I shall never forget a trip that I took many years ago in the
steamer _Tagleona_, a Pittsburg boat. It was her first trip out,
and Adam Clark, who has now been dead for many years, was with me
as a partner. He was doing the playing, and money was plenty.
Clark was an Englishman, and when he spread his board in the hall-
way and made his introductory speech, a great crowd gathered about;
for as he dropped his h's, like all Cockneys, it was very amusing
to hear him talk. In those days the big fish had the first choice,
and the small fry, or poor fish, had to wait around some time before
they got a chance to lose their money. I noticed an old man hanging
around, and so I sized him up as a pretty solid fellow, and giving
my partner the wink, I called up all hands to the bar, and they
all came willingly enough except a couple of fellows, who hung
back. I sent one of the crowd back to invite them up, as I did
not want them to see what the old man lost. They came along, and
while we were at the bar Adam downed his man for $4,000 at one bet.
When we came back from the bar, Adam kept right on playing as if
nothing had happened, using the same cards with the corner turned
up. When the poor fish saw this they all wanted to play, so I said:
"Boys, let's make up a pony purse and give him a good bet."
This was readily agreed to, and when I asked Adam what was the
least he would turn for, he said $2,000. I was pretty sure there
was not that amount of money in the party, but I remarked that I
would go half of it. Then a little wizen-faced, dried-up old man
said he would put up $400. The rest chipped in, and $900 was
raised. I put up the balance, and we were all ready to turn, when
down the cabin rushed a woman squealing like a stuck pig. Adam
looked up, and the little woman grabbed the dried-up old man and
shouted:
"Where's my money? Give me my money!"
Of course such a commotion aroused all the passengers on the boat,
who were anxious to see what the trouble was. I got the old lady
to one side, and when she cooled off a little, she said that she
had $400 in her dress pocket and had lain down to sleep; that when
she awoke she found her money gone, and knew no one had taken it
but her husband, as he had done such a trick before.
"I knew he was gambling," she said.
Adam counted out the $400 and handed it back to the old man, and
said:
"That settles it. I won't take the bet."
Somebody turned the card for the balance, and, of course, Adam won.
At another time a man lost a few hundred dollars and then went back
and got the keys of his wife's trunk, and, securing some jewelry
and a fine shawl, sold them to a passenger, and receiving the money
came around and lost it. After the game was all over I learned of
the occurrence, and going to the party who had purchased the goods
I made him disgorge, and paid him what he paid for them. Taking
the goods and wrapping them up in a paper, I handed them to the
lady, at the same time I advised her to keep her keys from her
husband, and have no doubt she was very grateful to me for it, for
she seemed to be. I did not want the lady to lose her jewelry and
shawl, for I have noticed that a man who will gamble away all his
money, and then steal his wife's money, jewelry, or clothes to
raise a stake, is not the man to replace what he has stolen, in
any great hurry.