I recollect playing in a game of poker at one time on the steamer
_Natchez_. It was a five-handed game, and the party were all
friends of each other. We were playing on the square, with a
straight deck of cards and for a small limit. I could enjoy myself
in such a game for a limited time, then the old desire to play my
tricks would come over me, and I could not resist the temptation.
I did not want to beat my friends only on the square, but I did
want to have some fun; so I excused myself for a few moments and
left the table. On my return I sat in again, and the game went on
as before. We had been playing a short time, when one of the boys
picked up his hand, got a glimpse of it, and then threw it down as
quick as lightning, saying, "What's the limit?" All the others
looked at their hands, but none of them seemed to remember what
limit we had been playing. One thought it was $10, but was willing
to raise it to $20 if the others would agree. I remarked that the
limit had been but $5, but I never kicked if anybody wanted to
raise her. So they all consented to raise it to $20. The one next
to the age put up the limit, the next one saw that and went him
twenty better, the next one did the same. I said, "Boys, you are
bluffing, so I will just call." The age then raised her the limit,
and it went around until most of the boys had put up all their
money. Then it came to a draw. Some took one card, some stood
pat, and I took three. Then the betting was resumed at a lively
rate. Those that had put up all their money borrowed from friends;
and, to tell the truth, I never did see four men have so much
confidence in their hands. I kept calling, and finally it was a
call all around, but no one wanted to be the first to show down.
I threw down three tens, when they all said, "I've got you beat."
I said, "Gentlemen, it's a call all around; why don't you show
down?" They all came down about the same time; and you should have
been there--for all the passengers on the boat were looking on.
They saw each other's hands, and I be gol darned if every one of
them didn't have fours, and they were all aces at that. All four
of them spoke up in the same breath, "Who dealt the cards?" I
replied, "I did." We sent for the first and second clerks to bring
a quire of paper and figure out who won the money and how much each
one was entitled to. After the problem was solved we resumed the
play, but first the boys made me swear I did not have any more cold
decks on my persons with sixteen aces in them. As I had raised
the limit to $20, I took the oath, and we again settled down to a
square game.