The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-02-14
Miscellaneous.
From Blackwood's Magazine.
ADVENTURES IN TEXAS.
No. III.
A TRIAL BY JURY.
Continued.

try my luck; and at the same time, see the
doctor about my fever AS was guin' there
Ipassed near Johnny's house, and fanCied n
glass, but determined not to get off my horse
rode up to the window, and looked in
There was a man sittin' at the table, havin' a
hearty good dinner of steaks and potatoes, &
washin' it down with a stiff glass of grog
began to feel hungry myself, and while
was considerin' whether should light or not
Johnny came sneakin' out, and whispered to
me TO come in, that there was man inside
with whom somethin' might be done if we
went to work the right way; a man who had
leather belt around his waist cram-ful of
hard Jackson; and that five got out the cards
and pretended to play little together, he
would soon take the bait and Join us.
wasn't much inclined to do it, continu-
ed Bob; 'but Johnny bothered me so to 90
in, that got offmy horse. As did so the
dollars chinked in my pocket, and the sound
gave me a wish to play.
went in; and Johnny fetched the whisky
bottle One glass followed another, There
were beefsteaks and POTATOES too, but | only
eat a couple ofmouthfus, When had drank
two, three, ay, four glasses, johnny brought
tie cards and dice. Halo, JOHNNY says !:
cards and dice, Johnny! Pve twenty dollars
fifty in my pocket. Let's have game But
no more drink for me; for know you, John
ny, know you'--
Johnny larfed slyly, and ratified the dice,
and we set down TO play. | hadn't meant to
drink any more, but play makes any one thrs-
ly; and with every glass got more eagcr,and
my dollars got fewer. reckoncd, however,
that the stranger would join us, and that /
should be able to win back from him; but not
bit of it; he sat quite quiet, and eat and
drank as if he didn't see we were there.
IL
half an hour was over, was cleaned ont: my
twenty dollars and fifty gone to the devil, or
what's the same thing, into Johnny's pocket.
when found myself without cent / ,cas
mad, reckon. 1t warn't the first time, nor
the hundredth, that had lost money. Many
bigger sums than that-ay, hundreds and thou
sands ofdollars had played away-~but they
had none ofthem cost me the hundreth part
ofthc trouble to get that these twenty dollars
fifty had; two full mouths had been slavin'
in the woods and prairies to arm them anu
caught the fever there. The fever had still
but no money to cure il with. JOHNNY only
larfed in my face, aud ratified my dollars.
made hit at him, which ifhe hadn't jumped
on one side, would have cured him of larfin'
for a week or two.
Presently, however, he came sneakin' up !
to me, aud winkin' and whisperin'; and, Bob
says he, SIS it come TO that with you? are You
grown so chicken hearted that you don't see
the beltful ofmoney round his body" said he
lookin' at it. NO end of hard coin, guess;
and all to be had for little more than half an
ounce oflead.'
did he say that" asked the Judge.
SAY, that did he, butt wouldn't listen to
linn. l was mad with him for winning my
twenty dollars; and / told him that, if he
wanted the strangers purse, he might take it
himself, and be id; that wasn't goin'
to pull the hot chestnuts out of the fire for
him. And got on my horse and rode away
like mad.
My head spun round like mill. couldn't
get over my loss. | took the twenty dollars
fifty cents more to heart, than any money !
had ever gambled. Ididn't know where TO
20. didn't dare go back to you, for knew
you'd scold me-
Gshouldn't have scolded you, Bob; or, if /
had, it would only have been for your good.
should have Summoned Johnny before me,
| called together'a Jury oftwelve ofthc neigh
bors, got you back your twenty dollars fifty,
and sent Johnny out ofthe country; or better
still, out of the world
These words were spoken with much
.phlegm, but yet with degree of feeling and
sympathy, which greatly improved my opin-
ion ofthe worthyjudge Bob also seemed
touched. He drew deep sigh, and gazed at
the Alcalde with melancholy look.
Its too late,' muttered he; TOO late, squire
Perhaps not asked the judge, 'but let's
hear the rest
'Well,' continued Bob, q kept riding on at
random, and when evenn' came ] found my
self near the palmetto field on the banks of
the Jacinto. AS was ridin' past it, | heard
all at once the tramp Of a horse. At that
moment the queerest feelin' came over me
that had ever had; a sort of cold shiverin'
feel forgot where was; sight and hearin'
left me; could only see two things, my
twenty dollars fifty, and the well filed belt
of the stranger | had left at Johnny's. Just
then voice called to me.
Whence come, countryman, and whittier
going?' it said.
"Whence. and WHETHER answered /, as
surly as could be, 'to the devil at a gallop, &
you had better ride on and tell him Pm COM
in'.'
'You can do the errand YOURSELF answer
ed the stranger larfin'; my road don't lie that
way
CAS- he spoke, looked round, and saw,
what was pretty sure ofbefore, that it was
the man with the belt full of money.
'Ain't you the stranger seed in the inn
yonder" asked he. .!
''And if am says 1; whats that to. you?
''Nothin',' said he nothin', certainly
''Better ride on, Says I;and leave me quiet
"Will so, stranger; but you needn't take it,
sohighty onllind A word amt torhahawk
reckon said he. But l rayther expect
Your losin's at play amt put you in a very
church-goin' hun1or; and, i'll was you, I'd
Keep my dollars in my pocket and mot set
'heln on cards or dice