The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-09-12

I
ante up, and call you, and rake down the pile"
| Towards morning tremendous storm arose. The
red, lightning flashed awfuIy the nail poured ike
frozen coatracthe great river Toared till il yailed
the loudest thunders Of Heaven; and the very pilot
at the wheel was alarmed. But the mad players
heard it not. What was the tumult Of the raging
elements TO those whose destiny hung upon the turn
| ing Of card And the smiling bIue-eyed stranger
in buckskin still stood by them with his pencil and
paper, calmly noticing the developments Of the
game
| Finally the storm passed, as the beautiful day
break came out like thing Of glory in the grey east
Then the nfuriated merchant, distracted with his
heavy losses, dared the climax Of folly He s;aked
FIVE thousand dollars comprising his last cent Of mon
| ey in the world, ''two pairs Of kings" The
whiskered gambler "caled bin; they showed hands,
the blackleg had ''two pair Of aces''-raked the
| board. The merchant dropped 10 the floor as if be
bad been shot through the brain, ard that beautiful
young wife flew to his side and fell shrieking upon
his bosom. They were boti borne away insensIbe
to the ladies' cabin.
! AS he deposited the winnings 10 his pocket, the
gambler emitted horse laugh that sounded fnghtul
the chuckle Of iend; but he instantly lost color
as a low, calm voice remarked in bis ear
'yilain, you play strong hand at many differ
ent games, but here stands one who can beat you
| all Of them ~
He turned, met the glance of those keen blue eyes
so preternaturally bright, and shuddered. But be
immediately regained his presence of mind-for ne
was no coward-and then he frowned until his shag-
gy brows met like the coil Of a serpent, and demand
ed sternly-
i "Beggar, who are you to banter gentleman thus
rudely!''
81 am John Bowie, of Texas p the other answer
ed with ringing laugh: "and you are John Lafitte,
bastard of the old pirate %
The gambler reeIed in his chair as if he had been
struck with thunderbolt, but recovering again from
the shock in moment, asked in firm tone
What game do you wish with me?''
"Poter first, and pistols afterwards, if you play
FOUL replied Bowie.
every well, /" reoined the other, and they took
their seats at the table.
For time the success seemed about equally bal
anced, the gain and loss being alternate At last the
gambler ventured one of his skilful maneuvres in
+ dealing. Bowie smiled strangely, as his quick eye
detected the trick He said nothing, however, but
looked at his hand, and bet five thousand dollars
stalking the money in ten large bills The gambler
went five thousand dollars higher, which resulted in
5 "call." Bowie held ''four jacks,' but with his
o habitual hendlsh chuckle' his antagonist showed
: ''four Jacks,' exclaiming as he did So
: "By heavens the pile is mine! %
: "Not yet % shouted Bowie, as with both hands
he raked heap ofnotes to the of twenty thou
sand dollars into his own pocket
e Choked and purple with rage and shame, the gam
v bier roarcd-
''To the hurricane deck, and let pistols be trumps
# this turn -
d Good as gold % replied Bowie, and the two
hastily assembled the stairs and assumed the separ-
ate posltions-the gambler hes;ern, and Bowie
n over tho hnru
IL AT that instant the sun was Just rising in cloud
: less sky Nature looked sublime. The woods and
waters appeared parts of one divine picture wish
IS the boundess blue ofheaven for its baekgrouad-
$ The broad bosomed river rolled away like an I'M
mense sheet of FURNISHED silver, specfed here and
there with the flash of golden bubbles shining fish
II es gamboed in the sparkling wave and all the bright
k blrds-thOse sweet singers whose life is dream,
= and that dream only music-chanting their wild an
/ them to the day; while the two great duests, the
e most deadly ever known in the southwest, stood
with cooked pistols eye to eye and their fingers fix
ed on 'he har-triggers prepared and waiting to say
n and be slain.
/ 81 am ready. You give the word" cried Bowie.
IN his clear ringing voice, and inseparabe smile Of
L strange meaning on his lips.
81 am ready. Fire % shouted the gambler in
n tones murderous death.
II The two pistols reared simultaneously. Bowie
At u,u NOT oVe tnough ne barely escaped with his
life, for the bullet of his foe had cut away one
golden locks of his yellow hair. The gambler was
shot through the heart, and dropping on the brink Of
, the deck, had almost tumbed into the river Hp
j was buried by the squatters at the next woodward
And thus persisted, justly, bastard son of the great
= pirate Laftte.
J., There never was a jury empanneled in the Yves,
o who would have brought in a verdict against any
s man for killing him, and more especially under The
If circumstances because public opinion pronounced
e that he ought TO be Killed. And such were the
: desperadoes that Bowie commonly exterminatedl
is The generous victor Immediately proceeded to
the ladies' cabin, and restored the winnings of the
gambler to the yonng merchant and his beautiful
WIFE, who both received the boon a gift from
v Heaven with much gratitude and Joy.
4 1--we shouldwrite volume concerning the EXHIBITS
# OF James Bowie, his character could not be render
ed more transparent than it is revealed in the fore
going anecdote.