We were playing monte on board the steamer _Magnolia_, out of New
Orleans, one night, and had a very lively game. We had won a few
hundred dollars. There was a Jew on board who had no money, but
he had a fine watch. During the play he was very anxious to bet
it, but I told him I did not want to play for his watch, as I knew
I could win it whenever I saw fit. So, just as the game was about
to close, I said to him, "What is your watch worth?" "Three hundred
dollars, and I can get that for it." I told him I would put up
$300 against it, and bet him he could not turn the picture card.
He pulled out, put her up, and then turned over the wrong card.
The passengers all laughed. He never said a word, but appeared to
take it all right. After a while he came to me and said: "I have
the key, and would like you to keep the watch wound up, as I think
a great deal of it; and as soon as we get to Natchez I can borrow
the money on the wharf-boat, from Charley Frazier, to redeem it."
When he spoke in that way I handed him his ticker, and he ran away
with it. I laughed, and began thinking how to get it back again.
So I took my partner, Alexander, to one side and told him to get
in with the Jew, then tell him he heard me say I was going to give
the watch back. "Tell him you have been watching me play, and that
you believed you could play it as well as the man he played against."
He got in with him, and finally got some cards to show the Jew how
I played. The Jew got very much taken with the game again, so he
said to my partner, "I know that I could beat you, if you will play
for something." So he won the drinks and cigars from my partner,
and at last he wanted to put up his watch against $500 that he
could turn the card. My partner put up the money, and the Jew the
watch; but he missed it that time; and you never did hear such
laughter as there was on that boat, for the passengers all turned
loose and plagued the poor Jew all the way up to Natchez, asking
him what time it was. He did not redeem it at Natchez, so I had
to buy a "key," and that nearly broke my heart.