Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-02-25
ynttrtstinp Storg,
THE SLAVE
c A NJ D ], D R

% Il lA Id Ii III ID
For six mortal DAYS had our boat been
ploughing through the turbid waters oil
the great river on the down passage.
since | came on board. 1t was early in
the morning when VIC stopped at Natchez,
where we took on board some twenty
passengers. who came dropping aloug
two and three or four at a time. during
the hour Of our stop. Once more We
were off with the current, and shortly af
forwards the breakfast bell rang.
The day passed away pretty much as
days generally do or board Mississippi
steamers, and when evening came, the
cabins were alive with fun and senti,
ment. Towards nine o'clock my atten.
ton was called to a table at which four
men were playing twenty deck poker
The chief PLAYER was a Young man, not
over six or eight and twenty, who han
died the cards with a professional air.
and whose face betrayed the libertine and
sensualist. He was, in some physical re-
spects, handsome, but the reckless villain
was so plainly stamped on his counte-
nance, that no gentleman could look upon
him but with pity and disgust. He was
a slightly built man, and gaudily dressed.
| had not stood by the table ten minutes
before the other three players rose from
the table, and the youth was left alone.
Who'll take a.hand ?" he asked. cast
ing his dark eyes around upon the crowd
/" Come, gentlemen, I've a few thousands
to lose. Who wants it ?"
"Look here, stranger, I've got a little
money that is of no use to me. What
say ye 2"
The new speaker formed a striking
contrast with the player already at the
table. He was a powerfully built fellow.
dark and gloomy in expression, and stand
ing over six feet high. His darkness
was from exposure, and his gloom was
surely from some recent cause. for it was
plain to be seer that his bold. open fea-
lures had not yet become used to it,
His hair hung in light.colored ringlets
about his neck, and his his sharp gray
eyes were full Of strange fire. His dress
was mostly composed Of panther skins,
and his cap was of the same with the
tail hanging behind. When he sat down
to the table, [ saw that he did it with a
recklessness which was not natural to
him; and from that moment | became
deeply interested in him, for | felt sure
that he was at heart, a noble, bold, gene
rous man.
MAKE your own game said the young
man. shufling the cards adroitly.
- a. oLool ~ uo..onl1J 4Lo o4La.
"a man don't hunt wild yarmints for a
lifetime to be afraid of a quarter pack of
cards. Go ahead. and let's have EN-"
Ante up ten"
The hunter put up a ten dollar bill.
and the youth did the same. the cards
we're dealt. and the betting commenced.
The latter gazed sharply into bis stont
antagonists face as the bets were made.
but he could read nothing there. He
seemed disappointed at this, and called
the hunters hand at the fourth bet, and
won five hundred dollars.
The hunter smiled, and the youth dealt
again. The betting was commenced in
earnest by the dealer. but the other was
not moved by it. The young man put
up a thousand dollar note, but its appear
.ance seemed to have no effect upon his
antagonist. Those open features did not
change in expression, not did the keen
eye grow more bright or dim. He Gov.
cred the note and called" lie won.
After this the luck ran evenly for some
time. | watched the young mani call
him the young mar, because he was surely
Younger than the hunter. though not
much. for the latter individual was yet
in the prime Of early manhood-but, as |
was remarking, [ watched the more ex-
perienced gamcster, and | saw him SIEVE
raj times make the attempt to perform
some of his tricks, but those two gray
eyes were fixed too sharply upon him
At length the hunter began to win rapid
ly, but not a single ray Of satisfaction
could be seen upon his face. I was puz
zled, for it seemed to me he would rather
lose than win.
But my thoughts were soon called from
the players to the play. | saw the young
err shuttle the cards, and I knew he
/. stncked" them. / slipped around be-
Hind him. and saw that he held four kings
and a lack. He had meat to have held
four kings and an ace, but q douSla cut
by his opponent had hurt him. ! knew
that trick, and l saw what the gambler
did not see. He was sure that III Of the
aces was at the bottom Of the pack. and
that his opponent had the other three
with q pair of queens, while | saw that
in cutting, the forth ace was left upon the
top of the pack, instead of the bottom.
!" Here's a thousand, said the youngest
player, promptly.
$ Here's that. and a thousand better"
was the resphnseI