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- Feb 5, 2017
"It had been raining heavily for two days before General Chalmers reached Rocky Ford, where he crossed the Tallahatchie, and the river was so swollen that we were delayed several hours before it was low enough to cross. The men lounged about, grazing their horses, telling stories, and whiling away the time in pleasantry and freedom.
Colonel Casey Young was displaying a two dollar greenback, when Lieutenant J.A. Taylor (the late lamented United States district attorney for West Tennessee) remarked that he had a dollar greenback. Colonel Young proposed to play Taylor a game of severn-up for both bills. It was agreed and they straddled a log for the contest. Crowds of men gathered to watch the game, displaying as much interest as men usually do at a horse race. The crowd was divided; both gentlemen had their backers and partisans.
Bets were offered by the Young men, which were taken by the Taylor men, and vice versa. There was nothing to do but pass the time while we waited for the river to fall, therefore the game of severn-up was interesting. The cards were dealt and the money laid on the log. They played several hands and stood, Young six, Taylor three. Another deal by Young; both picked up the cards. Young was bold and aggressive; Taylor carefully scanned his hand, his face a study. The interest was intense. Probably never in their lives before, and maybe never afterward, was it greater. There was a strong probability that Taylor would lose his dollar. Not only the dollar, but his reputation was at stake. He changed the position of his cards repeatedly. The crowd grew larger and larger to watch the game. Men bet all they had on the result. The queen of hearts was turned up Taylor held jack, ace and three of hearts, ace and four of clubs, and king of spades. A little tow-headed boy who lived in the neighborhood was looking on. He passed to the rear of Taylor and saw his hand, then went over and looked at Young's hand. He knew that Taylor was behind. He no doubt felt a sympathy for him. Young was firing into Taylor and aggravating him in every conceivable way. The boy took a second careful look at Young's hand, and said to Taylor, "Mister, don't you be feared, he aynt got nary one." The words barely passed his lips, when the colonel slapped him entirely over, and fell of the log himself, which save the boy. I think he would have thrown him in the river had he caught him. But the boy was fleet and realized the value of the gift just at that time. The hand was played. Taylor made high, low, jack, and game. A yell went up from Taylor's crowd as he raked in the greenbacks.
The tow-headed boy, who had been watching from a safe distance, hallowed out, "I'm gld un it; I'm glad un it." Every thing was lost to Colonel Young, except the colt and "Uncle Bedney." His reputation was gone. He felt he was ruined. He had practiced seven-up by the dim light of the camp-fire,had made a reputation, and had nursed it tenderly, but, like all things earthly, it was swept away."
Colonel Casey Young was displaying a two dollar greenback, when Lieutenant J.A. Taylor (the late lamented United States district attorney for West Tennessee) remarked that he had a dollar greenback. Colonel Young proposed to play Taylor a game of severn-up for both bills. It was agreed and they straddled a log for the contest. Crowds of men gathered to watch the game, displaying as much interest as men usually do at a horse race. The crowd was divided; both gentlemen had their backers and partisans.
Bets were offered by the Young men, which were taken by the Taylor men, and vice versa. There was nothing to do but pass the time while we waited for the river to fall, therefore the game of severn-up was interesting. The cards were dealt and the money laid on the log. They played several hands and stood, Young six, Taylor three. Another deal by Young; both picked up the cards. Young was bold and aggressive; Taylor carefully scanned his hand, his face a study. The interest was intense. Probably never in their lives before, and maybe never afterward, was it greater. There was a strong probability that Taylor would lose his dollar. Not only the dollar, but his reputation was at stake. He changed the position of his cards repeatedly. The crowd grew larger and larger to watch the game. Men bet all they had on the result. The queen of hearts was turned up Taylor held jack, ace and three of hearts, ace and four of clubs, and king of spades. A little tow-headed boy who lived in the neighborhood was looking on. He passed to the rear of Taylor and saw his hand, then went over and looked at Young's hand. He knew that Taylor was behind. He no doubt felt a sympathy for him. Young was firing into Taylor and aggravating him in every conceivable way. The boy took a second careful look at Young's hand, and said to Taylor, "Mister, don't you be feared, he aynt got nary one." The words barely passed his lips, when the colonel slapped him entirely over, and fell of the log himself, which save the boy. I think he would have thrown him in the river had he caught him. But the boy was fleet and realized the value of the gift just at that time. The hand was played. Taylor made high, low, jack, and game. A yell went up from Taylor's crowd as he raked in the greenbacks.
The tow-headed boy, who had been watching from a safe distance, hallowed out, "I'm gld un it; I'm glad un it." Every thing was lost to Colonel Young, except the colt and "Uncle Bedney." His reputation was gone. He felt he was ruined. He had practiced seven-up by the dim light of the camp-fire,had made a reputation, and had nursed it tenderly, but, like all things earthly, it was swept away."
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