I was on board the steamer _H. R. W. Hill_ going up the river and
had got my work in, and what money I had accumulated was at poker.
We landed at Natchez, and most all that were playing in the game
got off. After supper I was sitting on the guards smoking, when
a man came up and commenced conversation about gambling. He said:
"I love to gamble, but my wife is bitterly opposed to it. I did
want to play in that game to-day, but I dare not, as I have my
family on board; so if you play to-night, I want to sit in." "Well,
I guess that we may make up a game after it gets later," I said.
About two hours after supper he came out and proposed a game. I
asked the barkeeper to pull out a table and put the checks and a
deck of cards on it, which he did. I could see that this man was
crazy for a game, so I told him to sit down at the table and to
ask every man that came by the bar to play, and he did so. Presently
my partner came up to the bar and he got the invitation, so he sat
in. They counted the checks and got all ready, when I dropped in.
Then we had a nice three-handed game, and as we were all first-
class gentlemen there could not be anything wrong. I wanted to
play along until the passengers got thinned out a little, as they
were too thick about the table to suit me; and then my friend wanted
his wife to get to bed before he started in. Everything was going
on beautifully, and I had not given my man a hand to see if he had
any blood in him; but presently he got a hand on the square, and
I knew I could beat him before the draw, so I slashed it at him
pretty lively, but no big bets, and he staid like a man. When it
came to the draw, he filled his hand, and I did not. It was my
partner's age and the man's first bet. He bet $100, and I told
him to take the pot. I had got in before the draw about $150.
Then I knew he was a darling sucker, and I nursed him like a baby.
We played a hand or two, then I ran him up three aces and took four
nines pat. I did not want my partner to raise it too much before
the draw, for fear he would drop out. We had up about $150. It
was my deal, and I asked him how many cards he wanted. He took
two. I said, "I will only take one." My partner took three, as
he had nothing, but had to stay in to cross lift. He tipped his
hand to the man, and the gentleman bet $250. I just called the
bet, so my partner bet $1,000 better; and the gentleman tore his
pockets getting at his money, and he called the bet. So I said,
"Boys, I expect you have got me beat, but I will have to raise you
back $1,000." That made my partner throw down his hand. Then it
was between him and myself. He said to me, "I know I ought to
raise it, but will just call the bet." When I showed down four
nines, it made him lie quiet. We were just getting ready to give
the boy another hand, when his wife came out into the hall, and
made him quit and go to bed. I was sorry to see such an angel
leave the game; but such is luck. I found out that he was very
rich, but had married the money.