" I found he was one of the non-purchasing class but had
the gambling element. "I will play you a game for a dollar if
you will give me the odds of a Rook." "I cannot give it you,"
said I, "but will try the Knight for the usual quarter." He
would take nothing less than a Rook and for half-a-dollar, so I
made the attempt and he seem'd to play far too well for the odds,
kept his advantage for a time well and my prospects or the
prospects of my half-dollar were not encouraging, the game
toughened, however, and I got a passed Pawn. It was as Monsieur
would say "nothing," but it seem'd to bother him immensely. He
brought four pieces to stop that poor little Pawn when one would
have done, utterly ignoring the policy of economy of force, his
game consequently got disarranged and he lost, after about an
hour's fighting, No. 1. He proposed another, played wretchedly,
and lost No. 2; worse and worse he played always wanting to
increase his stake, but I remained true to the classics and would
not deviate from the time-honoured stake. As it was I had to draw
seven dollars which my opponent parted with most pleasantly,
asked me to have a cigar and a nerver, and said I was a wonderful
player.
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