Sixteen Aces

Sam OgUvio was a gambler by profession and practice ; but nmong tho planters who frequentnd his faro bank (and all of those of any wealth or standing within a 100 miles of Selnia took a turn at it when they could) thoro waa uot ono who would entertain a question as to Sam's honeety. In that little white cottage, almost hidden by the surrounding grove, none but the fairost of faro was dealt, none but the squarest of poker was bet on. When the chips were bought and the oards cut, each one feit that what tor tune meant the pack to bring him would uot be interfered with by any manipulation of the cards. But, alas ! when was humanity beyond leraptation ï Adam feil, Csesar feil, Warren feil (at Bunker Hill), and even Beecher is suspected. One day Sam was teinpted and he . But let me give tho dutui I s. Judge Ilumphrey, Col. Swain, old Andrews (whose plautation was measured by the thousand acres), and Sol Lovett, of St. Louis, were sittiug in Oglivie's front parlor, playing a snug littlo game of Sraw. AU were hoavy betters when thoy held the cards; but just then the cards were running light, and so were the bets. Sam, who cared very little for poker, had sat by watching the game rather than going in it. He held a hand, of course, but his thoughts were rather on tho layout in the next room than on the cards in his hand, Several times he had hiuted at abandoniug the game, but each time the others had insisted on going on, so Sam had politely stifled his impatience and had kept his seat at the table. As the clock was telling 10, Sam was called trom the table, and excusing himseif for the moment, left the room. His way was through the back parlor, where lay the sleeping tiger. The table, with its lay-out, the case, piles of checks, decks of cards, all were ready for the players. As he glanced carelessly overthem, a sudden thought seemed to flash through Sam's brain. A sardonio smile crept over his thin cut lips, and his long üngers played with his mustache, as il' to hide the twitching lips írom gome unseen observer. Advancing to the card-box, where cards by the dozen packs, in unbroken packages, lay piled up, he busied bimself for a momentin opening packs, breaking wrappers, and assorting cards, then, with an expression of guüeless innocence upon his face, but with a " cold deck" up his sleeve, he returned to the poker-table. In a few minutes it was Sam's turn to deal. His hand faltered as he lifted the cards ; a deuce spot fluttered into his lap, and, in picking it up, a rapid movement of the long, lithe tingers had exchanged the table-pack for the " cold deck." A grain of remorso seemed to touch his heart when he carne to serve the cards. " I can't take a hand this deal, gentlemen. I have got to step around to my hotel a moment." The others acquiesced and the cards were dealt. A good hand, one would say, by the action of the players. There was a thousand in the pot and a very obstinate expreBsion on the faces of the players before the playing began. When a singular circumstance was noticed. The judge only wanted one card ; one card satisfied the colonel, and one card each took, Lovett and Andrews. - Odd, thought each one, and wondered whether they were trying to bite a full or a flush, or were hiding tours. But each glanced at his own hand, and calmly awaited the issue, confident of his own and pitying the other's hand. The cards served, Sam lit his cigar, and started for the hotel. If he had waited he would have seen the tallest betting that was ever done inside of that cottage. A thousand dollars the fust bet, fifteen hundred the second, two thousand the third, and twenty-five hundred from the " age" on the lirst round. Everybody in and willing to lap his pile. Out caine check-books and pencils, and eacli one rapidly cast up in his own mind how muoh his credit was good for among the commission merchants of Now Orleana. Check after check was written, torn out and placed on the table, until there was enough staked to cripple the richeat man there, if he loBt. The judge stopped it. Why, I don't know, unless it was that he had reached the last check in his book, As he filled that' out, he remarked with judicial gravity : " Thore is but one hand at the table that can wiu that pot, gentlemen ; ain't it about big enough 'i I will see you, colouel." This checked the game. The pot was big enough in all conscienoe, and some of thein trembled a little as they thought of thethousands piled there, and how poor the cali was to rnake three of their couirades. Two moresights and a cali brought the game to a focus. Perspiration stood out upon more than one forehead, and the fingers that griped the cards tightened perceptibly as the critical moment approached. And heads had to be turned to prevent the hungry eyes from feasting too intensely upon the pile on the table. The venerable colonel hardly looked up as he gently laid down his hand : - " Fours. Aces, gentlemen." Then Andrews, with distended eyes and pursed-up lips : " Four aces for me !" and the cards were laid upon the table to verify the claim. Beproachfully Lovett glanced at his comrades us at inhospitable barbarians from whom the title of stranger was no protection, and blandly remarked : " Excuse me; but mine are aces. Fours!" and again the cards proved the claim. Dashing his spectacles from his Roman nose tj his perspiring farehead, the judge sank back in his seat, and gazed despairingly from face to face around the board. As his eye met Lovett's he partially straightened himself, and said : " Sixteen aces, as I am a sinner," and again four aces lay upon the board. Thay waited for Sam that night, but