, 1864-12-23
outdone by an Actor.
A TALE OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

TALE OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
We were going to New Orleans, and at Cairo
we took aboard party that l was not happy to
see not a bit Of it. l don't like snags walking
about on two legs. The party consisted of a
man about thirty or thirty-fve old, with his wife
and young baby and his mother. The young
man was what ] call hard character. He
wore a gray coat and pants, and purple velvet
vest, with a massive gold, or it might be pla-
ted chain across the breast. His long black
hair was curled and shiny, and smelt like a bar
ber's shop. He had a red fluffy face, and his
eyes were black and wicked. He had been
what many people call good-looking-gOod l
do not think he could have been with such a
mother She was tall and stately woman
quite as tall as her son, and about half century
old She wore false front, and her forehead
was shaved to make it look more expansive and
intellectual ] can't answer for her age very
accurately for she was made up altogether in
the most elaborate fashion, and dressed
even on the steamboat, in the richest mOire an
tiOue and the cOstliest lace. There is not sin
of the civilized world that was not written on
that womans face. | have seen a great many
women, with little enough that was womanly
about them, but | never saw one who seemed to
me so bad as this gambler mother.
The fact is, it was party of gamblers. The
poor little wife was a trained stoOl-pgeOn, and
even the pretty little baby was dressed to at
tract and lead to acquaintance. The wife was
very pretty, but struck me strange com
pound She seemed loving and gentle as l
dare say she might have been in other circum-
stances She was dressed too well, and wore
too much jewelry. This afterwards foundwas
not her fault. She was made to play her part
in attracting her husbands victims. The CO.
quetry of her appearance did not correspond
with the expression of her face There was a
sad look in it that made me pity her They had
come from Canada, they said, and we're going to
New Orleans. ! kept my eyes on them; and so,
l found, did the experienced chambermaid, who
had been on the river too long not to know such
customers at first sight.
Among our fellow-passengers was a gentle
man who called himself Mr.. Browne, who seemed
to me to be either an actor travelling incog, or
gentleman who intended to adopt the dramatic
profession. We got acquainted over sherry
ccbbler, became intimate with our noses in our
two first mint uleps, and when we had a little
private party in our corner, he amused us by
initiating those on board, or others we happened
to know, very cleyerly. Among the rest, he
took off the roue-loOking gambler, Rodden,
he called himself and the stately mother. He
had made up his mind about them pretty much
as had made up mine
Among the other occupants of the great cab
in, where society gets about as well mingled as
you ever uuu IL III tulS NOllu, was d yOuuB man,
Mr.. John Greene, master carpenter from Chi
cago, going to Memphis He was simple,
honest, and verdant as his name. He got ac-
quainted with everybody, and told Of his means,
intentions and prospects, as if he thought eve
rybody as innocent as himself Rodden made a
set at Greene as soon as he heard that he had
money, but not by making the first advances
The old lady talked with him in the most moth
erly way about his home, his prospects and
sweethearts. The young wife, who seemed at
times to scorn everything about her, smiled on
him sweetly, and gave him her baby to hold
Whoever she may have feared or hated, she
loved the baby. 1t was, believe, the bond that
held her to the gambler and his mother, and
made her do their internal bidding But for the
baby she might have jumped into the river to
escape tyranny that hour by hour became
more apparent to me, as l watched the drama
playing before me.
Rodden, Of course, had made up his mind to
plumber the young carpenter, aud it had to be
done before we got "a Memphis They had played
in a little family party at whist and euchre for
candies and sherry cobbers, or champagne.
Greene generally won, and was confident in his
luck, and a little proud of his skill. He was
facinated also with the pretty woman, who
could wind him around her fingers. Then he
tried his hand with Rodden alone, and won
thirty dollars, as he boasted to Browne, at half
dollar game. 1t was of no use to advise
him He was as conceited as he was honest
Like many very green persons he believed him
self an excellent judge of character, and as
sharp needle.
The night before we were to reach Memphis
Rodden and Greene were playing, and Greene
was flushed with his luck and drinking more
than usual Browne watched them till he was
tired, and turned in at about eleven o'clock
Then Rodden and Green drank more, or stronger
drinks than usual, and they played for higher
stakes 1t was the old story-intatuation, mad
ness, and, Of course, the loss of the last dollar
Greene had in the world. Then came another
insanity, worse than that of the drunkard and
the gamber-the insanity of despair. Instead
Of going to his berth, he ascended to the h1rri-
cane-deck Then he took off his coat and vest,
and wrote on a scrap of paper with pencil this
Just legible note -
eTo THE CAPTAIN OF THIS BOAT: Rodden
has robbed me when l was drunk, of three thou
sand dollars, all have in the world. am GO
ing to drown myself. Please thank Mr.. Browne
for me and tell him am sorry l did not hear to
him. John GREENE
This paper he pinnedto his yest and then qui-
etly jumped into the river; but he was not born
to be drowncd-not that time, anyway. There