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Show SELECTED. The Boy who Won Himself. I was going up the Mississippi in 1S48, Judge Underwood of Kentucky aud Henry Clay being onboard. "That's a tough crew, from Natchez, Natch-ez, " remarked the clerk who came up-'n up-'n the deck as we were going below. "Thuy play hard and high." "Let's go and'lock on for a while,'' said the Judge.' We went down into the saloon, where we found two parties at play. At ono of the tables sat four men, about whom were gathered a large number of lookers on; and, as these proved to be the heavy players, we joined the group of spectators. The fjatiie was tweuty-deck poker, and money was changing hands with sparkling spark-ling rapidity. Oue , of the players, a middle-aged man, whose face showed but too plainly the ravages of an excess ex-cess that was sapping his life, and, I afterward learned, was a cotto-planter, has staked his last dollar and "called" his opponent's hand. He held four queens, against which were laid down four kings. And he was "broke." He started to his feet as though he would leave the table. "Are you dead broke, Colonel?" asked he of the lour kings, "Yes, to the last picayune." "No," replied, the planter with an oath, "I can do better than that. here's Wackman?" "Here," answered a dark-visaged man. "Bring the girl and boy here that I bought at Natchez. Hold on the game just one minute, gentlemen, and I'll make araise." The man went away, and shortly returned re-turned accompanied by the "girl and boy." Said "girl" proved to be a bright mulatto woman of five and-thirty, and-thirty, or thereabouts ; and the "boy" was her son. The boy was not far from ten year? of age, with a face lighter in color than was his mother's; his features were really handsome. "Look here, gentlemen," spoke the planter, rising, "here's as likely a pair for a girl and her brat, as you can scare up. I paid eight hundred dollars for 'em. Who'll give six?" "Why not put 'em up separate?" asked one. "Twon't do to sell 'em separate. The gal has sworn that she wdl kill herself if her boy is sold away from her; and her old master says she'll be sure to keep her word. But don't you see the woman is worth mor'n I ask for the pail? Now, what d'ye say who'll take 'em at the six hundred?" hun-dred?" The owner then waited a few seconds without receiving an answer, and then said : "I must have the money; so here goes for a rafHe. Twenty dollars a throw, and thirty chances for the pair. Come, gentlemen, let us see the color of your coin. Them that buys first w 11 throw first." Here was excitement as well as a chance for profit. The three players at the table took two chances e.icli. Then the spectators surged up, aud twenty chances were sold as fast as the planter could take the money and write down the names. Then came a lull. The planter himself took two chances, whereupon his three companions compan-ions took each one more. Then three men in the crowd "doubled up." "Two more chances, gentlemen." Clay whispered apart to the Judge and then made his way to the table, and threw down two guld eagles. "What name ?" "(Jive it to tho woman " "Kh ! the ga! her-e.IT' "res. Give her a chance." "All right. One chance for Ninette Ni-nette !" Before the planter could cull again, Judge Underwood had placed twenty d" lars upon the table, saying as he-did he-did so : "This is for the boy. "Good!" cried the owner of the property. "Here's a ch mee fir Tummy. Tum-my. And that takes the lot. here's the clerk ?'' "Here." "Have you got blanks for this nrt of busint s.- f "Yes," "Ihen won't you iili up a fill ol sale for these two Ninette and Tummy and leave a place to put in the name of the winner? Now ior the dice, gentlemen." The dice were brought on and the shaking couimencei. There were three dice, and each gentleman wa-entitled wa-entitled to three throws. Of the first ten throws, thirty-six was the highest number east. The e'eventh throw turned up forty-two. Then the soores I'eil again tiil the twenty-fir-t throw, when one of the gamesters threw out forty-nine. The crowd were now all excitement. Forty-nine was a hard puin' to beat. The lowest number that could be thrown was nine and the highest iiiio- sixesi fifty-four; making what is called an average throw, about thirty-one and halt". Of a hundred throws, the majority ma-jority will fall below thirty-two. Affain the dice rattled in the box. as the second gamester took his turn, but his throw was a low one. The twenty-eighth throw belonged to the clerk of the boat, who had now returned return-ed witn the hill of sale. He threw forty-nine, tying the gime-ter. "Come, Ninette ! It's your turn." The woman started and Quivered, and pressed her h ind over her heart. Only the groaning and puffiiiL' of the engine broke the stillness of the place. "Will the gentleman who paid for the chance thiow for me?" she .-aid, in a low, mu.-ical tone, earnest and imploring, im-ploring, and of purest accent. "Let your boy throw for you," returned re-turned Mr. Clay, who shrunk from the ordeal. "His luck should be better than mine." Tommy came forward and took the box. His mother's hands were clasped, clasp-ed, and her lips moved in prayer. The hoy trembled like an aspen. What a world of weal or woe hung upon the fickle chance ! He held in his hand i he sealed book in which was written the fate of his mother and hims If. and it was opened upon the hazard of a die ! He shook the box and turned the dice upon the table. Three aces ! A moment he gazed upon the three single sin-gle spots, and then, dropping the box, he sank back, pale and frightened. "Shake again, Tommy," said the planter. "It's of no use, master : 1 can't get forty-nine." "But you've got your own chance, my boy." "Aye, cried the Judge. "That was your mother's chance. Now throw for yourself throw for the chance I gave you. Brace up and take heart, and may l.oaven help you." That was not an assembly of religiously relig-iously inclined persons, by any means ; but the ferveut petition of thejulge met with a warm and impulsive response res-ponse of "Amen" from nearly all present. pres-ent. Again the boy came forward and lifted the box. His lips were slightly shut; and the old quivering of the limbs was hushed. The only sound in that saloon, above the deep breathing of the spcetaters, was the clicking of the ivory cubes. Presently the first throw was made. "Five five six, are sixteen 1" announced an-nounced the planter, setting down the 1 figures "Six ix and a five. Good 1 That's seventeen. The boy was pale as death a's he took the box for the last throw, and his mother leaned against a stanchion for support. At length and the book was opene I! "Three sixesi eighteen and that's fifty-one! Tommy, my boy, you'ie a trump! Now, Mr. Cleik, ti l up the hill of sale, and I'll sign it before these witnesses." The scene that followed can be better imagined than described. The last time I heard from Judge Underwood he was alive and well, though long re-1 tired from aciive life. Ninette was his housekeeper, and Tommy his trusted trust-ed and truthful henchman. i |