The Shasta courier., 1864-11-19
Outdone by an Actor.
A TALE OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

We were going to New Orleans, and at Cal.
ro. we took abnard party that was not
happy to see, not Il bit Of it. / don't like
snags walking about on two legs. The party
consisted of II man about thirty or thirty FIVE
years old, with his wife and young baby
and his mother. The young man was what
call hard character. lie Wore a gray coat
and pants. and purple velvet vest, with .
massive gold, or it might be gold plated chain
across the breast. His long black hair was
curled and shiny, and smelt like a barber $
shop. He had 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 ard stately woman
quite as tall as her son. and about half a
century old. She wore a false front, and
her forehead was shaved to make 1t look more
expansive and intellectual. Icannot answer
for her age very accurately. for she was made
up altogether in the highest style, and was
dressed, even on the steamboat in the richest
moire antique and the eostliest lace. There
is not sin of the civilized world that was
not written on the worlan's face. | have
seen great many, with little enough that
was womanly about them, but never saw
one who seemed to me so bad as this gam
bler's mother.
The fact is, it was a party of gamblers.
The poor little wife was a trained stool-pigeon
and even the pretty little baby was dressed to
attract and lead to acquaintance. The wife
was very pretty. but struck me as a strange
compound. She seemed loving and gentle,
as dare say she might have been in other
circumstances. She was dressed too well,
and wore too much jewelry. This | after
wards found was not her fault. She was
made to play her part in attracting her hus-
bands victims. The coquetry of her appear
ance did not correspond with the expression
of her face There was Il sad look in it that
made me pity her. They had come from
Canada, they said, and were going to New
Orleans. kept my eyes on them and SO,
found, did the experienced chamber maid
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
incug Il gentleman who intended to adopt
the dramatic profession. We got acquainted
over a sherry cobbIer. became intimate with
our noses in our two first mint. luleps, and
We had IA little private party in our corner, he
amused as b. initiating those on heard or
others we happened to know. very ceverly
Among the rest he took off the roue- looking
gambler. Rodden. as he called himself, and
the stately mother. lie had made up his
mind about them pretty much as had mado
mp mine.
Among the other occupants of the great
cabin, where society gets about as well ming
led as you ever find it in this world, was a
young man a Mr.. John Green a master car
penter from Chicago. going to Memphis. He
was simple, honest. and as verdant as his
name he got acquainted with everybody,
and told of his means, intentions and pros
poets, as if he thought every body as innocent
as himself Rodden made set at Greene as
soon he heard that he had money. but not
by making the first advances. The old lady
talked with him in the most motherly way
about his hume. his prospects and sweethearts
The young fe who seemed ut times to scorn
everything about her. smiled ou him sweetly,
aud gave him her baby 10 hold. Whoever
she may have feared or hated. she loved the
baby 1t was believe. the bond tt at 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
t. escape tyranny that our by hour became
IN IRE apparent To me. as Watched the drama
playing before me.
K 'dden, of course, had mude up his mind
to plunde. the young carpenter and it had to
be done before we got to Memphis. They
had played in little family party at whist
and euciire for candies and sherry cobblers,
Greene most generally won.
AND was confident in his luck. and a little
IroM of hh skill He was fascinated also
with the pretty woman, who could wind him
round her fingers. Then he tried his hand
with Rodden alone, and won thirty dollars,
as he boasted to Browne. at half dollar u
game. II was of no use to advise him. He
was as conceited as he WAS honest Like
MANY very green persons, he believed him
selfa excellent judge of character, and as
sharp as a needle.
The night before we were to reach Mem
pills. Rodde~ and Greene were PLAYING, and
Greene was flushed with his luck and drink
lag more than usual. Browne watched then
till he was tired, and turned in at about ii
o'clock. Then Rodden and Greene drank
more, or stronger drinks than usual, and they
played for higher stakes. 1t was the old sto-
ry-in!atnation, madness, and, of course, the
loss of the last dollar Green had in the world
hCh S<-tuC iuSduttJ, WOTSc tDd1
that of the drunkard and the gambler-the
insanity of despair. Instead of going to his
berth. he ascended to the hurricane deck.
Then he took of his coat and vest and wrote
on scrap of paper with pencil this just le-
gible note =
To THE CAPTAIN OF rms Bozf-Rodden
has robbed me when was drunk, of three
thousand dollars, all have in the world.
am going to drown myself Please thank
Mr.. Browne for me and tell him / am sorry
did not hear to him. JoHN GREENE"
This paper he pinned TO his vest, and then
quietly jumped into the river; but he was
not born to be drowned-not that time. any-
way. There was a cry from the watch on
deck. of a man overheard. sprang out Of
my state-room with Muster. = SaEe him,
Muster ~ said I. The cog didn't need anosh-
er invitation and he ecaaght him and held him
up. just as be showed You. until the steamer s
boat picked them both up. and brought them
on board again. The captain came down on
n l. d. l. l. L n = y