American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-10-20
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH
LITTLE JOE, THE DUELLIsT.

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duel occurred many years ago. when the
writer OF these pages was in Paris. The worst
and most dangerous companion upon earth is a
gamester g Memo repeate .fttu tuPiSsimus -
which, according to Irish translation, meaneth,
that man must be articled for five years to an
attorney As regards play we hold a different
opinion, and believe that the course of demor-
alization may be more rapidly affected by the
alea damnoSa than by law. To the proof: even
at the distance OF quarter of a century, we
must hold the name sacred but there are old
guardsmen who will remember !" Little joe"
A stoater soldier never headed a company He
was kind, well-tempered, too generous, proba-
bly,, and everybody liked him. In money mat
ters he was careless; had an early itch for play,
and sojourn with the army of occupation con
firmed disease already rooted. In word, he
abandoned profession he could no longer con-
tinue in and became regular gambler.
Joe was a frst-rate shot, and also constitu-
tionally pugnacious. He felt his own degrada-
ton keenly, when to remedy it was too late
and temper naturally excitable had now be-
come most dangerous. Is there one gamester out
of twenty who, in q very few years, does not
go--circumstances only considerable ruin !?
Joe formed no exception. He lost caste, and
fell, and fell, deeper and deeper STILL" until
he reached that last degrading status in society
chevalier dmdustrie.
While engaged in his base vocation, young
citizen fell into the hands of the gang with
whom Joe, now a member of the body, regu-
larly confederated. The victim was Lon
doner, and one, as it was represented, who
would stand plucking-and that very exten-
sively. He had crossed the Channel, like the
thousand and one fools who flock annually to
the French capital to view Parision lions, and,
as countryman, little Joe kindly undertook to
play Mentor to this Cockney Telemachus. 1t
was not difficult task for one who knew the
world so well rs Captain K, to worm him
self into the confidence of raw youth, and he
easily succeeded. In every point but one, the
intended victim was as plant as could be
wished-but on that he was most obstinate.
He had horror of play. He would drink,
racket about, dissipatc but name game of
chance, and he started like a frightened steed.
The period allotted by the governor at home, y
as he, in London parlance, termed his father,
had almost expired and as plump pigeon as
ever gambler dropped upon was about to re-
turn to the country-house he had quilted to see
the world, without losing single feather. TO
the villanous confederation that thought was
maddening; and, as last resource, decoy-
duck was tried-and one Of the loveliest and
most artfu of the class was accidentally intro
duced by the gallant captain to Monsieur Cal
lco, as he derisively called the citizen.
To describe the progress of this gambling
conspiracy would be waste of time. 1t was
managed with consummate ability. The de-
voted youth became desperately enamoured Of
his friend, the captain; he told his love,
and then came proof positive that Greek and
Roman friendship are not comparable to the
tremendous sacrifice of personal feeling, which
you may expect from a cafe acquaintance. Da-
mon returned in time to save his own neck, and
stay the execution of gentleman called Py-
thias, while