The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-04-27
THE BROTHERS.

the aBella Union" "Verandah," "Mine de
Oro," "El Dorado" and Parker House." all
situated about the Plaza, and each employed
band of music to lesson the tedious hours
of that rainy winter, and to drown the noise
of dingling gold and silver and the eursing
calculations of the gamesters. Many a sad
scene has taken place within those saloons,
that chilled the blood of the beholders, and is
remembered with horror! was once care
lessly sauntering through one of these places.
My attention was attracted towards person
who had large piles of gold before him; the
starting eyeballs, the swollen veins upon
his forhead, the cold sweat upon his face and
clenched hand, told of heavy losses; mingled
exclamations of horror and contempt wonld
escape him, and he seemed unconscious of
all else going on around him; his gaze bent
upon the cards US if his lfe's- blood was the
stake at issue; and in this case his last dollar
was put within the dealers bank, when, with
the frenzy of a maniac, he drew long dirk
knife and plunged it up to the hill: into his
own body and sank corpse upon the table.
A few rude jeers followed the act; the body
was removed, and the game went on as
though nothing had happened-as though
another victim had not been added TO the
page of the gamblers damnng record !! OF
another soul had not gone to its final ac-
count!
learned this much of his history: He
started with large stock of goods, given him
by his father to sell on commission, and the
fathers fortune depended upon sure return
of the money so invested but, as usual with
young men, he INDUCED in the full liberty OF
unbrdled license, and while the ship stopped
at one of the South American ports he en-
gendered the first seeds Of" "play;" but for
while after his arrival the excitement of trade
and the energy necessary to accomplish a
successful inssue, kept his mind busy. One
day, by appointment, he was to meet mer-
camille friend at this house, and, while walt
ing for his friend, he staked few dollars up
on the turning cards, when the latent dis
ease sprang into life, and it carried him head
long over the precipce, and ended in the
tragic manner related
The "Mine de Orc" was gambling sas
loon, situated on Washington street, and op.
posite the "El Dorado" and in 49 it was the
principal resort of the disbanded soldiers OF
the California regiments, and also of the
soldiers who had been engaged in the war
with Mexico. Behind one of the largest
monte banks in the room sat man who had
won for himself honorable mention, and an
officers commission was given him for his
bravery al the storming of Monterey; butpre-
ferring the climate OF California and its gold
en- prospects to more northern home, he EN-
barked for that country a. the close of the
war with Mexico, aud upon his arrival he
opened bank for gambling. The emigrants
came in by thousands, and few nights after
his arrival, a young man entered the saloon
and seated himself at the bank and staked
various sums upon the cards until he had lost
nearly all the money he possessed. Excited
with the play and maddened by his losses, he
accused the dealer of cheating; the dealer re-
piled sharply to the eaccusation-thel lie passed,
when the young man struck the dealer q Sc
we're blow upon his face as quick as thought
the sharp report of a pistol followed, and the
gamblers clothing was covered with the
young mans blood-he had shot him through
the right breast. The room was soon cleared
of the spectators present, the doors closed
and medical attendance called in to aid the
wounded man. The gambler sat moodiIy
over his bank, running the small monte cards
through his fingers, and perhaps thinking of
the deed just perpetrated, when the wounded
man gave a moan Of agony as the doctors
probe reached the bottom of the wound. The
doctor inquired what State he was from, and
the wounle ed man replied:
"From Vermont" ...
The gambler raised his head, for 1t had
been long time since he had seen person
from the home of his childhood, and Vermont
being his native State, the mere mention oil
the name interested him. The doctor next
inquired the name of the place where his pa
rents resided, if he had any. The wounded
man replied ..I.
Montpelier"
The gambler sprang to his feet, his limbs
trembled, and his face was as pale MS death,
for Montpeler was the home of his youth,
and perhaps the wounded man might have
been his playmate in hildhood-perhaps
schoolmate-knew his parents, his brothers
sisters. He clung convu!sively to the table,
and with the contendug emotions of rapid
thought and the weight of injury inflicted, he
could scarcely keep upon his feet. A stimu.
liant was given to the wounded man, and
he was momentarily relieved from that weak
ness the body is SO subject to after a Sc
we're wound-when the doctor inquired if
there was any friendiu the city he wished to
send for. ~
Yes" he replied, "my wife, she is at the
CITY Hotel, on the corner of Clay and Keor-
new streets--tell Mary to hasten for am
badly hurt" t'
A man was sent to bring his wife.
"Doctor," said the gambler, "save that |
,,,.n,s l;ce and there is my bank, and SIO- |