Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-10-09
EVENING STAR,
The g Gamblers Alarmed

The following narrative-s true one--d.-
scribes scene that actually took place NO,
many years since In G country village in tbe
State of Maine: '' 'Ae
One evening in the month of December
1884, number Of townsmen had assembled at
tho store of Mr.. Putnam, to talk over "mat.
ters and things smoke, drink, and in shor,
do anything to :. kill time" -
Three hours had thus passed away. Tbey
had laughed, and talked, and drinked, and
chatted, and had " good time generally" 60
that about the usual hour of shutting up shop,
each Of the party felt particularly first rate
"Come," says Charles Hatch, one Of the
company" let's all liquor, and then have a
game of high, low, Jackn"
$50 say exclaimed another; "who's 90,
the cards ?"
third customer, his eyes balf closed, through
the effect of the liquor he had drunk.
After drinking all around, an old pine table
was drawn up before the fire place where
burned sprightly large fire of hemlock logs
which would snap and cracklo-throwing
large live Goals out upon the hearth.
All drew around the table, seating them
selves on whatever came handiest. -Four of
them had rolled UP to the table some kegs,
tain nails.
Now" said Hatch, Chow shall we play
overy one for himsef?'
:" No, have partners" growled out one N an
"Eo, hapg'd if 1 play So" shouted tbe
former, bringing his fist down upon the table,
knocking one candle out Of the stick, and an
other upon the floor.
Come, come, said Hatch, no quarrelling;
all who say for having partners stand uy."
Three arose.
Now all who say each one for himself,
stand up
The remaining one Immediately got up.
" You see, Barclay" said Hatch, {" the ma
JoTity are against you. Come, will you pIay!"
well, as don't want to be on the oppo-
what cooled down
Mr.. Putnam was not in the store that even
Ing, and the clerk, who was busy behind the
counter, had taken very little notice of the
proceedings. About half past ten Mr. Putnam
thought he would just step into the store and
see that everything was safe. As he went in
he walked up toward the fire. When within
few steps of where the men were sitting, he
started back in herror. Before hira sat seven
men, half crazy with liquor and the excite
ment of playing cards. There they were within
few feet OF the fire just described, and four
OF them seated on Kegs Of POUder.
Barclay, who was a very heavy man, had
pressed in the head of the keg on which he
sat, bursting the top hoop, and pressing the
powder out through the chinks BY the con-
tiEued motion of their feet, the powder had
become spread about the floor, and now COW
cred space Of two feet all around them.
Mr.. Putnam's first movement was toward
the door, but recovering himself he walked up
toward the fire Should either Of them at
tempt to rise, he thought, and scatter a few
grains little further into the FIRE place,
where lay quantity Of live Goals, all would
be lost
At that nome Mt Hatch looked Ut, and seo-
ing MIR. Putnam with his face deadly pale,
gazing into the fTe, exclaimed
Putnam, what ails you 2'' ard at the samo
time made motion to rise.
"Gentlemen do not rise 30 said BIZ Put
nam =" four Of you sit on kegs Of powder-it
is scattered all around you-one movement
might send you all to eternity There are
two buckets of wator behind the bar But
keep your seats for one minute AMI you are
saved-moye and you are dead mem
In an instant every man was perfectly So
bered-not limb moved-each seemed para
lyzed.
In less time than we have taken to describe
this thrilling scene, Mr.. Putnam had poured
the water and completely saturated the pow
der on tho floor and extingushed the fire, sc
that an explosion was impossible. Then, and
not until then, was there a word spoken
Before those seven men left the store thai
very night they pledged themselves never t.
taste another glass of liquor, or play another
game Of cards,