The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-11-01
Thrilling Adventure in Gaming House
Irom he RoSfm TnreNcr.

1t was IN the spring OF lS-that louhu
myself gliding upon the waters of the mighty ;
and bound for the Crescent City,
New Orleans.
With single exception. had formed no !
travelling acquaintance on board the boat,
had been nearly rwo DAYS rpon
nv iourncv. which was beromin" somewhat
monotonous. The individual with whom |,
slngnlarlv enough, iraternized, seemed. Ike
mv>,}t. to have but little inclination to cx-
tend his acquaintance among the passengers
though he seemed to be constantly upon the
look ont for some one, and from the close
manner in which he regarded the operations
III, two or three of those individuals. whose
,rousc display of vest chains and iewelrv.
AMI proficiency with cards at the tables IN
he saloon BETRAYED their profes>ior. ] more
than once set him down as some sor. o: po-
Irc-drtec!or in disguise.
He called himself George Thorn, of Ken
.urllv: 50 his card read. which he gave me
~ xchanoc for mine. In truth h" was no.
hlr specimen of the i,uckeve State. Full six
feet in height. a clear. intelligent blue eye.
froli forehead, and lieht curly har. mu>cu
lax arms. and the chest of a Hercules. he
challenged the admiration of more than one
OF III" passengers. as with his srrlonS and
urvrr-~lui,ing face he paced the promcna;i"
DECK or sat apparently nuIlc! III thought III
the ,.i.on.
- Won never play a. cards sad to
him a> he len a group That We're >t,ndlrr a
bout table Of t,rr pll,rr> AMI noting 'hr
rrocre>> %. rhr cane. bad frequently seen
him in,itci. bat he invariably. Ike mv>c!t
refuse! to participate in the came.
Oh vr~. sad he. but where is the Us"
Of pl.,in. here: t!.os,. fellows (nodinL to
wards 'i;r plaver>) can tel every card N
the pack 10y the backs. and they are trvinG
At'i 10 pluck some poor ri@"on from anon
'h,~c passengers. hat A. W, VITA Indifferent
>p.r,.~>: : beware of ,hrm, IN
thanked hm Tor Ii, trcri'v warnin,.
a,.,. At Ne >,utr TIM" cN,'r.--~rl my a~toHi>i
m"nr AZ u> l..i.n.'Ipr. i,cprrln. M ot
.rl.i ot' #. called ;jir ~,'::arl of tl'.
'u.t and oru.r.-. ..im - lrir- INN ir''.h
2.. of cnd> which ,,crr hrop.ht. a.I h.
handed tha ,, 70 me. hjI.iin. m" >hulh
tn m. lid 20. when he im.nrlja','v select
: ,iu...r'v cl..'v a'r and king from thr IA k
without looking a: the ia. of them. \rXt.
i... i.'l,t ih.m IN two parcels, one 20 m" am
no 10 himself when urnn eNamlu ttIou
D., 'ourl ',pat Ill the cards of real valu" in th {
- nanir were. in his hand. although could not
- o!,'c,t tn, least untairneSS Is be dealt them
y "a see. sad hp Smiinnlv. at my look
j. ot .~tuni> hmclt, die advanta.e an expert
in thcSr matters has over even a >kititul play
!: e..
Il DO indeed replied !. a>toni,hcd at ny
:, fellow travellers drxteritv. and beginning tc
| think n" M -ht be reformed gambler. or 0"t
> playing po>>um for some nnrocS or oth"r
hut as !.c did not urge or even invite me I,
play. nor had PLAYED will, any one else. and
threw the cards aside with an expression OF
DISGUST too natural to hc assumed, came t.
thr conclusion that my su>picions were un
;u>t and my travelling Acquaintance was
rll,ilc vet to be solved.
Early the next morning the boat arrive
at New Orleans. and. amid the hurry an,
hustle of dcharkation. lost my friend. :h
- kcntuctian not even seeing hin: to bid aict
The same evening. however, after vi>i'In
he theatre was enIoyinG tn" cool air ani
fragrant Havana. in the rotunda of the -
Charles Hotel. and convrrslnr with trien
from the North. whom had fortunately me
- when whom should encounter hut m
49, Steamboat acquaintance.
-, After the VISUAL greeting. our converSatio
IA .urned upon our trip down the river. cur fc
low passengers &C.. when my fellow trave
"" Ior remarked that If | would like 10 see II
''' interior of a Gambling house, or hell as
nj; is sometimes more appropriately called,
rs. wouId be yca>ed to show it one of t.
"r. >cht, or Lions Of the city Never havi,
H. witnessed anv,hinc of the kind. both | al
.. my friend aS~cntcd. and after short wa
u, found ourselves within the precincts Of OF
f those r'ittering and morceou>iv fnrni>h'
Ill establishments - vc>tibuleS to the intern
y" regions whore men were engaged IN var
o,l> Games of hazard
The interior of ramin. house has BET
n. TOO trcqucntlv described to need rcpctitio
int The Faro Bank with its crowd Of be!ter> t
n Long. 4 .Noir table with It's anxious circ
and groups Of players at other games Of VIII
o,s was ignorant of the name. were al! buSi
onoaaal as we entered. We had pass
ncl through two apartments. and reached thir
- N which were but four p!svers, playing
III, rairs at different tables. As we entered,
-. at dc wn at on unoccupied tabctor n
ION mont. when as we did so. we heard one OF t
9TH two men nearest Us say TO his opponent
ais That's ,lr last dollar; luck is yours a
NJ, I'm cleaned out
.nJ But Won wear a good ring said his OPP
" uont. See will give YOU chance for !
81 vcnee. III hack ny ring against yours
,he next game Its ring won at rl
from Kentucky boy that came to New q
,on a., 90 ,ho .;rh.- Soi1 he care less w.