The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-06-28
LACERVLE, COUNTY, CALIFORNIA SATURDAY,
How I wa. Cured Sf Gaming.
A MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE.

mail steamers plying between New Or
leans and Mobile. He spent some days
with me not long since; and among 9th
er adventures which had befallcn him, ht
related the following:
had been engaged on board the steam
er something over year, and was ther
acting in the capacity Of mate. During
the first few months l had been rather
shy of New Orleans by gas-light, had
heard SO many stories of rObberies and
murders, and Of strangers being attacked
from mere wantOnneSs, that | preferred
to keep myself as safe as possible. Some
times Fspent the night at the hotel, where
the officers of the various steamers had
assembled for a social time, and some,
''-l,~~-' or n -' >},sfs77 AT length, bHlv-
ever, became acquainted with the city,
and the old timidity wore off, and final
3 accompanied sdhse Of my byoihrT rs
ears to p'aSr3 tTNnrc the more startling
episodes Of real city life occurred. frotn
the hotel we went TO the theatre, and from
the theatre we went to some Of the most
famous gambling houses. .'- -' 900
Suffer me, my friend, to inform sou
here that | am not a gamcster. | bavC
played a little, as | shall be obliged to
confess; but the charm was broken, as
you shall hear.
On the third or fourth visit to tho gnm-
bling house, one Of my companions laugh
ingly proposed that we should make u
small venture at the faro table. With a
smile upon my countcnance threw dow n
quarter-eagle. The banker asked me
if bet upon the queen. was then ad-
monished to place my money fairly upon
the card. pushed the card further on
and the confusion I exhibited must have
informed The hystanders that | was slight
ly verdant touching the rules, regulations
and mysteries Of the inro bank. The
banker began to slide off the cards, and
presently he drew off the piece Of gold |
had ventured, and threw down check
representing FIVE dollars had won. i
smiled at my luck, AID when the cards
were next ShutEled, | placed my check
back upon the queen. | won again, and
again | smiled; for the thought that |
was gambling did not enter my mind.
II WAS sport sport Of an exciting kind.
! bet upon the queen again. and again |
won. Before the next play ! calculated Il
little. 1t was not likely that the same
card would win again, SO made my ven
ture OH the ace. The queen lost and the
ace won. At the end of an hour had
won $75 or $50. and then went with my
companions to the hotel, where We spent
another hour before repairing to our
boats.
After this frequently accompanied my
friends 10 the gaming houses, and l also
made future ventures at the faro bank. A
love Of excitement grew upon me before |
was aware Of it-Grcw upon me so strong
ly that more than once | ventured alone
into a gambling house not far from our
hotel. One evening four of US officers
were at the st. Charles, and after supper
the question was started as to how we
should dispose Of the next few hours. -
Two were for the theatre and two for the
gaming house. How should we decide 2
AS neither party was willing to give up,
it EaS finally arranged that we should 60
Just as our inclinationS led us. Two went
to the theatre aud two started for the ga
ming house. was one of the latter. MY
companion was captain Of an up river
boat, and before we set out he informed
me that he must be on board by midnight,
MS he had to start early the next morning.
This was all pleasant TO me, as had made
up my mind to be in my state-room before
the hour he had mentioned. So off we
went over towards the third Municipality,
nearly mile and half from our hotel,
where We found the gaming house we had
planned to visit. We sat in the bar room
awhile and smoked a cigar, and then went
into the hail. We lounged about, and
observed the progress of the different
games, and finally stopped at faro table.
maze another venture, which was sue
cessful. made another venture and lost {;
and another and won. Then I bought
$50 worth Of checks.
When bought my checks there were
seven players besides myself at the table
Two of them were steamboat captains,
and four of them were either merchants
or gentlemen of that stamp. They may
have been gamblers by prUlession-regu-
lar blacklegs-but that doesn't matter.
They appeared to be gentlemen, and GER
tainly they behaved as such. The seventh
man at the table was a study, and. bad
there not been an overbalance of apparent
gentifity in the company, | should not
kave stopped where he was. He was ev-
identity boatman, and when heard him
speak, | made up my mind that he was Il
1oosier. lie had come down from Ohio
with his tiat-boat, and sold his cargo and
useless lumber, and was now on bit of
" time" He was truly n tough looking
customer. He must have stood six feet
and two or three inches high, with frame
like an OK. His shoulders were broad
and heavy, and his arms long and muscu-
lar, and his hands were so lOrg and hard
that 1t was difficult for him to put down
his checks. or bis lace but little was to
be seen, the lower part of it beius co., ~ ID
by'a thick, long beard of a grizzly color,
while the upper part was covered by the
slouching of the broad brim of an old felt
hat | could see his eyes. and they were
black and keen enoHghy They look ed
black when in the deepest shade, but
NtStt ulS HOdu was buTUCU SO Lnht IDC
light fell upon, his face, they seemed to
have a metallic luStre, changing from
steel to brass. Presently those eyes were
turned upon me with threatening look,
the owner seeming to intimate that had
stared at him long enough. At any rate
l took it as hint, and went on with my
play.
My luck was changefnl. l won, and
then lost. Then won once more, ant
then | lost again. Finally touched tn,
knave with dozen checks. worth five
dollars each, and won. The Hoosier haC
staked twelve checks on the queen. A.
this point my companion came and tolc
me he must be going was too much
exited with the play to leave the tabl,
then, and told him not to wait for me
The queen lost-the knave won--anc
again the banker passed to me the check,
which the Hoosier had lost.
Once more my companion asked me i
l would go with him. / told him coult
not-and he went away without me-
Forty-eight checks were upon the knave