The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-09-13
VOL. V.-NO. Is.
a Gard Party.

pened 10 die III the midst OF an interesting
game, her partner played dummy for her
and thus the three quietly played it out.
and settled the stakes before they called
the servants to notify them of the very
important demise Of their mistress. Shock
ing rs is this incident, it is trivial in COM
parlson with one which is said TO have
occurred at Albany many years since.
There was at that time low-eaved, peak
rooted, stone-built inn, situated in the up
per part of the city, known as the Colo
nia;' a place much frequened by Sche-
nectady teamsters and Mohawk boatmen,
before the completion of Clinton's grand
canal had caused that dissipated mongrel
race to be superseded in their vocation.
At this inn one day man by the name of
Derrick tlelienstein, but better known as
Dirk He'll of German Flats had been
seized with commissions amid drunken
frolic, and expired during the fit, with
his limbs all twisted and knotted together
by the fierce muscular action incident 10
his disease. In Albany, at that time, the
Dutch custom Of several friends of the de-
ceased remaining all night in the same
room with the body, and keeping their
vigil until the moment of interment, was
always strictly observed; coffee, and
mulled wine, with d0te, or dead cakes,
and other refreshments, being generally
provided by the nearest relatives to cheer
the gloomy duty of the watchers. Dirk
Hell, (or IIeldirk, as he was quite as Of
ten called though wrstched vagabond,
had still some whom he called friends,
among the reckless and gambling crew
with whom he chiefly associated /; and as
the landlord of the inn where he died
could not well refuse the customary re-
ireshment Of liquor upon all occasion like
this, three idle hangers-on of the estab-
lishment readily consented to honor the
obsequies of Dirk by the usual vigil.
The dead man, in the meantime was duly
laid ont; but the distorted shape which
his body had assumed in the death agony,
made it necessary TO use great force IN
stralg htenlng out the corpse, and recourse
was had to cords to bind down his limbs
TO the decent form it was desirable they
should assume. This disagreeable task
being accomplished, the three friends of
the gambler, when night came on, took
possession of the apartment where he
was laid out. With characteristic reck.
lessness, they had brought pack of cards
INTO the chamber of death, and after taking
a glass of liquor all round, and drinking
the memory of their comrade with some
unleeling alluson to his sudden fate, the
three prongates sat down TO game of
cards upon the foot of his bed. Four
hands were then dealt, that of dummy
falling almost upon the feet Of the corpse,
and the other three upon the opposite
sides and extreme end Of the bed around
which the players were thus arranged.
The game proceeded apparently to the
satisfaction of all parties; each Of them
by turns playing the hand Of dummy I'M
til drinking and gambling had carried
them deep into the middle watches of the
night. Some slight dispute, however,
now occurred as to who should play the
next dummy. Words waxed high, and
the two opposite players both attempted
to seize upon the vacant hand at the same
time, while the third. impatient at the
contention, exclaimed Il wish that He'll
dirk would spring up and take the cards
from both of YOU The wretch had
hardly uttered the wish, before the cords
which bound the corpse gave way with a
sharp cracking noise, the struggle about
the feet having probably disarranged them
and the distorted body, released from
its ligatures, bounded forward in resu-
ming the form under which life had left
it, and seated itself upon its launches
with knees drawn up to its chin, arms, a
kimbo, and hideously disiended jaws, in
the midst Of the appalled, and disconcer-
ted trio. The three worthless were said
never to have played game of cards al
forwards.
Convenience ETA Dish Kitle-"You
want nothing of iron ware but dish kit
uc," said an old housewife in the back
woods, to her daughter who had just got
married. "Why, when your father and
commenced, had nothing but dish
kiule. used to boil my coffee in it and
pour that into pitcher; then boiled my
potatoes in it and set them on warm
plate, while s,ewed up the mea. in it.
used to milk in it--and always after
: meal | fed the pigs out Of the dish kilile.
You can do great deal with dish kiltle,
Sally, if you are only mind to."--Re-
uCiNe.