, 1862-10-23
Gambling Adventure.

II was the Spring of 1885 that | found my
self gliding upon tho waters Of the mighty Mis-
sissippi ami bound for New Orleans. With q
single exception, had forrr ed no travelling ac-
quaintance on board the boat The individual
with whom singulary enough, fraternized,
seemed, Ike myself to have but little inclination
to extend his acquaintance among the passen-
gers, though he seemed to be constantly upon
the lookout for some one, and from the close
manner in which he regarded the operations Of
two or three Of those individuals, whose profuse
display Of vest chains and jewelry, and prof.
cheney with cards at the tables in the saloon, be-
trayed their profession, more than once set him
down as some sort Of police detective in dis.
pu SC.
He called himself George Thorn, Of Kentucky,
so his card read, which he gave me in exchange
for mine. Full six feet in height, light curly
hair, muscular arms, and the chest Of Her
cues, he challenged the admiration Of more than
one Of the passengers, as, with his serious and
never smiling lace, he paced the promenade deck,
or sat apparently buried in thought in the saloon
"Do you ever play at cards ?" said | to him,
as he left group that were standing about ta-
BILE Of four players, and noting the progress OF
the game. had frequently seen him invited,
but he invariably, like myself, refused to partci-
pate in the game.
"Oh, yes," he replied, "but where is the use
Of playing hereG These fellows" nodding towards
the players, "can tell any cards in the pack by
their backs, and they are trying hard to pluck
some poor pigeon from dmung these passengers,
but as yet with indifferent success; beware Of
IN m, sir?"
To convince me Of the truth Of what he said,
he called the steward Of the boat and ordered
fresh pack Of cards, which were brought and he
handed the pack to me, bidding me to shuttle
them. did so, when he Immediately selected
nearly every ace and king from the pack without
looking at them. Next he dealt them in two
par, :, one to me aud one to himself, when upon
examination ! found that all the cards Of real
value were in his hand, although could detect
no uniairness as be dealt them.
You see," said he, the advantage an expert
in these matters has over even skillful player"
IL do. indeed" replied, astOnished at my fel-
low travellers dexterity, and beginning to think
he might be q reformed gambler, or one playing
possum" for some purpose or other; but as he
did not urge or even invite me to play, nor bad
played with any one else, and threw the cards
aside with an expression Of disgust too natural
to be assumed, | came to the conclusion that my
suspicious were UNJUST and my travelling ac-
quaintanee was a riddle yet 10 be solved
Early the next morning the boat arrived at
New Orleans aud amid the hurried hustle Of de-
barkatinn ! lost my friend the Kentuckian, not
even seeing him to bid adieu. The same ev'n-
ing, however, after visiting the theatre, was en-
inyng the cool air, and a fragrant Havana, in
the rOtunda Of the St. Charles Hotel, and con-
versing with a friend from the North, whom
had fortunately met, when who should encoun-
Ter but my steamboat acquaintance.
After the usual greetings, 0ur conversation
TUNED upon our trip down the river, our fellow
passengers, etc., when my fellow traveller remark
ed that, if would like to visit the interior Ol a
gambling house, or hell, as it is som times more
appropriately called, he wonld be pleased to
show il to us as one Of the sights Of the city.
Never having witnessed anything Of the kind,
both and my friend assenled, and after a short
walk, we found ourselves within the precincts of
one Of those gittering and gorgeouslY furnished
Observation-Disclosures TO the internal re-
giohs- where men are engaged in various games
of hazard. The interior Of n gaming house has
been 90 frequently described to need repetition.
The faro bank with its crowd Of visitors, the
rouge ct nOir table, with'its anxious circle, and
groups Of players at other games, Of which was
ignorant Of the name, were all husly engaged as
we entered, We had passed through two apart
ments and reached third, in which were but
four players playing in pairs at different tables.
As we entered We sat down at an unoccupied ia
BILE for q moment, when, as we did so, we heard
one Of the two men nearest to US say to his op-
ponent:
"Thats the last dollar; luck is yours, and I'm
cleaned out"
"But you wear good ring, J" said his opponent
"See, will back my ring against yours on the
next game. It's ring that won at play from
Kentucky boy that came to New Orleans to
see the sghts," said he, carclessly.
As the player who was sitting with his back
partially towards US, mentioned Kentucky in his
conversation, saw Thorn listen with eagerness,
\ L. Al. k,.l -, 40
bet upon his finger, the Kentuckian turned dead
" pale His eyes glowed like fire for an instant,
then his cOuntenance again assumed its usual
calm and placid look, and, to our amazement, be
rose and, walking across the apartment to the
player, who had just been left by his companion,
courteously proposed to try hand or two with
him Il agreeable, aud il we, his friends, would
excuse him for short time. or course we as
sented-so did the gambler, who appeared at
tirst somewhat surprised at the proposition, but
probably resolved to try his skill upon the new
conner. The cards were dealt and the game pro
ceeded. We were sufficiently near to see that
tho piece Of gold which constituted the first stake
was won by our friends opponent; so also was
the Second. The third stake Thorn gained.
And thus they went on, alternately winning and
losing, till at last Thorn Carelessly observed;
"That is pretty ring you offered to bet
while ago, stranger; will you sell tg"
swell, as to that" said the other, it's pretty
enough, and cost me enough, for young fellow
pledged il to me some three years ago as sort Of
note Of hand, which he promised to redeem with
Eve hundred dollars he owed me-a debt Of
honor, sr-but he couldn't come to time very
well, for he uaid the debt Of nature as they
say, the same night, and that cancelled my obi.
CATION. Ali the stakes mine, believe" said
be, as he drew the money towards hun; "sup-
pose we try larger stake,-anything from ole
to five hundredl" and he threw 4 bark note Of
that denomination, carelesslY, as if 10 bravad0,