"

We thought best not to try our old games in Buffalo for fear the
police would be looking for Bill, so we played the faro banks, bet
on horses, and quit big losers at the end of the week. Dutch
Charlie saved his money. He did not play the bank or horses, and
it was well for us that he did not, for we always had a roll to
use in making a bluff, which sometimes we would not have had if it
had not been for him. We went from Buffalo to Rochester, and as
we did not catch any kicking sucker on the way down, we had clear
sailing during the week. We won a pile of money at monte, but Bill
and I lost heavily at the races and faro banks. From Rochester we
went to Utica, where I remained but a day or two, then concluded
to run down to Philadelphia and see the Exposition. I bid the boys
good-bye, promising to return before they left Utica. I did not
take but little money with me, as I did not expect to do any bluffing
while I was away. I took in the faro banks the first night, and
the next day did not have a dollar. I started out on the street
and soon met a man that I knew by the name of John Wilson. I saw
by his actions he was like myself, "running light," for he did not
ask me to take something, which I knew was his custom, for he was
a clever fellow. We understood each other very soon, and parted.
I had not gone very far until I heard some one call my name. I
looked up, and saw two old friends of mine from New Orleans in a
carriage that had just passed me. Then I knew I had struck oil.
I lost no time in getting alongside of that rig and shaking hands
with Samuel DeBow and Wm. Graham from my adopted home. They invited
me to accompany them to the Exposition grounds, which I was very
glad to do. They soon saw by my actions that something was out of
tune, so they pressed me to know what it was. I told them, and I
soon had all the money I wanted. After taking in the Exposition
and a very large quantity of wine, I bid my friends good-bye,
promising to meet them in Saratoga within a week. I went back to
Utica and found that the boys, Bill and Charlie, had won $3,800,
and they insisted that I was in with it. From Utica we went to
Poughkeepsie, and in a few days I again left the boys to meet my
New Orleans friends at Saratoga. I put up at the same hotel where
they were stopping. The next day we took in the races, where I
met another friend by the name of Rufus Hunt. He was well posted
and gave us some good point