The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-11-17

and | found my luck enabled me 10 pay
my passage out of;niy winnings. 1t was
the. FIRST titne Fever had bet money. ard
my, success ruined me. Again, L played,
and was again successful; and, in short.
continuedt tn. play for: amusement. until 4
mad acquired lhrstfur gaming: IEseuled
lin thriving village in tennessee anil
commenced the. practice Of my profession
Iundei fn.ering auspices, and my first ap.
rearahce in acriminuE court was highly
complimented. and snon become known
throughout the scireuit: Things wen,
on Inns for more than a year, and I be
lievednysellf fairly. m. The. roadz.to fame
and fortune. Ioccasioia1ly played cards.
:hptI consoIed nfysclfwithsth idea tBat i
only played with, gentlemen: t3r amase
mrnt. ~ -. -, -. = -. -.
{ One night ] accompanied some young
mentn ganingsshpp, and. aior $,the ::ffst4
time in my life, l saw a, Faro Bank Ny
cnmpanions commfnced betting. said, 1
was Induced tnSjpin them, althnughsI lid
not uadcrsta dtle5dame Again played
willrsuccess; and when we:lef, Tie honse,
was more rlIan twn hundred dollars win.
ner.-Nnne ffny co'npaninns had bePn.
and it WIS insisted. That I "; s a
lucky man. and that | must treat. Wtac-
cordiEgIy. repaired 10 my room, whereI
ordered wine, and before we bruke.up ne:
we're all.,feepR irtoxieate!l.s With ME 1T
was the. first time andIlle rstlaylI re-
soleedthat / ,wnuld d4ieper play cards again,s
Eahhcred to the. drterninati0n fgF;Dearlyc
tllressmoalhs, Rhenl a gain yieldrd totlie:
cnlrea,iPs oflny dissipatetl associates. @ -
s Isnow played With carried SUCCESS, and
ii, all cases feGnd anexcuse fpr resarling.
my wine bottle lf:l lost ! drank to
drown sorrow; If Il @onI trealed.lny gpod
fortune. ThGs / progressed upon my.
course, until drinking and gam-
bling became. myehicf en- ploymenls, All
ysfrienJs who were worth preserving
.abandoned me, unlil my. only y,cassociates.
were drunkartlss and gamblers. When at
most reduced to wanl, (far had left off
bpsinessl received "a letter informing me
s,f the death pfmy falher-that fatner who
loved me so tenderly. And did act as.
an affectionate child! No-Vice had de-
stroyed he%hnnan feelings of my heart
and Ieftnnly the animal passions and ape
lites. AS the letter c6nlained check for
$500, a part of,my; poor fatber's hard ear.
nings, i drowoet my. grief thal nigIi in a
.Bachanaliansrerel, and in q, few days /
was pennless.zI will not sdwel,l@upon the
everyday scencspdny lilegtiehwere such
as may at all times, be witnessed satSany
,nf the two hundred dram.slnps: M your
city, where wretched rnensqiairder thclits
tIepilrances that justly belongs to their,
suffering wiyfsanl,clIdren. =.
But, 10 pass;on. For nearly three years
] have been drunk en-, wandering gout-cast..
Sixmonllls ago L received a. letter, from
my. dear mother, enclnsi6g SleO, and. IN
forming me that she .was,fast sinking. with;
disease; and entreating with all mothers
feeling, to come. home; and see her before
she died. Fora lime / felt the appeal.
and resolved TO compIy2with her request;
and accordingly took passageo on a steam
boat f,r.thal purpose. For Two t!uts L.
refrained from liquer, but my thirst be-.
came indispensable, eat length my. apPe-.
iile dperpowcred my better feelings, andl
the bar and anded$the3
liquid-fre. Iwas soon inloxicatetl, when
Imadly sorghtilhe, gaming table,, and be-,
fore the boai reached Louisville, | was.
stripped ofeypry cent. ThHs, all hopes Of
seeing my dying mother chi OF, remained
in Louisville several weeks, in which lime.
I learned thatmy mother had died, and
that her last breath was spent in prayer
for her wretched child. -. ~. - - ~
From louisville l. shipped nm board the
steamer Btazil, as a deck hand and came
io this place, where ] was discharged for
Lctevery yonng man re-
fleet upon this picture. who hademnyed
in The first circles of snrieiy-had been L e
guesl Of dislinguishrd$pubEc men, and a.
faynrile among the li,efatisof our country,
was low tnrneT siff as unfit for aileck hand
on assleaa at5pat!y yet iniempe perance had duce5
This murh - =, = ~, ,.,s.4< s{.t
I=loilttnd about This city for several
weeks aud was: s::snmetimes :engaGeilin post,
ine up the:bpdks Of some dram shop.
for which / was paid in The liqind fire.,
Kept for tile aceommndaiinnpf fcmslnmers:
One EVENING" fell in company with, man
Who has lanly been loilg Jed d.injall forPass-f
ing co,un,erfeil money. Wr:Plnyedcarls,
ami / won 4fr6mlhim tic three dollar bill
in question. The next day i learned it
was counterfeit, and did not offer TO pass
ii fur some:,lays. Bit at lastI got out: of
q. G.e-, u. : I. Nd no oth.r rnnuavI