One of Bill's most striking peculiarities was his love for gambling.
He loved gambling for its own sake, just as the moralists love
virtue for its own sake. No man that I ever came in contact with
ever struck me as being so fond of gambling. I have seen him give
parties two points in casino and seven-up, and they would play
marked cards on him. On one occasion when we had a settlement
there was $375 in small gold coin, which I told him to keep and we
would fix it up at some other time. No; he wouldn't have it that
way. He wanted to play seven-up for it. This I positively declined,
saying that when partners played together it sometimes broke
friendship and gave rise to hard feelings. But he insisted until
at last I played him. We cut for deal, and he dealt. Hearts were
trumps. I stood, and made three to his nothing. I dealt; he
begged; I gave him one, and made three more. Thus I was six to
his one. He dealt, and I picked up the queen and stood, which was
high. I went out, and refused to play any more. But Bill was
bound to play with somebody, so he picked up a man and gave him
two points in seven-up, and they kept at it all day, until Bill
lost $1,100.