The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-05-10

:. lar ne ever heard Of, and the
Northern free negroes were much to
pitied in their deplorable condition.
The negro above spoken Of works
in the field during the day, and
spends his evenings in profitable read
ing. He be.ungs to gentleman in
the lower part ol this county. Ala.
'Southerner.
GETTING RID OF GAMBLERS.
While the magnificent steamboat
Baltic, of the Collins line of Ameri.
can steamers, was on her trip up the
Potamic river to Washington, some
twelve months ago, and had ap-
proached near to the town of Alex
andria, Virginia, a group Of passen.
gers were entertained by the follow.
ing amusing story, connected with
the Town Hall Of the place, large
and imposing structure, ornamented
with a clock and steeple:
The town had been recently Wis.
tied by several gamblers from the
Southwest, who like their master the
devil, had come thither, "seeking
whom they might deyour." ;"
At length respectable citizen, in
and evil hour, fell into the snare
which had been set for him; and af.
ter series Of adverse games, carried
on different nights, he found him.
self fleeced out Of the handsome sum
of some three thousand dollars and
upward. This he was obliged to
pay, and did pay, although not very
willingly probably. But having
''staked bis money up on the cast"
he was too honorable" as it is call
ed, not to "stand hazard of the die"
But a lucky thought enabled him to
''bring about his revenges."
He had some low or other ascer.
tanned that there was an old law in
Virginia, established while she was
yet colony, in which it was "made
and provided, that if any man could
not show that he was pursuing some
''lawful means Of obtaining lively.
hood he should be sold, or hi1ed
out at auction, to prevent, by his
labor, his becomeing chargeablc to
the town A complaint was there
fore Immediately entered against the
gamester by his victim; he was ar
rested, tried, and condemned to be
sold at public auction.
Here was q dilemma! The gam.
bier was disposed, at first, to treat
the whole matter as a joke; but he
soon found out the mistake. He
was taken to public stand, esale
peremptory!" His victim started the
bid with:
"One hundred dollars"
"Twc hundred" said the other.
And 80 the gamester AM his victim
went on bidding, until the amount
had reached two thousand dollars,
when the former begged to be "let
off," pleading poverty; but all would
not do. There was no alternative;
he must either be forced into a ser.
vice Of degrading labor, under the
supervision of man who had small
cause to love him, or he must 20 on
biddingtoA himself, which he was
actually compelled to do until the
sum had rcachd three thousand FIVE
hundred dollars, when he was per-
mltted to depart from the town by
his persccuter, who gave tho proceed
of the sale to the city, WEIGH was
applied to the building of the stee-
pie and clock of the very townhall
which had attracted the attention of
the passengers.
It's said ever since this occurrence
Alexandria has been considered
very "poor place Of business" for the
professors of cards and dice.
For HOUSEWIVES The Edge.
field Advertiser has made an impor.
tant discovery, and thereby deserves
the lasting gratitude Of all soporific
humanity. 1t proclaims that Sweet
Oil will procure a certain relief
from the annoyances of Ch bed
bugs "Takc a feather and apply the
Oil to the joints Of the bed.stead, or,
better still, take the bed.stead to
pieces and rub it all over with
Cloth dipped in the Oil, and put it
into every crack and crevico whero
they find lurking place, and the
insignificant anthropophagi will de-
camp hence to parts unknown. Ap-
ply the Oil literally, and when they
have departed, rub dry, and it will
give fine gloss to the furniture.
There is another uarmint that
creops insidiously into the peace and
preserves Of every household, for
whose depredations we have gather
cd an antidote. A piece of hickory