Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-05-25

Gus storm arose. 1he red lightning flashed
awfully, the hail poured down like frozen cat
aract, the great river roared till it rvaled the
loud 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 ra-
gng elements to them, whose destiny hung on
the turning Of card? And the smiling blue
eyed stranger in buckskin still stood by them,
with his pencil and paper calmly noting the de-
velopments of the game. al Ira
Finally the storm passed, as the beautiful day
beam came out like thing of glory in the gray
east. Then the infatuated merchant distracted
with his heavy losses, dared the climax of fol-
y He staked five thousand dollars, his last
cent of money in the world, on !" two pairs of
kings"
The whiskered gambler called" him; they
showed hands; the blackleg "had two pair Of
aces" and raked the board" The merchant
dropped to the floor as if he had been shot thro'
the brain, and the beautiful young wife flew to
his side and fell shreking upon his BOSOM
They were both borne away insensible to the
ladies' cabin. n f.,r
AS he deposited his winnings in his pocket,
the gambler emitted hoarse laugh that sound
ed frightful like the chuckle of iend but he
instantly lost color, as low, calm voice remark
ed in his ear u ni
"Villain, you play strong hand at many diff
ferent games, but here stands one that can beat
you at all of them !"
He turned, met the glance of those keen blue
eyes, so preturnaturally bright, and shuddered,
but he Immediately gained his presence of mind,
for he was no coward, and then he frowned till
his shaggy brows met, like the coil of serpent,
and demanded sternly-
"Beggar, who are you to banter gentleman
thus rudely :"
81 am James Bowie, of Texas" the other
answered with ringing laugh, and you are
John Latitte, bastard of the old pirate"
The gambler reeled in his chair as if he had
been struck with a thunderbolt, but recovering
again from the shock in 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 a time the success seemed about equally
balanced, the gain and loss being alternate. AT
last the gambler ventured one of his skillful
maneuvres in dealing. Bowie smiled strange
ly 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 thou
sand higher, which resulted in call"
Bowie held four jacks" but with his habitu-
al fiendish chuckle, his antagonist showed four
queens" exclaiming as he did So
"By heavens, the pile is mine"
"Not yct," shouted Bowie, rs with both
hands he raked the heap of notes to the tune Of
twenty thousand dollars, into his pocket.
Choking, and purple with rage and shame,
the gambler roared-
"To the hurricane deck, and let the pistols
be trump this turn"
"Good as gold !" replied Bowie, and the two
hastily ascended the stairs and assumed their
separate positions, the gambler over the stern,
and Bowie over the prov.
At that instant the sun was rising in cloud
less sky. The two great duelists, the most
deadly ever known in the southwest, stood with
cooked pistols, eye to eye and their fingers fixed
on the hair triggers, prepared and waiting to
slay and be slain. ..-... -.
81 am ready. You give the word," cried
Bowie, in his clear, ringing voice, and with that
nseparable smile of strange meaning on his
lips.
81 am ready. Fire" shouted the gambler,
in tone murderous as death.
The two pistols roared simultaneously
Bowie did not move, though he had barely es-
capped with his life, for the bullet of his foe bad
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 tumbed into the river. He was buried by
the squatters at the next wood yard. And thus
perished justly a bastard son of the great pi-
rate Lafitte.
There never was ajury impanneled in the west
who would have brought in verdict against
any man for killing him, and more especially
under the circumstances, because public opin-
ion pronounced that he ought to be killed"
And such were the desperadoes that Bowie CON-
monty exterminated.
The generous victor Immediately proceeded
to the ladies' cabin and restored the winnings
of the gambler to the young merchant and his
beautiful wife, who both received the boon as
gift from heaven, with as much gratitude as
JOY.
SPIRIT RAPPINGs AND NEcRoMANcY.-One Of
the churches in the Presbytery of Chillicothe
(Ohio) has suspended two of its members who
had been engaged in spirit rapping. The Pres
bytery adopted the following resolution as to
the Rappngs:
"Res olred That the practice of spirit rap
pings ESQ called), as it prevails in many parts is,
in view Of this Presbytery, revival OF the old