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THE WASHINGTON GAZETTE. VOJj. XX. OUTWITTING A GAMBLER Exciting Fasaa from the History of Mls slsippt’a Gamoling King. Old Benedict Kirk, the king of the Mississippi river gamblers was born in .Maysyille, K)\, and received Ids lirst lessons in cold decking and stripping in the quaint old town of Washing ton, which is four miles south of Maysville on the Lexington pike. In those days Washington and Cirele villo, Ohio, were the chief commer cial towns of the new west. Cincin nati was only a straggling village and Chicago a pioneer camp. Washing ton was the scat of 11 aso .1 county, and during court term there was gathered there all the leading planters merchants and sporting men of tho Blue GraMcountry. Young Kirk had a talent for cards and before he was 17 years Of age he Mad no equal about Washington. He sighed fqr other worlds to conquer, visited Circlevilic anil went as tamp the river a* Pisttsburg. His mothods filled his wallet, and ho determined upon an extensive trip South. a (JAM n'lJtlt’s ups Axn nows. From that hour his lame was as sured, and Ins fortune fluctuated lornt extreme poverty, to equlewt riches, lie won at the card table thousand of dollars at tho card tabic, hut as speed ily lost his easily acquired riches try ing to beat faro. When the Bine Lick Spring became tho summer re sort of tho wealthy Southerners. Ben edict mingled with them freely laughed at their jokes, ’listened to their stories ami won their money. His career was a most eventful one and he died poor. One of his tavo ite pastimes was to “down”a follow gambler, usually by combining with him to fleece an outsider and then giving away the grme. • Once he found himself in LaulsYillc after a protracted siege at faro, with out a dollar. He became disgusted with the Falls City and boarded a down liver steamer. It touched at gomelittlo towu on the Indiana shore and a genuinejawhawker about emi grating to Kansas came aboard. He displayed plenty of money and Bene dict selected him as a victim. He lormcd the fellow’s acquaintance and thejawhawker was delighted with his ncw-friend. It happened that there was another gambler aboard the boat and he, too, cast envious eyes upon the Tndianian. He know Benedict Kirk, and watching his op portunity called the great gambler aside. “Benedict.” he said, pointing to the Indianian “your friend seems to have plenty of money.” “About |s,oooiMiswered Kirk. “Why don’t yen get it?” “I would but I lost my last dollar at faro in Louisville." “I’m pretty well fixed,” cried the gambler, eagerly, displayed a large roll of bills and a sack of calm “you. play and I’ll stake von.” “Agreed!” said Benedict. “Give me one tmndred to start with. PI.AVIXO WITH AX WWANIAX. The gambler placid in his hands the required sum and Kirk rejoined the Ind’anian, When they were alone he leaned forward and said : •‘My fricad. you are an innocent good-heartad fellow and I like you. ••Canyon play poke*?’” “A little.” “Well suppose wc play a game. I am Benedict Kirk, anil that fellow forward there, “Moddingtoward the other gambler, “wants me to fleece yon. licit going to furnish the 111011- er, and after we have been playing awhile I will deal you four kings Discard ihe useless card and draw another. Then bet every dollar you have, and I’ll see you with money that I'll borrow from mv friend up forward. You’ll win.and we'll divide up.” The Idianian had heard of Benedict Kirk and he agreed to go into the game. The gambler who had staked Kirk sauntered up to the table where they were playing, a3 though out of ■.die curiosity, and stood so that he could see Bet elict hand. For a half an hour the game moved along slowly the bets being small. Finally Benedict dealt, and when he raised his hand the gambler saw that it contained four aces. The In diatiian made good his ante and call forone card. Beneilkfdrew one. Tncn they began to bet, cauti ously ac first. Finally when it was Benedict’s thru to bet, 1 e hesitated and said: "I’ve girt a hand here (hat I would back with a million it 1 had it. I Bate to call you, but I am afraid I shall have to.” This was the gambler’s cue and he was quick to take it up. “I’ll loan yon any sum to back ttiat hand, my friend,” lie said, and laid a roll of notes beside Kirk. THE HAM) WAS CAI.LEI). The betting proceeded and finally when’every dollar (if Ihe gainliJer’* money was on the table Kirk called the liidiatiiaii's hand. “Four kings !”cried the jayhawker spreading out his hand and reaching for the pot. “Bold on there!” interposce the gambler who had been backing Kirk. “This nand beat yours. Four aces I” Kirk turned up liis cards, but to thq the surprise and digust