George H. Devol opens his memoir with a boastful subtitle that sets the tone: he could "steal cards and cheat the boys at eleven" and "stock a deck at fourteen." The narrative voice is direct and unapologetic, often addressing the reader with colloquial asides like "I gave them one of those old 'go-your-money' laughs." Devol's prose moves briskly between detailed poker hands and brief, punchy anecdotes, creating a rhythm that mirrors the highs and lows of the gambling table. The excerpts show a man who relishes recounting his clever deceptions, yet occasionally pauses to acknowledge the skill of his opponents, as when he notes that a cattle buyer "could hold his own with anyone in a square game of poker."

A Boastful, Conversational Voice

Devol's narrative voice is unmistakably oral and self-assured. He frequently uses direct address and exclamations, such as "Boys, I have you both," and peppers his account with slang like "cold deck" and "go-your-money." The preface admits that stories are written "as they would recur to his memory," with no effort at classification, which explains the episodic, rambling structure. This voice creates an intimacy with the reader, as if Devol is spinning yarns in a saloon. He is quick to highlight his own cunning, but also admits when a mark was "as game a man as I ever met." The tone is consistently confident, rarely apologetic, and often laced with dark humor, as when he describes winning a judge's watch and chain.

Pacing Through Card-Play and Anecdote

The pacing in the excerpts alternates between extended, step-by-step descriptions of poker hands and short, punchy anecdotes. In the long poker passage, Devol meticulously recounts each bet, raise, and draw, building tension through repetition of phrases like "I put up $500" and "he raised back $500." This slow, detailed pacing contrasts with the rapid-fire anecdotes, such as the "baby ticket" trick on the judge, which unfolds in a few paragraphs. The shift in pace keeps the reader engaged, mirroring the alternating rhythms of riverboat life: long stretches of play punctuated by sudden wins or losses. Devol also uses dialogue to quicken the pace, as when the judge says, "Gentlemen, let's take a drink, and I will go to bed."

Recurring Details: Marked Cards and the Code of the Table

Throughout the excerpts, Devol returns to the mechanics of cheating: marked cards, cold decks, and pre-arranged hands. He describes "running up" hands—giving himself four tens and his partner three queens—and notes that with "a deck of marked cards, there is no man that can win much money." These technical details ground the narrative in the gambler's craft. Another recurring element is the social code at the table: losers often take their loss with a laugh and a drink, as the cattle buyer does. Devol also emphasizes that gambling crosses class lines, noting that "preachers and lawyers, doctors and men of business" are equally susceptible. The setting—riverboats, saloons, and chance encounters—is sketched lightly, serving as a backdrop for the card games.

Readers should approach Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi as a series of loosely connected episodes rather than a linear autobiography. Pay attention to how Devol's voice shifts between boastful and reflective, and note the technical card-playing details that reveal his expertise. The memoir offers a firsthand view of a subculture where skill, luck, and deception intertwine, and where the line between winner and loser is often just a well-timed bluff.