Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-11-13
fTHRiLLlNG ADVENTURE.

ISt1 TIfttG6i'>9 VIEW Otsesi
a F. 1t was IN the spring Of j S49 ths
! Ifound myself gliding upon the WI
tiers OF the mighty Mississippi, IAN
bound for the Crescent City, Ne
, Orleans. Hs7s . ~ - - afii.
j., y With 4 single exception, / ha'
, formed no travelling acquaintance q
: board the boat, although / bad beel
nearly two days upon my journey
which was, becoming somewhat mo
Enotonous. The individual will
whom ], siDgnhrly enough, .fraterni
ED, seemed, like myselfto have bu
flittle inclination to extend his ac
lquaintance among the passengers
though he seemed to be constantly
upon the look out for son8 one, and
tlrom the close manner in which he
regarded two or three Of Chose ,indi-
yiduals whose profuse display Of vest
Chains and jewelry, and proficiency
with cards at the tables8 in the
[saloen,i betrayed their profession, /
more than once set him down as
some sort Of a police detective in
disguise. seT .7,s.sfs - edl
He called himself George Thorn,
of Kentucky; SO his card read, which
he gave me iu exchange for mine.--
In truth he was a noble specimen of
the Buckeye State. Fulfsix feet 10
height, a clear, intelligent blae eye,
broad forehead, and light curly hair,
muscular arms, and the chest Of n
Hercules, he challenged the admisa.
ton of more than one of the pas
sengers, as with bis se.ioussaud new
er smiling face he pacetfthe promen,
ade deck. or sat apparently buried
in thought in Che saloon. 2 -
.Do you never play at'cards 2 said
| to him, as he left a group that were
standing about a table Of four play
ers, and noting the progress Of the
game. / had, frequently seen him
invited, but be invariably. like my
self, refused to participate in, the
game.
sob, yes said he, 'but. where is
the use of playing here; those fellows
(nodding towards the players) can
tell every, card in the pack by the
backs, and they are trying hard to
pluck some poor pigeon from among
these passengers, but'as yet with IN
different success; beware of them,
sir -
:. | thanked him. for bis friendly
Wi warning, and at the same time ex-
pressed my astonishmen. at bis al
| firmation.. To convince me of the
truth Of If, he called the steward OF
the boat aud ordered him to brihg
him a, fresh pack Of cards, Which
were brought, and he handed the .!|
! pack to me, bidding me shuttle them
/ Gid SO, when he Immediately select
ed nearly every ace aud king from
the pack, without looking a, the
face of them. Next, he dealt hen
in two parcels, one to me and oueir p9i tt
himself, when, upon examination;
found that all the cards of real val
ue in the game were in his hand, al
though / could not detect the leas'
.unfairness as he dealt. n,
you see. said be smilingly, a
nv look Of astonishment, the ad
! vantage an expert in these matter
has over even skillful player.
Il do,indeed,' said ], astopishhed a
nv fellow travellers dexterlty, an(
: beginning to think be might hea re
formed gambler or one 'playm'
possum' for some purpose OF DIN
er: but as he did rot urge or eve
invite me to play nor had played W.T.,
, any one else, and threw the card
aside withan expression of DISCUS
: too natural to be assumed, l came t
the conclusion that my Suspicion
> were unjust, and my travelling a "
I, onaintauce was riddle yet 70 Q
solved. l 4te. 81
E Early the next morning the DO.
! arrived at New Orleans, and, ami
!. the hurry and hustle Of deearka'io'
: I lost my friend, the Kentaek'a
3 not even seeing him to bid him
E dieu. The same evening, howeve
: after visiting the theatre, was 9
loving the cool air and a irasra,
e Havana in the rotunda OF the :
Ie Charles Hotel, aud conversIng WI
e a friend from the North whom 1 h
le fortunately met, when whom 'shou
il i encounter but my steamboat a
After the usual greeting, our co