of the gam bler there were three acres, a five#utl seven spot. •‘Confound the luck !”cried Kirk, jn well simulated astonishment. “I dis carded the wrong card.” The gambler not daring to accuse Kirk of double dealing, but confident that he had been made tho victim of otic of the great gamblers shrewd tricks, turned on his heels with au oath and retired to his state room The .Indianian gathered up his winnings, “Now ('sillies the funny part of the story,” sail! Kirk, who sold me this incident himself tcvcral years ago. When 1 got an opportunity to see my jayhawker friend alone and asked him for mv share of tho winnings ho laughed at mo. “I won the money, and its mine,” he said, hut as you are broke I don’t mind giving you hack 1100. I saw no use arguing the question with the countryman, and I took one hundved dollars. I never saw him afterward but he was the only man that ever got the best ol me at my own game. I left the boat at Memphis, mode a stake continued on down to Vicks burg, and three days after my arriv al there had won a cool $50,000 in cash and forty head of negroes and a good plantation. That was my last visit to Vicksburg. A committee of citizens waited on me. and gave me three honrs to leave town, “f rent le nten. ’ I said, bowing politely, you are too magnanimous. I require only 3 minutes*, and lumping into a little pirogue that was t'cd to the levee, I tossed the owner a t‘2o gold pieeo and paddled for the other side of the river, —Philadelphia Times. SAM JONES The main element #f Sam Jones' success iu hi* earnestness. The man is earnest ami lie is sincere. To zeal lie adds disinterestedness most gen uine. He works for results. Ilis methods are all directed to success In the work of human conversion. Jones his proven his disterested ness. He was offered a SIO,OOO home in Nashville. He declined it. A purse of $2,500 was raised for him. He took S3OO of it to pay what he owed and to provide for his family, and told the donors to give the rest of ihe money to help those saloon deal ers who had been converted and sa crificed their bnsinoss for their new ly-gained Christianity. These acts show tlie man’s disregard of wealth His fearless denunciations of sooic cvince his utter disregard of the favor of the high and influential. There is no doubt that Mr. Jones is an enthu siast in liis religious zeal and seeks neither wealth or fame, save as means to do his self-allotted work. —Atlanta Capitol. The little two-year-old daughter of Mr. 8. A. Gheesling, Jr., had a wa ter-melon seed to lodge in her wind pipe last year which has caused her much trouble. At times she would almost choke to death and doing one of her coughing spells last Saturday, and when it seemed that she couid not breathe any longer, she made one great effort and succeeded in dislodg ing the seed, and it flew from h<r mouth and fell to the floor several feet awav. The seed seemed as sound as when it was ewallowd a year ago. —Warren lon Clipper. The large sawmill at Screven, Wayne county, owned by Mr. Dale, has been shut down. It is said that at least 100 hands will he out of em ployment on account of the suspen sion. WASHINGTON, GA., FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 1885. TI RNING A HrSBAKBOtT, ! A Donetle Scene In Tnnc*Nce—How u Woman Vi nati on trs Hertivlf. (From the Detroit Freo Press.) "We were winding down one of the mountain roads of Tennessee in a cart drawn by a mule. The land was barren, the cabins no better titan hovels and it was a quary how people made a bare living or were content to stay. By and by we came to a turn ip the road where there was a trough to water horses and mules aud a cabin of a settler. Tho was the poorest of all and nothing srouml it Indicated that the owner made any attempt to cultivate the soil. We reached tho place just in lime to witness a tableau. A woman poorly dressed and her face bearing the look of one who had seen much worry and suffering, stood near the trough and a satchel filled with cloth ing set on the ground beside iter. Five feet away stood her husband, a hurley, toughfaced mountaineer, and he held a switch iu his hand. Neith er minded us as we drove up and it was full a minute heforc the hus band said: "Mary, I'll wollop yei” “Jim. ye Hasn’t I” site roplid. “Mary, you cant, leave me now!” “Jipl. I’m gwinoterdo it! I've starved an’ suffered till I’m clean gone! I'm going home.” “Mary, if you don’t take up that satchel and march iu I'll wollop ye good and stout!” There were two of us besides the driver. The woman looked up and scanned our faces, as if to judge how far she might count on our help, and the driver said: “’Taili’t putable for strangers to mix in, Mary ; and Jim's got