Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1881 — OLD-TIME:CAED PLAYLRS. [ARTICLE]

OLD-TIME:CAED PLAYLRS.

Prolonged Boats at Old Sledge Between “Difby” and the Late Jndgo Pettit, , (Lafayette Sunday Times.) In the early history of Lafayette card-playing was more than an amusement—with a good many it wee “business”. The founder of Lafayette, “Oid”Digby,was for vossnf years the most noted card player on the Wabash. There are many anecdotes of him that have been banded down and are worth preserving. If the old settlers are to be believed, “Old Dig” and the late Judge Pettit had many a lively time at the card-table. On one occasion the two sat down early in the foreuoon at their favorite game of “old sledge,” $5 a game. About 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when Pettit was about S7O winner, he announced to Digby that he must quit. “What are you going to qnit for? inquired Digby. “I want to go and take care us my horse,” replied Pettit. In those days every lawyer kept a horse to ride the circuit. “I can go without my dinner,” continued Digby.Jg “But lam not goiDg to abuse my horse just to accommodate you at this game,” said Pettit as he retired with Digby’s S7O in his pocket. The next morning, bright and early, they were at it again. Digby had a big streak of luck, and before 12 o’clock had bagged $l2O of Pettit’s money. Raking from the table the last $lO put up, be announced to Pettit that he was going to quit. “What are you going to quit for?” inquired Pettit. “Why, I must go and feed my horse, John.” “Wny, you,” replied Pettit, “you hai en’t got any horse!” '‘Well, John, if I haven’t got any horse,” slapping his hands on his breeches pocket, “I’ve got the money to buy one!” The game was closed. Digby, who was a bachelor, had a small one-story frame house put up on Main street, close to where the canal now is, as* an office and sleeping apartment. After it was finished, but the plastering not sufficiently dry to be occnpied, Digby and Pettit sat down to play their favorite game of old sledge. Digby’s money was 30on exhausted and Pettit declared the game closed. Digby proposed one more game, staking his new house against a certain sum of money. The game was played, and Pettit was the winner. The next morning he made a bargain with a house-mover to remove the building to a lot be owned on the south side of Main stieet, a little east of the public square. The wooden wheels were putnnderit, and in the afternoon it was started up Main street with a long team of oxen before ii, and at dark had just reached the Public Sq aare. That night Digby and Pettit had another game, and in the morning there was a readjustment of the wheels, and the house was started on its return toward the river. 'lt reached its proper place in the street, and was left to be put back in its old position on the morrow. But the next morning it was staited up town again. The next day it took the other direction, and by this time the whole town came to-understand it. Finally it remained in the Public Square over Sunday, and on Monday continued its way jpMain street and was wheeled on Pettit’s lot. He soon moved his books into it, and for many years occupied it as a law office. In the early days on the Wabash nearly all the lawyers played poker. During Court week the time was about equally divided between trying cases, piayiDg poker wind attending horse races. It was no uncommon thing for Judge Porter—the first Circuit Judge, and, by the way, a Con necticut Yankee—to adjourn his Court to attend a horse-race. He was very fond of cards, but would enforce the law against gambling. And thus it once happened, as published in the Sunday Times, of February 6, that he was indicted along with several members of tho Bar, in the Tippecanoe Circuit Court,jfor The re cord shows that he plowed guilty, assessed the fine against himself, and paid it!

The Siamese Twins Outdone.- - An Italian couple, Tocoi by name, are at present exhibiting at Vienna a, most remarkable specimen of their progeny, a pair of twins named Jacob and Baptiste. These boys are grown togethei from the sixth rib downward, have but one abdomen and two feet. The upper part of the body is completely developed in ea*b; their intellectual faculties are of a normal character. Each child thinks, speaks, sleeps, eats, and drinks independently of each other. This independence goes so far as to admit of an indisposition of the one without in the least affecting the other. They are over three years old, in perfect health, and seemingly in excellent spirits.

To Drink in Oregon.—To take a drink in Oregou costs a man so indulging $5. The rum is not worth that money, but the city requires a license costing that sum before a man oan get any bitters at any hotel or saloon. It is a penal offense for the proprietors of these establishments to sell to any person who is not armed with such license. Every six months the local papers publish the names of all who have applied for such documents, and the public thereby know who are the drinkers. One of the wonders of the American forests is the fir tree of Puget Sound. The trees average 200 feet high, and some specimens have been out that measured S2O feet in length and twelve feet in diameter at the base, with a straight and well proportioned log length of ninety feet to the first limb.

Mrs. Chiloote has seme fine samples of Millinery Goods—just received, — Ladies call and see them. They are to be sold cheap for cash. A special session Oommissieners’ Court was held at this place Tuesday, Messrs. Dunn and Burk present. Appropriations were made to repair bridge over Carpenter Creek, and bridge No. 3, Kankakee grade.