The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-11-16

With syousnE .yiiuGl Eld 1a 13ohisiH
He drew out a very ancient silver box
of about five dollars weight, and laid up
on the table. .ac Rodden' sat down to bust
ness, with CLEAN in his dark eyeithat
meant mischief. He won it, then lostit.
It was lest and won several times, but
rested at last in the pocket of the coun-
4Smart fellow Lut can't keep a hotel
norwin my terbacker bex,,' said he.ess. (.
]bIThe next day they played again, and he
lost box, and watch, and thirty dollars;
but next time he won again, and so sur
prisingly, that the gambler lost pretty
nearly all he had to lose-and then the
countrymen refused to play any longer.
ritiNot to night, anyhow, y said he. "a
might be willing to- play to morrow, but [
want to sleep with ny pockets full one
night. I allus put my own money in the
cap'n's safe, but LII keep this ere that
was yourn, in my berth to night, to sleep
on, just for luck." .",s7.,s, :, .a4ss ;fgsyue ossi
That foolish fellow will be robbed to-
night A said to myself, "and may be
murdered. had such I. presentment
of mischief, that / could not, go7to sleep
and at midnight, when. i heard him go 10
| bed, l Knocked at his state room door, and
said, ..'Will you allow, me to speak to your"
| 81 know what you're gonter say,' said
he,f t.but never You lay awake on my ac-
COUNT, i amt baby, and know what
that Rodden is gonter do, as we'll as you
do. But he's barkin' up the wrong tree.
Look o here, mister" said he, rand he
drew out tremendous bowie knife from
= fh. L. =
der his pillow a six shooter. u .I1recken
these ere will dc his business, ir he comes
arter. me and my winnins." zeG r'eF
- left the mau treasured, and returned
to my BERTH, but not to sleep The boat
went snorting and roaring on her war up
the gloomy river 1t was high flood,
and if any accident happened to the boat
there was a poor chance for passengers.
More than once we had steame ed past the
floating corpses from burnt or exploded
steamers As L lay thinking of all this,
[ heard step. The countryman slept
with hisfdoor open. He would "choke
TO death at onct," he said, eif he didu't
get the air." People brought up in log
houses arc apt to feel So 1 sprung to
my feet and crept towards his state room.
o
den explosion of pistol followed by
fierce cry. / openedl the door. o Rodden
had fallen on the floor, but he sprang to
his feet, with a cut across his hand, and
opesof his ears shot off, He dashed out
of the door rs the countryman exclaimed,
''That yarmint !" a
"Are you burt?"
.'Not a bit of it." tgo -
He had slight cut on his hand, how-
ever. Rodsen had scarcely left the state
room when he was grapTled by the porter,
who like myself, had been watching him.
The porter had seen the brief conflict,
which he had not time to prevent The
rascal struggled hard, but he was soon
,disarmed, bound securely and locked up
state room. His loss of blood helped,
perhaps, to conquer him. 1 asked lady,
who had come from her Etateroom in her
dressing gown to indulge her natural Gu
riosity, to go to the poor wife and tell her
the sad truth that her husband was
wounded and felon. laI-- i...i
"Ob, what have I not suffered with
him and her, she said, wringing her
hands. fIf / could but return to my once
happy home !" sI g9 cf..ela.srr
rs .sAnd why can you not 2" asked the Ia
dy, Itwas the old story. She had run
away from home and married showy
scamp, without the consent of her parents
The captain, the coun:ryman and Invent
aside to consultwhat was best tn be DONE
,ttlWait minute" said the couutryman,
and he went into his state room and next
instant came out in a dressing gown, an
other and natural head of hair, and with
on. the everlasting old gloves. 1t was
nay acquaintance, Mr.. Browne, randa cap
ital actor, too. "a * ,..asg Hggo +
"I determined to serve out that fellow
1if ever had chance I'd do so,,.' said he,
"swhen he ROBBED that poor carpenter and
drove him crazy. He got cured of that
| by small dose of water-cure in the Mis-
sissippi, and the help of Muster, I shall
haunt him up, and give him back his
money" .l,,7 fso5l :5f Al -
Muster wagged his tail, as gif he re-
membered all about it, and approved of
returning the cash. ,se:55r 20
ku The poor little wife decided to return
home. The mother, deprived of her son, !,
did not attempt to- keep her ill-used
daughter,in-law. When Rodden found
that be was to be taken to the Jail at
Maysville, he sent for his wife. 'It's all
up with, me for the present. said hc.-
"They have got me ioul. You had bet
ter go home, Lib, and with the old folks,
and behave yourself. Mother is not fit
company for you, unless 1 am about"
The little wife answered only with her
sobs. She held the baby for his father to
kiss him, but she did not offer him her
lips or cheek. He was her tyrant no
longer. She had found friends. She
would escape. We took her to her pa
ternal home on the. Ohio, and saw her
kindly received by a worthy father and
loving mother. Mr.. Browne went with
me, and left thousand dollars of the
sum he had won from Roddon in, her ia
ther's hands. Rodden was tried for a
murderous assault, with intent to rob, and
sent to the penitentiary for twenty, five