The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1850-09-11
( JAM ES BIO VIE,
THE NAPOLEON or DUELISTs.

"A AVA II ~ II " w IA
THE NAPOLEON or DUELISTs.
Ol the evening of the fourth of June, S35
| he steamboat "Rob Roy" started from St
Louis 10 New Orleans, with full crowd o
passengers. Immediately after ''gotting un
der good headway'' Ito adupt favori,e back
woods Phrnse'l one person attracted uniyer'
sal attention by the annoying eagerness with
which he endeavored 10 make up party al
cards. Indeed ), his oft repeated and perse>
Iveung Efforts 10 that end soon became insuIrl
ing and uncomfortable ;,and yet his appearance
vas such as To- defer ihe hravest on board
fiom administering the chastisement he so
richly deserved. He was a huge mass OF
Fmgh'y bone and muscle. with swathy fea-
lures, bearing the impress Of many scar
iplercng Black eyes, that seemed to possess
the power of blasting the boholder CLEAN.
ing eJ es, such as haunt the memory pain,
{IplIy; rank l1xuriance of coal black hair;
immense Nhskers and moustachc This
savage looking figure was habited in the
most costly clothing. and adorned with a
pfolnson of jewelry, while the outlines of
several murderous weapons were plainly dis
4 1tlngnlshed beneath his gaudy vest and su.
Ipertine coat. Nor did he need these 10 rem.
der him an object Of terror. A connoisseur
IN The scleafe of belligereht gymnastics,
would have confidently pronounced him a
match for any five men on the deck, without
}any aid from lead or cold steel.
I ArleDg'h, aIler many failures, he prevail,
ec upon wealthy young merchant of Mats
chez 10 join in game of poker. They sat
down beside small table near The bar, and
we're soon absorbed inthat most perilous of
excIements, ,of which the two altHng ingre,
dents are, The vanity and pride Of individual
skill, and the uncertainty of general hazard
lAt first the stakes we're small, and the run Of
cards seemed wholly in favor of the mer,
chant, but presently they bet more freely.
aud gold eagles and hundred dollar notes
were showered down with extravagant ardor;
and then the current of fortune changer;-
ebbed away from The young merchant, and
flowed 10 the professional gambler, in a
stream like the oceans tide As usually
happens in snch eases, his want Of success
only piqued and maddened the loser, and he
sought to relieve Himself, by venturug such
desperate ventures, ,as could not but deepen
aud confirm his ruin. And thus they contin,
ued duIing a whole simmer night.
The Intensity of their excitement became
equivalent TO insanity. Every nerve was
strung, every energy OF the brain was taxed
TO the utmost-teeth were set hard us those
Of antagonists in The tug of mortal strife the
! sweat rolled down from their fevered brows
| like great drops Of rain, aa.a
The passengers ormed circle around
The players, and looked on with that interest
with such extraordinary concentrations Of in
( teieci and passions never fails to inspire,
even in bosoms that shudder at its success
! The merchant and the gambler attracted all
eyes, and kept many awake and gazing llI
morning. Among the latter was presenting
! a cptnlenance so pIleOus that il might have
melted hearts of marhle to tears. A pale
and exquisitely beautiful face peeped limo.
Gently from the half opened door of the las
ldies' cabin, weeping all the while, as if OPP
ptessed by some dreadful sensation Of irrea
medable sorrow. 1t was the merchants
lovely and amiabIe wife, weeping her Iare-
well 10 departing hope.
4 There was one spectator, also, whose op'
pearance ahd actions excl ed almost as much
curiosity as the players themselves. lie was
Il tall, spare man, of about thirty, with hand
some features, golden hair, keen blue eyes oil
peiernatuaI brightness, and his firm thin
/ lips wore perpetual smile-mys'erious
smile, of the slrangesI, the most inscTutible
meaning With the exception Of his red
(calco shirt, This person was dressed wholly
lin buck skin, ornamented wilhIong swaylng
Etassels, and wild 6gaTes wrought ont of vari
/ egaed beads after the fashion of some Wes-
tern Indians. lie Stood close beside The
card table, and held in his left hand sheet
of paper, in his right large pencil, with
(which ever and anon he dashed off a few
words, as if engaged in tracing the progress
Of the game.
| Still the merchant and The gambler perse,
vered in their physical and mental toll. The
dial of the stars, with it's Thousand 6ngers ol
golden fire, pointed to the world'shadows oil
midnight; bu, still they did not pause II
sill was "shuflle aud cut, ante up, and call
you, and rake down the pile" i5
/ Towards the morning a tremendous storm
arose. The red lightning flashed awfully- =
The hail poured down like frozen cataract
--lhe great river roared ill il ryaled The
loudest thunders af heaten, and the very
pilot nt the wheel was alarmed. But The
PLAYERS heard il not. What was the tulnnl
/ of tho raging elements Of those whose des
iiny hung upon the turning ofa card? Ant
the smiling blue eyed stranger in buckskiI
still rlood by them with his pencil aud paper
caIwed noticing the Developments Of th'
game. r... ..... Id IL.
i Finally the storm passed, as tile bcauiifi
Idaylbreak came out like thing Of glory, il
r|lhe qiey east, Then the infatuated mer
\ chant. distracted with his heavy losses, dare
the climax Of folly. lie stnked five housan
idOllars, comprising his last cen, Of none
on Two pairs ofkings' The whiskered gam
ibler called him they showed hands, IN
Ilhe black leg had two pair Of aces,' an
,lraked the board. The merchant dfoppe
) upon the floor rs If he had been shot lhroue
/ he brain, aud that beautiful youqg wife fle,
10 his side and fell shriekns upon his bosom
They were both borne away insensble, to ii
, ladies' cabin.
] AS lie deposited The winnings in his pocl
;. e,, ihe gambler emitted hoarse laugh lht
I sounded rrighlful as The chuckle Of q fen
\ but he instantly lost color as low, call
E voice remarked in his car .
VllIaiu, you play a strong hand al man
v different games, but here stands one who ca
islbeat you st all ofthem' .so.a