Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-06-24
yntuestlnp Storg.
From the New York Leader.
The Gamblers Last Stake,
BY ROBIN WILDFELL0w.

IT was a splendid night one of those
calm still nights which enhance SO much
the natural beauty of river scenery, and
which would by its very serenity, woo the
pleasure seeker to a life of travel. The
air, of which there was just sufficient
stirring to cause the least perceptible
futter of the ensign which chung affec-
tionately to the staff, vas balmy to the
extreme, and came laden with the fresh
~ness.of the water and the moon, which
shone in all its splendor, gave a silyery
hue to surrounding objects as would al
most warrant the hazardous assertion
that one was journeying in fairy-land.-
The dark outlines of the shores on either
side, spread themselves in the frame of a
vast mirror formed by the surface Of the
river aud where here and there a bluff
raised its lighter front above the stream,
it stood out in the dreamy grandeur of
the moonlight, as some grim visaged SEN
tinel, guarding treasure hidden at its foot,
and the sound Of a fiddle, or the broken
verse Of a song, which came from some
distant boatman, or the cheering saIuta-
ton of some passing raft or fat, ~enliven
ed the monotony of the trip while the
lights OF the steamer reflected from the
ripple by her side, sent back mYriads of
sparkling rays, to dazzle the eye and give
to the whole the appearance of some IL
Illuminated avenue cut in an aerial city,
through which the tourists were urging
their way.
The Creole Belle" was making good
headway-at least so said the Captain.
SO thought the crew, and with such per.
sons as authRrity, SO granted the passen.
gers for, kthe sparks issuing from the
tall pipes be any sign, she was in a fair
way to establish her title of a first class
craft. There was q goodly share Of voy-
ayers also, and Of the better quality, tho
the assortment comprised those types Of
charaoter-those inevitable Characters
tics-which are just as natural to a Miss
issippi packet as the ancient negro seated
at the bows. There was the high bred
gentleman, whose polite manners and aris-
tocratic bearing bespoke the opulent and
hospitable landowner the rough-and-
ready Spectator, whose conversation was
confined chiefly to clearings' and
"'vestments." and who never Except in
cases of a rare 6 trade'O yentured SO high
as a dollar at the bar, his general average
being a picayune; the slave holder,
whose thoughts run on niggers and cotton
and who, with his hands in his breaches
pockets, his felt hat drawn down over his
forehead with a deyil-may-care tiphis
mouth full of tobacco juice, and his beard
of knots, paced the deck with sullen au-
thority, scowling at the hands, cracking
jokes with the engineer, or preferring
serious charges against a certain lot OF
cotton done up in suspicious looking
bales, interlarded with sage remarks
intended for the ears of the captain last,
though not least. the gambler, whose
home is in the "for'ard" cabin, whose
livelihood is derived from the cards.
whose sphere of action is the we'll worn
table. He seldom energies from his scene
of play, and when he docs so, it is only
to exchange some slang terms with some
of the hands, returning to his hiding
place with a sardonic smile, accompanied
by an invitation-if not a threat-to ioin
him in a contest with his " picters.p And
while the better class are ENJOYING the
scenery and the sail from the promenade,
our character drives a good trade below.
In the low rooted cabin, the ceiling of
which has grown dingy, if not black
with the concentrated tobacco and vile
smoke Of numberless trips, are a collec.
ton of men. forming one Of the most
prominent features of the river. Two or
three common tables are set at intervals
in the middle of TIE floor, around which
rare placed several mutilated chairs, many
Of them in such relative positions towards
each other as would suggest to the unin.
itiated the loss or gain of some party,
who had, either well satisfied or deeply
chagrined, suddenly decamped with his
spoil, or to brood in silence over his loss.
There are generally one or two of the
!" fraternity" in the place, ready for a
game of poker, or anything else that
comes handy, who handle small sums with
as much disinterestedness as a millionaire
does his cheqne book, and carry them
selves about with an air Of greater i'm
portance.
The above named resort was we'll pa
tronized, and the tables were all occupied
by those who were hard at work, eacI
surrounded by a group of SPECTATORS
either watching the game, or meditating
a bet, each board laden with a pile
of coin. The c~ountenances Of the players
wore a curious admixture of human phys
iognomy, and would have formed a study
to any one DESTROYS of discovering ths
true essence Of Western river life, in it
peculiar phases.
There was the habitual gambler, WHIT
lived upon the river, won his money OF