d a good time in general. That night my friend said
to me: "I wish I was as smart as you at cards. I could make plenty
of money." I said to him, "I can teach you." "Well," said he,
"if you get into any game, I want to be an equal partner." He did
not know anything about my partner who came over with me, as I had
posted him to keep away from me. My partner was a very quiet
fellow, who lived in New Orleans. His name was William McGawley.

Well, I told him perhaps I might get up a game with some one. As
I was saving him for myself and partner, I did not want the money
split up into too many parts. I had too much sense to play in
Brownsville, so I fixed up a plan for him and me to take the stage
and go to Bagdad, to see if I could not find some one there to play
poker. I told McGawley to pay the bill at the hotel, and come to
Bagdad the next day with the baggage, which he did. The next
evening my young New York friend and I were sitting on the porch
at the hotel, when my young friend espied him, and said to me, "You
recollect the man who played in the game coming over in the vessel?"
"Yes," said I; "there were three besides myself; which one do you
mean?" "I don't mean the Captain or the purser, but the other
gentleman." "Yes," said I, "I recollect him." "Well," said he,
"I just saw him down stairs. I am positive that it is he." I
said, "Let us go down and see him." So we both went down and shook
hands with him.

My New York friend was very much pleased to see him, thinking I
might get a game of poker out of him. So I said, "It is very dull
here; what will we do to pass away the time?" I said, "Perhaps we
might get up a little game of poker to help us out." McGawley
consented to play a little while, so we went and got a room in the
hotel and some checks. McGawley asked, "What limit will we play?"
I said, "There will be no limit in the game." "All right," said
he. I did not want to dwell too long on that $12,000. McGawley
went out on purpose to let the gentleman get out his money. The
New Yorker asked me how much I would require. I said, "It is going
to be an unlimited game, and you had better give me what money you
can spare, for if I beat one good hand for him I will break him."
He handed me six one thousand-dollar notes. Well, we went to work;
and you bet it was lively. I started in $2,000 winner, and you
ought to have seen my partner's eyes snap. I don't mean McGawley,
of course, for he w