had no intention
of keeping his money, so I walked out on the guards, and then up
on the roof, where I found him. I said, "Here is your money; I
did not want you to bet, and you have knocked me out of many a good
dollar." He was surprised to get his money back, and he said he
bet in good faith. I talked to him until he told me I could open
up again, and then I told him to give me the $500, and so soon as
I got opened up, for him to come up and make a play, and I would
let him win it back.
I went down and called all the boys into the cabin again, and had
just begun to throw them, when up stepped the Captain and said, "I
lost once, but I will try it again." So he put up and won the
money. Then he walked away. Then a sucker pulled out his wallet,
and offered to bet me $500. I saw he had plenty left, so I said,
"I will not bet less than $1,500." While he was hesitating, my
partner came forward and said he did not have that much money, but
he would bet $1,000 that he could turn the winner. I took him up
and he lost. Then the sucker was all excitement, for he saw that
he didn't turn the card with the corner turned up, so he wanted to
bet $1,000. I would not bet less than $1,500, so he at last put
up. I gave them one more shuffle, and then he was so nervous that
he turned the wrong card. It made him so sick that he went out on
the guards and threw up his supper. The balance of the suckers
did not want to get sick, so I closed up; but if it had not been
for the Captain's first play, I would have done a much better
business on that boat. Such is luck.