The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1853-04-14
A cam PARrv.-Itis RELAXED Of Madame

A CARD PARTY.-Itis related of Madame
dn Detfand, that three other friends brought
a card-table to her bedside Mt her request,
in her last illness, she taking a hand. AS
she happened to die in the midst Of an inter-
esting game, her partner played dummy for
her, and thus the three quietly played II out,
and settled the stakes before they called the
servants to notify them Of the very impor-
taRt demise of their mistress. Shocking as
is this incident, il is trivial in comparison
with one that is said TO have occurred at Al
bany many years since. There was at that
time a l~uw-caVed, peak-roofed, stone built
inn, situated in she upper part Of the city,
known as the '-Colonie," a place much fire.
q%uented by Schenectady tenmsters and Mo-
hawk bcatmen, before the completion of
C1inton's grand canal had caused that dissf-
pated mongrel race To be superseded 10 their
vocation. Al this inn one day a man by
the name of Derrick Helfenstein. but better
known ns "Dirk He'll OF German Flats," had
been seized with cOHvulsions amid a drunk
en- frolIc, and expired during n fit, with bis
limbs all twisted aud knotted together by
fierce muscular action incident to his disease.
In Albany, at that time, the Dutch custOm OF
several friends Of tn deceased remaining all
C"N " - nuiN u u NhI OOblI uuh
keeping their vigils until the moment Of in
terment, was always strictly obscrved--cof-
fee and mulled wine, with dote or dead cakes,
and other refreshments, being generally
provided by the nearest relatives to cheer
the gloomy duty of the watchers. Dirk Hell
or Heil1irk as he was quite as often call
ed-thongh n wretchcd ragabond, had st'lI
some whom he called friends among the
reckless and gambling crew with whom he
chiefly associated; aud as the landlord of The
inn where he died, could not well refuse the
customary refreshment Of liquor upon an oc.
CASTOR like this, three Of the idle hangers
on of the establishment readily consented t.
honor the obsequies of Dirk by the usua
vigil. The dead man, in the meantime, wal
duly laid out; but The distorted shape which
his body had assumed in the death agony
made 1t necessary to use great force IN
Strengthening ont the corpse and recourse
was had to cords to bind down his limbs &c
the decent form IL was desirable they should
assume. This disagrecable task beisg ac'
cOmplished, the three friends of the gam
bier, when night came on, took possession o
the apartment where he was laid oHt. With
characteristic recklcssness they had brought
n pack of cards into the chamber of death
and after taking a glass of liquor all round
and drinking to the memory of their com
rade, with some uDfccling ~allusion to his
sudden fate, the three profigates sat dowr
) to q game of cards upon the foot of his bed
Four hands vera then dealt-that of"dum'
my" falling almost upon the foot of The
, corpse, and the other three upon the oppo
| site sid g and extreme end Of the bed a
round which the players were thus arrang
ed. The game proceeded apparently to thu
satisfaction Of oil parties-each Of them BY
turns playing the hand Of dummy, unit
: drinking and gambling had carried then
deep into the middle witches Of the night
Some slight dispute, now however occur
red AS to who should play the next dummy
Words waxed high, and the opposite play
crs both attempted to seize upon the vacan
hand ut the same time, while the third, i'm
patient at tho contention exclaimed"
wish that Helldirk would spring up and tax,
the cards from both OF you!' The wretcl
had scarcely uttered the wish, before III,
cords which bound the corpse gave way will
a sharp cracking noiso-,he struggle nbou
the feet having probnb y disarTunged them
and The distorted body, released from its lg
atures, bounded forward in r%csuming the loru
under which life had left it, and seated it
self on its chin, arms akimbo, and hideousl,
diStended jaws in the midst Of the nPpalle,
and Disconnected trio. The three worthie
were SAID never to have played n game q
, cards afterwards.