The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-12-07

WOuiln come TO IN ABOUT kalTus- Ou
might nave known l wouldn't play, by
tle looks of me F"
Rodden was persevs ing the man in
home-sp spun was firm. The young wife
seemed more i'll, terrified, and miserable,
every hour; the old mother more hard,
proud, and imperious She would take
the baby, keep it from its mother, and l
believe pinch it, simply to torture the
poor woman. Rodden never interfered
to protect her What life that poor
thing was leading, and what a fate for
her child. One evening l heard Rodden
talking to the gawky man about play. >
Look o. here now" said the latter "ef
YOU ever say kairds to me agin, l IL pitch
into We. | am man o my word, es
pecially when my words given to Susy.
But | have got a pocket full OF dice, and
they amt loaded dice nuther. Ef you
want to play enough to bet something
handsun agin my terhaeker box, IN
play with you"
HI drew out very ancient silver box,
of about five dollars weight, and laid it
on the table Rodden sat down to bust
ness, with CLEAN in his dark eve that
meant mischief He won it-then lost it.
Ii was lost and won several times, but
tryman.
Smart fellow, but you can't keep a
hotel, nor win my terbacker box, said
he
The next day they played again, and
he lost his box, and watch, and thirty
dollars but next time he won again, and
so surprisingly. that the gambler lost
pretty nearly all he had to lose, and then
. RI
longer.
Not to night, anyhow" said he. 81
might play morrow, but l want to
sleep with my pockets full one night
| alias put my own money in the cap ms
safe, but I'll keep this ere that was yourn
i'll my berth to night, 20 sleep on, just
for luck
That foolish fellow will be robbed
TO night, l said to myself. land may be
murdered l had such a presentment
of mischief that | could not go to sleep,
and at midnight, when l heard him go to
bed. | knocked at his state room door,
and said Viii YOU allow me to speak
to you?"
Il know what yer gontcr say" said
lie, "but never you lay awake on my ac-
count | amt baby, and l know what
Rodden is gonter to do, as well as you
do. But he's barkin' up the wrong tree.
Look o here, mister" said he, and he
drew out tremendous bowie knife from
the back of his neck. and showed me
under his pillow six shooter. Il reckon
these ere will do his business if he comes
arter me and my winnins.'
l left the man, treasured, and returned
TO my berth, but not to sleep. The boat
went snorting and roaring on her way up
the gloomy river. 1t was a high food, /
and if any accident happened to the
boat there was n poor chance for the /
More than once we had
steamed past the floating corpses from
burnt or exploded steamers. As l lay
Of all this, | heard y step. The
slept with his door open /
He would CHOKE to death at once" he .
said, IF he didn't get the mir People /
brought up in log houses are apt to feel /
So l sprang 10 my feet, and crept to- /
ward his state room. The door was shut. /
There was sudden explosion of spistol, I
followed by fierce cry. l opened the /
ioor. Rodden had fallen on the floor,
but he sprang to his feet, with cut
across his hand, and one of his ears shot
off He dashed out of the door as the
exclaimed:
That yarmintt
Are you hurt
Not . bit of it" He had q slight cut
,n his hand, however. Rodden had
scarcely left the state room when he was
rrappled by the porter, who like myself,
lad been watching him. The porter
lad seen the brief conflict, which he had
lot time to prevent. The rascal strug
yled hard. but he was soon disarmed,
.,l, L. Il
tate room. His loss of blood helped,
perhaps, to conquer him. l asked lady,
Who had come from her state room IN
Ter dressing gown to indulge her natural
to go to the poor wife and tell
he sad truth. that her husband was
and felon.
''Oh, what have / not suffered with him
md her !" said she. wringing her little
lands If | could but return to my
,nce happy home =
And why can you not 2 asked the
adv Ii was the old, old story. She
lad run away from home and married
howv scamp without the consent of her
The captain, the countryman
nj | went aside to consult as to what
vas to be done.
wait a minute said the country
nan and he went into his stste-room,
nd the next instant came out in dress
ng gown. another and a natural head
IF hair. and without the everlasting old
gloves. 1t was my acquaintance Mr.
Brown, and capital actor too.
Il determined 20 serve out that fellow
f ever had chance to do so, said he,
when he robbed that poor carpenter. and
irove him crazy. He got cured of that
" small dose of water cure IN the
and the help of Muster.
hall hunt him up and give him back his
money"
Muster waged his tail. as if he remem-
'ered all about it, and approved OF re-
urning the cash.
The poor little wife decided to return
lome The mother. deprived of her son.
lid not attempt 20 keep her iIl-used
laughter in-law. When Rodden found
hat he was TO be taken to the jail at '
he sent for his wife. Its all
p with me for the present" said he ,
They have got me foul. You had bet
or 90 homo I in and stay with the old