The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-05-13


song, or telling a story, as holding a
hand at cards, those who are your friends
arc fortunate
4 must confess said Thorn, that 1
am not of q convigial or musical turn,
though [ can occasionally tell good
etory. | have little history now, sir,
upon my tongues end that will bo o
uncommon interest to you.
TO me Pray tell it, SIR said the
gamester with a laugh. 1t will DO a
good wind up for the evenings enter
tainment.'
1t was now long past midnight; abb
sorbed in tho excitement OF the game,
we had scarcely po;iced the fight OF time
or that the adjoining rooms were now
nearly deserted by their occupants, and
that the other players, nt the other end
of the apartment in which wo we're, had
finished their own game long since, and
been spectators of that b,tweeu Thorn
and opponent, and were now apparently
listeners.
About three years since, began Thorn,
"a young man iu Kentucky, tho confdcn.
tal agent of largo business Grm, va'
entrusted with sum Of money and COM
missioncd to transact some business in
New Orleans; it was hs frst visit to
that city, be started happily, leaving be-
hind him young wife and lovely in
fant. Unfortunately upon one Of the
Mississippi boats, or Immediately upon
his arrival in Now Orleans, he fell in
with pyofessiOnal-a man Of play |
mean, you understand
The gambler nodded and Thorn con-
tinued
by the management of this 'profes-
sional,' the young was cnticed to hell
induced to play, piled with wine, strip
ped Of bis money,-in Short to use a
professional word, 'plucked'--
'lIa ha the old story, said the gam
bier; the fate of pigeons
but have not finished that which
most interests you is yet to come.
Indeed 20 on
'The young man was perfectly sobered
by his loss he returned to his hotel
stung with rcmorso and half crazy with
excitement, he placed pistol to his head
and blew out his brains, leaving tarn.
ished namo as an inheritance for his wife
and innocent child
But what is all this tV me- said the
gambler, now pale as ashes beneath the
flashing eye of tho speaker, lis it a moral
les son you're about to read here, or a
sermon you have to preach
yy il ytq you rjcR cGnt"Iita ntHsisls Th1rn
'Ah III tell you wha> it is to you
This meeting Of you ana tonight,
which for three long years | have sought,
is in it. Twas thrce years ago this very
night. aye, this very hour 2 said he,
glauciug at his watch, that the young
man | spoke of rushed madly into eter.
nity,-not by his own hand, but his op-
ponent at the card table is ha that should
b. accountable for the deed of bbol,-
the amount of money he lost va, just
the amount | have won this nigh from
you. that rery ring upon your GIeer is
his! | AM HIS BHoTnER, AND Yoy ARE
his Assassin
Tnorn pronounced these words ina firm,
clear, ringing voice, and as he concluded,
brought his hand down with a blow upon
the table at which they were sitting
which was instantly overturned ashe aud
his opponent started simultaneously to
their feet. They were scarcely sit PAGES
apart after springing from their chairs,
aud both drew their weapons Is they
rose.
Die liar = shouted the gambler. dis.
charging his weapon the moment lie gain.
cd his feet. The bullet ripped open
Thorn's waistcoat, and his watch few in.
to fragments from the pocket dangling
by its chain, at the same moment his arm,
which vas slowly rising, became rigid as
that Of statute-tbe pistol he he'd ex-
ploded, and the gambler fell back corpse
upon the carpet. This all passed so
suddenly, ere We could interfere, tina, we
stood as if almost paralyzad for an in
stant,-the servants alarmed by the
noise, and the police came rushing into
the apartment. Thorn quietly surren-
dered himself, merel y turning TO us and
the other two who were 10 the room. say.
ing, as he did so, 'Gentlemen, bear wit.
ucsS, nVeu III sel HeleHcc, ana tnht L
received that Williams first fire here ; and
he pointed to his shattered watch with
smile. and turning left the room with
the officers.
lie was tried and acquitted, as it was
clearly proved that his adversary fired
upon him first. The fact of the gambler
being notorious rascal whom the com.
munity could well afford to spare, might
have had some influence with the jury.
| have never met Thorn since, but the
recollection of that fearful scene is yet
fresh aud vivid in my mind, though many
years have passed since it was enacted.
ALWAYS LEARNING Sir Walter
Scott gives us to understand that he nev.
er met with any man. let his calling be