a knife anil would kill somebody. Better go in.” ‘‘Never!” she hissed. "If you dou!tj'’aj(l the husband, as he came n Mdp nearer, "I’ll make the fur fly. Take that!” With a swish he brought the switch down across her shoulder* and raised it again. She stood stockstill fora minute and looked him in the eye. and then walked into the hovel. “Bavlher port, but the gad will cure her I” grinned the husband, as ho drew the switch through his fingers. His triumph was short-lived. In sixty seconds Mary reappeared She had the mountaineer’s heavy rifle in her hand, as she came outshc raised it on a line with the man’s heart. “Jim, I want you to git!” “No-o!” “Sartin!” “Shoo! Can’t do it!” Clink! clink! “Mary, what yergwine ter do?” “Kill ye like a wolf in yer tracks if ye don’t walk away.” “Wliar to?” “Nobody keers. Go snmwliar’— keep goin’—don’t never come back I Hurry up, far I’m going down on the stage!” He looked into her eyes and saw the change. Poverty and brutality had come to an end. Love had turned to disgust, and in place of fear was such bravery as he would not have looked for In a man on the road. Ho saw “shoot” in her eyes, but he still hesi tated. “Mary, drop that rifle, “he whis pered. “Jim, git! If you arc hero when I’ve finished counting twenty I kill yon as sure as there is a God in heav en!” He began backing away. When lie bad gone twenty feet he turned and walked. When he had gone one hun dred lie halted, wheeled about. and,af ter a long time muttered: “Wall by goslt! Maty, let’s make up!” “Keep a-gittin’, Jim,” she replied, as site still covered him with the rifle. lii five minutes lie was out of sight up the road. The woman placed the gun and satchel in the cart to be gone two minutes and when She came back to the cart and took a scat with us flames were creeping through a hun dred crevices between the dry logs. Without a word she climbed in and only once during the five-mile ride did she utter a word. At a bend in the road she looked back at a pyramid of smoke and flame wrought by her hands and said, as if to herself: “Jim did’ut know Mary; Jim didn’t.!'’ The outlook for fall trade was never so hopeful for Rome as at present. TEXAS LIARS. Where Skill In the Accomplishment Is Specified. [Texas Siftings] This article is not intended to re form tie politicians and editors of Texas, 'gut not only to other persons who have attained a suprising prof iciency in “drawing the long bow." It is not meant to insinuate, however, that the class tirst mentioned, if they are oily exasperated, are lacking in ski! in the accomplishment speci fied. i When Gov. Scott, of Virginia, re turned from his first visit to tho then part ol Virginia known as Kentucky, lie declared that that the soil of Ken tucky was so fertile, “that if a ten penny nail was planted in it it would growtpinto a crow-bar. lie was eloquent in his description of the si*e of. the trees and tho density of the forestand cane brakes. He averred that lip saw herds of elks there and that “the horns of the bucks wore ten feqt wide from point to point." Whonasked how those elks could get through the forests atld cano brakes he described, ho replied “tiiat ,hat wgs thejr business” not his. While in Kentucky, lie gathcaed a lea'f of Buffalo olover which was larger than a silver dollar, and was accustomed to wind up his amplification in re gard to Kentucky by asserting that thetioli was so very fertile thero “that a clover leaf grew to ho larger than a dollar.” and would then pull out his pocketbook produce a dollar, and tficn take out tho dried clover leaf and put it upon the dollar, tints demonstrating that it more than cov ered it. He, on another occasion, boasted that on the strength of that single leaf of clover, ho had palmed of some of the biggest lies that hu man credulity over swallowed. Gov. erpor Scott, is must be admitted, was in bis day. quite a proficient iu the art oflving. But the liars or Texas, in boldness and originality, hate far surpassed TSitv: Scott. Take for instance, Sack W . well known along Ihe lower Bio Grande. The readiness, case and grace or his extemporan eous lying command respectful at tention wherever he went. No lo cality could ho mentioned In a cas ual conversation but ho would show himself to be familiar with it, and that in some way it was con nected with his family. When an illusion was made to the superiorly of Goshen butter, he merely observ ed tnat old Goshen, who first intro duced it into general use, was his uncle. When on another occasion an allusion was made to the Nalur a Bridge of Virginia, he remarked, with an air of modesty, that he knew all about it, and could give its dimen sions with precision if desired, as his father