Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-11-18
7 JOURNAL AND BUSINESS DIREcT0RY-ITs AIM, TO AMUsE, TO INsTRU
FREEHOLD, ~. THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 49, 1858.

she disappeared behind o thick curtain
of darkness which, like a pail of impene-
trable sable, covered the earth and sky.
The stranger then passed over to the
old frame building, and gave three low,
distinct knocks on the door, each sepa-
rated by intervals OF about half a minute.
These were promptly answered by two
similar knocks from within. He then
knocked a fourth time, and the door
Opened a few inches, when a voice from
the room whispered the sign question
:" What is the time ~
10 which he replied, ASK the queen
of hearts"
Where is she 2" asked the voice.
I'm the left bower of the great king
was the answer, when the shutter few
open, and he hurried into the house ;
then the door was closed and bolted as
before.
The stranger passed through the FIRST
apartment, which was in fetal darkness,
and entered the second, which was
brilliantly illuminated, and where there
were two card tables in full operation,
with eight or ten busy players at EACH
A quick glance showed him that the Oh
Ject of his search was not present. He
went on into the next room, and from
that to those beyond it, until he had
counted twelve, all similar in their ap.
pearance, and having circles of meA en-
gagged In the same p~erilous pastime but
still he did not find the person whom he
heG come to see and save. He then ap.
preached a dark corner, and descended
a steep, narrow fight of stairs. Here be
found three individuals in the act of sit.
ting down to a game of poker, and to his
great delight he discovered that one OF
them was Major Ryan, although the lat.
ter did not know him.
A tall heavy mau, with a shining bald
head, inquired" Stranger, would you
like to take a hand 2"
II hain't no objection" replied the
other, in apparent embarrassment, and
affecting the tone and maHner Of 4 boat
man I that is to say, if 'tother fellers are
w%illins."
Certainly, sir" responded Major
Ryan, with a humorous smile.
Certainly" said a powerful man,
with hairy face and piercing black eyes,
" Certainly" he repeated, provided you
have sufficient money to play the thing
out for it is but right to inform you
that we bet very high, the ante itself
being ten dollars, and it is one of our
rules that no person shall be permitted
to leave the table, until he is either broke
fat or unanimous consent be given, and
which l, for one, am sure not to do"
Il guess as how l have ammunition
enough for a good fight" answered the
stranger, " because l have just sold out
my boat-load Of corn, and here is the size
of my pile-only ten thousand dollars"
And he threw down on the table a large
purse, or rather a small bag of gold and
bank notes.
The hairy faced man emitted a low
chuckling laugh, indicative of his belief
that the treasure would 500 change
hands, and the four Immediately took
their places, and commenced a contest of
skill and patience, such as never before
or since occurred in the saloons of New
Orleans. At first, all the advantage. or
what gamblers term the run of luck,
seemed to be with Major Ryan, and a
pyramid OF paper and specie grew up
rapidly by his side, bat this suddenly
changed, and fortune few oyer to the
gentleman with the bald head, whom the
others called Captain Smith, and his
enormous accommodations went on until
they threatened the rest with bankrupt
cy, when the tickle goddess again shifted
her golden altar, and shed her brightest
smiles upon the hairy face, whose owner
was addressed as Squire Jack. Minutes
and hours flew away, and each, by differ
ent alterations of triumph and defeat,
had been exultant and depressed, and
still the game was carried on with ever
increasing interest. 1t was a curious
study to watch the several countenances
Of the players, as time progressed with
out any decisive result such as to insure
the ultimate victory. The bald headed
gentleman seemed cool and confident,
even when suffering the heaviest losses.
Fhe hairy face wore a smile of fendish
determination, and the black eyes looked
keen enough to pierce through the whole
pack OF cards down to the very bottom.
Major Ryan's features were flushed and
excited, and whenever he dealt, it might
be observed that his hand trembled ner-
yously. But singular to tell, the stranger,
whom they had all supposed to be a no
vice, a harmless boatman or farmer,
eyinced the lowest exterior signs denot-
ling feeling of them all. Not a ripple of
change vas allowed to rise to the surface
of his visage from the deep sea Of his
soul. His small grey eyes appeared TO
be made of ice, they gazed upon every
thing with an expression SO cold and
careless, and but for the consdmmate
skill which he displayed in every move
ldeut, and the reckless bravery Of his
bets, he might have boen mistaken for a
man OF marble-as -passionless, as utterly
uninterested in the final issue that was
to render him penniless or achieve ample
riches.
With all Of them, however. as the night
IWole away and morning approached, The