"SHORT STOPS."
McGawley, "Rattlesnake Jack," and myself were on the Morgan Railroad, going out from New Orleans.
I occupied a seat beside an old gent from Iowa, on his way to Texas to buy a farm.
The conductor was on to our racket, and would not give us a show.
We had to wait for a change of conductors before we could open up for business.
I gave Jack the office to come up, which he did, looking like a
Texas ranchman.
The cow-boy had been to New Orleans to sell his critters, and wanted a dram.
The old gent did not drink, nor did I—just then.
The cow-boy had been pranking with a new game, had lost $1,000, but had plenty more left. He showed us how he had lost his money.
I bent up the corner of the winning card and won a few hundred dollars. McGawley, not knowing anything about the corner of the winner being turned up, lost a few hundred dollars.
The old gent knew all about the corner and how I won. He wanted to bet, but his money was sewed up in his shirt.
I had a sharp knife that I loaned him.
He cut his shirt and got out his money.
The cow-boy would bet his pile, amounting to $10,000, against the old gent's pile.
I would bet with him if I was the old gent, for he had but $4,600.
The money was put up. The card was turned. The old gent lost.
The cow-boy bet another man $200 and won, then asked him for a dram out of his bottle.
I had an idea that my wife wanted me to come back and see her in the Texas sleeper. I would return as soon as I learned how her headache was.
A station was reached. I got off. Looking after the receding train, I saw two men drop off; they walked back to the station. McGawley, Rattlesnake Jack, and myself waited for the next train to New Orleans, with $4,800 more than we had a few hours previous.
We were on the train going in to New Orleans. Old Jack occupied a seat just behind a lady and gentleman.
The lady had something lying in her lap about the size of an infant, covered with a shawl. Whatever it was, she was very careful of it.
McGawley and I were seated across the aisle, near by.
Jack was telling the lady and gentleman some very interesting story. He showed them three tickets. He threw them over each other on the seat beside him.
The lady gave the gentleman some money, which he laid over on the seat where Jack was throwing the tickets. He reached over and turned one of the tickets.
Jack put the money in his pocket.
The lady gave the gentleman more money.
He laid it in the same place as before. He turned one of the tickets the same as before.
Jack put the money in his pocket the same as before.
The lady talked to the gentleman in very angry tones. She talked to Jack very pleasantly. She took out more money and offered to lay it on the seat where the gentleman had laid the money before.
Jack would not let a lady put money down.
The lady uncovered the something she had lying in her lap. She showed it to Jack. They talked about it. She got up and called me over to hold it.
Jack gave me $100 to hold. He threw the tickets.
The lady reached over and turned one of them. She threw up both hands and said: "Mercy on me! What shall I do? I have lost my dear Tommy."
I handed Jack the $100 and the twelve-pound Tommy.
The passengers all roared with laughter.
The lady scolded her hubby very badly. She cried, sobbed, and wrung her hands, saying: "I have lost my Tommy! Oh, my dear Tommy, Tommy; I will never see you any more!"
Jack could stand it no longer. He handed his Thomas cat over to the lady.
First she smiled, then she laughed, and then she said: "Hubby, get out your bottle and give this dear, good, nice gentleman a drink."
The passengers all roared again.
Jack took a drink. The train rolled into the depot. We all bid the lady and gentleman and "Tommy" good-bye and got off. "Selah."