Democratic banner., 1848-10-09
From the Pennsylvania. d, : 8 oHa'
OLD INNOCENCE, OR THE MAN THAT
ALWAYS PLAYED aON THE
.-. q, SQUARE" ;no D. ..'vaf
BY JOHN OF YORK.

All who have Travelled on the Mississippi
have doubtless seen something Of q very
pleasant game at cards called poker, and
perhaps many who will read this have 'sus.
fered's occasionally in their efforts to In
itiats themselves into its mysteries. The
game, I believe, originated on the Missis-
sippi-at least the monarch Of rivers claims
Iit-snd you rarely make the trip from New
Orleans to St. Louis, or Cineinnsti, with
out seeing almost every day and nights
say nothing Of divers choice coteries among
the checkers" ..
Coming up q month since upon one Of
those magnificent floating palaces that navi!
gate that great highway Of sand and water,
It was my fortune to fad myself one of
about four hundred passengers the. bulk Of
whom were discharged soldiers, returning
from the campaign in Mexico. Some Of
the boys were aGsh as the saying Is, having
boarded up their pay fort splurgsat home,
and as it would be out Of the question 5orA
soldier to let his money remain idle in his
belt, OF forego q chance to double or lose it
at gaming, some half a dozen games we're
constantly in full blast. For the first two
or three days our heroes had the fun all to
themselves, but soon after leaving Mem
phis, one Of the parties found itself incieas-
ed by the addition Of a new player, who
said che knew very little about the game,
but didn't mind loosing q few dimes, by
way of passing the time pleasantly" - '
This acquisition was q man Of about fifty
five. spare, with black hair and eyes, q very
pale face and a very white neckcloth, and
at FIRST sight looked very much like Tenn.
essee Methodist preacher. The first night
he played very badly. The cards didn't
seem to run in his favor, and when he held
q good hand, he was sure to be very much
agitated, and always ''spiled" it, as he very
emphatically expressed it. And he was
very particular in urging upon the other
players the propriety of playing con the
sguare;" he always did il, and he never
played at . table where there was q 'sport-
ling man." sf he knew it.
After breakfast next morning, the cards
were again brought out, and our soldier
friends, pleased at their good luck the night
before, invited the gentleman who so scru.
pulously played on the square, to take &
Ihand. Old Innocence, as he was after.
wards called, reluctantly allowed himself
to be drawn into the game, and at dinnel
time was slightly winner.
After dinner the game was renewed, and
the strange gentleman had extraordinary
luck. He held "three white aces" SO Otter
that the soldiers, who were bleeding pretty
handsomely, began to think he had some
sort of influence over papers ; for certainly
q man who was 50 very scfapnlous and al
ways insisted on "a good shuttle and stcut,
would not attempt to cheat them. The
game went on bravsly till supper, and aftel
that was over, was renewed with increased
Interest. One after one the soldiers were
victimised, and left; but others supplied
their places to follow in their bad luck
One little fellow, whose stature wonld new
or gain him admittance into the line dur
ing q peace establishment, had lost one
hundred and thirty dollars, and was 'nsrv.
ously rafting his pile. some fifteen or TWEEN
ty dollars, stiIl.hoping to win back his cash
About 10 O'clock . heavy rain began T.
fall, and the passengers locked into the
'lcabin and surrounded the tables. Among
'lthase| we're a couple Of officers, In citizen!
FIdsess, who stood behind Old Innocence
Hooking uponat the play with apparent indif,
.Esrep6es A. length one o. thsm proposed