I was playing poker on the steamer _Capitol_ with a negro trader,
and had won some money from him, when he got up and went down on
the boiler deck. In a little while he came back followed by an
old black woman, and wanted me to loan him $1,500 on her. She was
too old for me, so I told him I was not keeping a pawn-shop; but
my partner told him he would loan him $1,000 on her, if he would
make out a bill of sale. The bill was made out and he got the
money. We began another game, and in about half and hour I had
his $1,000; for we were playing with my cards, and they never went
back on me or told me a lie. He went off, borrowed some more money
and wanted to renew the game; but as he was getting very drunk, I
declined to play with him any longer. Then he set up a kick, and
said he had been cheated. I told him all suckers talked that way
when they lost their money. That made him hotter than ever, and
he wanted to fight. I told him I was sickly and could not fight;
so he left me to find my partner, to buy his old woman back again.
I never refused to sell a nigger I had won, if any one would give
me anything near the value; and I never had any use for old nigger
women.