of the planters bet me the wine that he could turn the
ticket with the baby. I took him up, and he stuck me. Then another
bet me the cigars, and I stuck him. While we were lighting our
cigars, my partner put a pencil mark on the baby ticket, and told
the New Yorker that he wanted to have some fun with me; that I was
so good-natured, I would take it as a joke when I found it out.
I commenced mixing them again, and wanted to know who would be the
next man to try his luck. My partner came to the front, and wanted
to know if I would bet money on the game. I told him so long as
I had two chances to his one, I would bet a plantation, and a
hundred niggers besides. He put up $1,000, and said: "I will try
you once for $1,000." I pulled out a roll so large that it made
everybody look wild, saying, "That just suits me." I mixed, and
my partner turned the ticket with the pencil mark on it, and caught
me for $1,000. I laughed and said, "You're a lucky fellow; I don't
want to bet with you any more." He then slipped away, as though
he was afraid I would detect the mark and raise a fuss. He gave
the $2,000 to one of the planters, and told him to go and play it.
The planter came up and said: "I'll try you for $2,000." I said,
"All right, plank her up." He turned a card, but not knowing
anything about the mark, he lost. I laughed and said, "Try it
again; you're not as lucky as the other fellow." "No," said he;
"I've got enough." Then my partner came up again and wanted to
bet; but I told him he was the lucky fellow, and I was afraid of
him.

The New Yorker could see the mark on the card, and he could not
stand it any longer; so he pushed up to the table and laid down a
roll, and said: "I will bet you $400." I told him I would only
make one more bet and then quit, and I would bet $2,000 or nothing.
He picked up the money and turned away. My partner said, so I
could hear him, "Bet him." The man said, "I have not got the
money." Then my partner offered to loan it to him, when I told
them I would not bet if the lucky fellow was in with it; but if
the gentleman had anything worth the money, he could put it up.
The lucky fellow told him to put up his diamond stud, saying in a
whisper: "It is only for a minute; don't you see the mark on the
card?" The gentleman put up the stone and the $400. I told him
I would only take the stone for $1,000. Then my partner told him
to put up his watch. He did so, and I put up $2