was one of the constructors that built it. He was quite an artist in his way. But the most briliiaht, original and ready of all liars, was an old army scout that settled in Western Texas. He had won such a reputation tiiat a General in the srmy. iu passing his cabin on liis way to a military post, halted and called upon him, inform ing him that lie bail beard of hi in so often all along the frontier tiiat he desired to make his acquantance and hear him tell of the strange sights lie had seen in the far West. Tho old scout ’hereupon proceeded to say that he had indeed seen strange sights out West. That on one scout ing trip lie had come upon a high mountain that consisted of of a sin gle crystal of diamond, so very clear that lie could see through! it herds of deer and elk on the ether side; and tiiat when lie was going around it to get at them, lie came upon a buffalo tiiat was in a standing position and was entirely petrifed, even the end of the animal’s tail, which was in an erect position over his hack, as he was about to charge when petrifica tion set in, was also petrified. “Stop,’’said the General, “now I’ve got you. Tne attraction of gravita tion would have caused the end of tho tail to drop down.” “No,” replied the scout, “tiiat was petrified too,” Capt. .1. L. Barnett, of Butts county, lias tho astronomical works of Robert Grier, author of Grier’s almanac, who filed near Stark, in Butts county in 1819. Those books were purchased at the administrator’s sale of Robert Grier’s son, A. S. Grier. GEORGIA'S PUBLIC MEN. A Pew Anecdotes of a Couple of Judges. Judge Cone, f Greene county, was in his day of the ablest lawyer* in the state. He was full of humor and enjoyed making fun for others. Ho represented Greene county in the sen ate. He was approached soon after his election by a candidate for door keeper’ place who came to his room canvassing for votes. Ho asked the judge for Ins support, when the fol lowing conversation took place: “Have you ever topi a door,” asked the judge. “No,sir” “Have you ever seen a door kept ?” “No sir’. ’ “Have you ever read a treatise on doorfcecplug.” “No, sir.” “Well, said the judge, I think you unfit for such a responsible position ; but. it you get tho proper books ami study and master the art, I will vote for you next year.” uentlemen’s horses. Judge Dooly was very fastidious about Ills quarters at tbo taverns, and was a great terror to landlords who fqared his wit and culling jemarks if things did not suit him. Wfiilo he was on the bench tho Au gusta lawyerslpratlccd. in Warren county court, apd usually came with equipages, servants, etc., In a style he thought fuvoredof ostentation, and liis jealousy was provoked on account of their receiving, as he thought more than their share of attention from tho landlord. One morning it was noticed that lie came from Mrs. Chapman’s insload of l’aris’ tavern, whero he had been say ing the tirst days of court. Somooue asked him what was the matter. Ho said ho had gone to a plaoe where he hoped hq would be consid ed a gentleman, for, said ho, “I went to the horse lot, and seeing my horse in the rren, I inquired why he was not stabled, and was told by the host ler the stable was full of ‘gentlemen’s horses, salt. “I made tho same inquiry about mo sulky, which I found exposed to the weather, and 1 was told that the carriage house was full ofgentlcmcns, carriages, ssh.” “I asked for a glass in my room, and was told that tho looking glasses were all in tho ‘gentlemen’s, rooms, salt.” “And when I asked for auy necossa ry article I received the reply—all in tho gentlemoii’s rooms, sail.” “I said I would go where I would ho considered a gentleman, too, so I went to Mrs. Chapman’s where ! hope to sustain that character.” IIIHOIIAHOEU HIM. Avery pretentious landlord in one of tho counties of the nothorn judicial circuit, keeping a‘very common ho tel,” was always going to have great improvements to liis house, table, fur niture, etc. After many false promi ses of tho kind, at last a court day came when lie redeemed them all by a dish of which any landlord, as ho thought, should feel proud. At dinuer time there was the dish. It was a pig roasted whole, stuffed to bursting with light broad, onions, etc., standing erect as life, flanked by Irish potatoes, and having a big red apple in its mouth. The pig faced Judge Dooly, and tho judged faced the pig with a squizzleal expression. The carving knife and fork were handy; lawyers were all around tho table. No one offered to carve the pig. Dinner ended with the pig as perfect as when it began. Supper came, and the pig came and went. The same thing was repeated at the three meals next day. The second morning, when