Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1850-06-15

ms right large pencil, with which ever an
anon he dashed of few words, as if engage
$ in tracing the progress of the game.
: Still the gambler persevered in their ply.
= ical and mental toll The dial of the star
J with its thousand fingers of golden fire, point
| ed to the world shadows of midnight; but sti
f they did not pause. 1t still was shuttle an
cut, and pass ante up, and call you, and rak
down the pile To'ards morning tremendou
storm arose. The red lightning flashed awful
Ily-the hail poured down like a frozen cata
ract-the great river roared till it riyaled tn
loudest thunders of heaven; and the very pi
lot at the wheel was alarmed But the MAJ
players heard it not What was the tumul
of the raging elements to them whose destin,
hung upon the turning of a card? And tht
smiling blue eyed stranger in buckskin still
stood by them with his pencil and paper, calm
ly noticing the Developments of the game.
Finally the storm passed, as the beautifu
day-break came out like thing of glory ii
the great grey east. Then the infatuated
merchant distracted with his heavy losses
dared the climax of folly. He staked five
thousand dollars, comprising his last cent Of
money in the world, on two pairs of kings
The whiskered gambler called him, then show
ed hands, the blackleg had two pair of aces,
and 'raked the board The merchant Drop
ped to the floor as if he had been shot through
the brain, and that beautiful young wife few
to his side and fell shrieking upon his bosom.
They were both borne away insensible to the
ladies' cabin
As he deposited the winnings in his pocket,
the gambler emitted hoarse laugh that
sounded frightful as the chuckle of fend
but he instantly lost color as low calm voice
remarked in his ear
william you play strong hand at many
different games, but here stands one that can
beat you at all of them!'
He turned net the glance of those keen
blue eyes so prematurely bright, and shud-
dered. But he Immediately regained his pres
ence of mind-for he was no coward-and
then he frowned till his shaggy brows met
like the coil of serpent, and demanded stern
ly-
'Beggar, who are you to banter gentle
man thus rudely?'
i am James Bowie, of Texas the other an
swered with ringing laugh; and you are
John Laitte, bastard of the old pirateP
The gambler reeled in his chair as if he had
been struck by thunderbolt, but recovered
again from the shock in a moment, and asked
in firm tone
what game do you wish with me %
Poker first, and pistols afterwards, if you
play FOUL replied Bowie.
Very well,' rejoined the other, and they
took their seats at the table.
For time the success seemed about equal
ly balanced, the gain and loss being alternate.
At last the gambler ventured one Of his skill
ful maneuvers in dealing. Bowie smiled
strangely as his quick eve detected the trick
He said nothing, however, but looked at his
hand, and bet FIVE thousand dollars stalking
the money in large bills. The gambler went
five thousand dollars higher, which resulted in
a call Bowie held -four jacks but with his
habitual fendish chuckle, his antagonist show
ed -four queens exclaiming as he did So
BY heaven the pile is mine'
Not YET shouted Bowie, as with both
hands he raked the heap of notes to the tune
of twenty thousand dollars into his own pocket
Choking and purple with rage and shame,
the gambler roared-
To the hurricane deck, and let pistols be
trumps this turnp
Good as gold!' replied Bowie, and the two
hastily assembled the stairs and assumed their
separate positions-the gambler over the stern,
and Bowie over the prov.
AT that instant the sun vas Just rising in
cloudless sky. Nature looked sublime. The
woods and waters appeared as parts of one
divine picture, with the boundless blue of heav-
en- for its background. The broad bosomed
river rolled away like an immense sheet of
FURNISHED silver, speckled here and there with
the flash of golden bubbles; shining fishes
gamboled in the sparkling wave; and all the
bright birds-those sweet singers, whose life |
is dream, and that dream only music
chaunted their wild anthem to the new day
while the two great duelists, the most deadly |
ever known in the southwest, stood with cock |
ed pistols, eye to eye, and their fingers fixed
On the hair triggers, prepared and waiting to
slay and be slain.
4 am ready. You give the word cried
Bowie, In his clear, ringing voice, and with that
nseparable smile of strange meaning on his
lips.
4 am ready. Fire! shouted the gambler,
IN tones murderous as death.
The two pistols roared simultaneously
Bowie did not move though he barely escap- |
ed with his life, for the bullet of his foe had
cut away one of the golden locks of his yellow
hair; the gambler was shot through the heart,
and dropping on the brink of the deck, had al |
most tumbled into the river. He was buried |
BY the squatters at the next wood yard. And
shus perished justly bastard son of the great
pirate Layftte. ......-
There never was jury empanelled in the
west who would have brought in a verdict
against any man for killing him, and more es-
Deeially under the circumstances, because pub
ic opinion pronounced that he ought to be
killed. And such were the desperadoes that
Bowie commonly exterminated.
The generous victor Immediately proceeded
% the ladies' cabin and restored the winnings
IF the gambler to the young merchant and
MS beautiful wife, who both received the boon
as a gift from heaven, with as much gratitude
and joy.
If we should write a volume concerning
The exploits of James Bowie, his character
could not be rendered more transparent than
i is revealed in the foregoing anecdote He
was always the same-the friend of the feeble,