Judge Dooly came to the table, there was the pig. Making a how, the judge said: “Good morning, Mr. Pig. I am afraid you have lost your appetite, seeing you have not eaten that applo yet, and I presume you are tired of attending court. Mr. Sheriff, you may discharge him on his own recognizance, until the next session of court, of courso, seeing we will have no further use for him this ses sion.” The petition to movo the Ogle thorpe court-house from Lexington to Crawford has been abandoned, as not enough names could be had to give any hope for success to the orgina tors. The court-house will ho built at the old site on the public square. NO. 33 A GEORGIA SKETCH. Hank, in reply to John’s inquiry as to “old Johnson,” who, I gather, was engaged in the business of moon shining, soberly told of liis fate. “You see, he and the old man Bas come bought a sow together a year ago last October. They were part ners like. This fall they drovo her up to the still house, and she and her seven shoats lived on the slops of 'the still. Along in early December Johnson sent word to Basoome to eonte over anddividc the youngstock as he wanted to kill his meat. Now, you know that it would have beon but fair seeing that John had fed the pigs, for him to have kept four of the snoals, but Bascome, he talked him out of four, and the old man was sat isfied with three. The understand ing was that he was to hare the odd pig next year if there should be one. Bascome allowed that there would be one sure. Well, old woman Johnson when she heard of tho trade, site al lowed that there would be no odd pigs next year, and she put Johnson to go and claim the shoat or at least one-half ot it. The old chap ho went across tho ridge to Bascomo’g house. It is about two miles through the woods. Of course they fell out, and Johnson beat Bascome with a club, and he yelled for help. You know his gal Bet? No? ahe is as big a* as a cow, and as strong as a mule. She ran out of the house, and, gath ering a stone, she mashed Johnson in tho ribs, and knocked the wind out of him. He fell up against the corn house, and Bet grabbed him by the goozleslring (windpipe) that set tled him. When a 250-pound wom an gets her hand on a man’s goozle- Htrlng that man has got to do some thing mighty sudden, or it’s all day with him. He was silent for an instant, and gazed moodliy out ot the car window. I judged from tho ex pression on his face that ho had ox perience with 250-pound women. He cheered a little shorly, and re suming the, to me, thrilling story, said: “Johnson sqirmed away from her and broke for the timber. She sal a big yellow hound on him, and he bit old Johnson. Bet chased him over the ridge,and at.'evory jump she threw stones at him. She hit him, too, and the dog tore most of hie clothes off. That Bel never stopped chasing him until the heft of her clothes was snagged off of her.” Mus ingly lie remarked: “Wimmen is tough customei sand, after a short pause, added: “Bet says she can whip the stuffing out of him in a fair fist fight; but Lord ! John, he oan’t fight no more. He is all smashed up.” St bcrly John expressed his sympathy for old man Johnson. Neither of them smiled. A vision of a half-naked man chased through the forest by a yellow hound and an angry woman, whoun lovingly threw a stono at. him, and who encourgcd the dog to disrobo and him, who kept up tho chatc until lior own clothes were gone, aroso promptly before me, anil I yelled with laughter. The two grave Georgians smiled in sympathy with me, but they did not see anything funny in the story.—Frank Wilkeson, in the N#w York Sun. A GEORGIA SAMSON. X Mon Who Can Throw an Anril flt Distance of Fifty Yards, Perhaps the strongest man in the State is Mr. Beussoe, the blacksmith at Mr. T. E. Birchmore’s shop, Max eys. He is about six feet ten inches high stands, erect and his muscles prominent. He stands and with one hand raises a hundred and twenty pound anvil out straight for a min ute, and take a larges cart wheel in one hand by one spoke and holds it out horizontally at arm’s length. On hearing of his wonderful muscular power we went oscr last Monday to witness some of this modern Sam son’s strength, and when wh asked him about it, “Yes,” says he, “I think I am strong as any man in this country. lean take flii anvil and throw it from hero to that wagon (a distance ot fifty yards.) I u*o the hammer with my right hand, but I believe I am stronger in my left. Here,feel fins arm, and flic muscles; measure it if you want to. When I used to shoe horses I never encounter* cdonc that I couldn’t manage. I could hold them if they were wild. I havo never found a man that was as stoul in the arms at I am.—Lex ington Echo.