The mountain Democrat., 1864-11-26

went to chop and forgot his AZ. / got
through with my business at New Orleans.
~: - = So .. ~ - ,:,. .s.,e...
ty, lying, purple grape, in the sun, full
OF luscious pulp and sweetness. Well, il
is like q grape skin now, sucked and
thrown under foot to be trodden on : but
we u adjourn that subject
On the fifth of May left New Orleans
to return North. went on board that
palace of boat, Black Hawk, and almost
the tirst person saw was Rodden's moth
er. There she was with the same stately
presence, the same shaven forehead, the
false front, the same rich lace and moire
antique, to which were now added fash.
ing jewels; and there was the pretty little
woman, with her baby, now about year
old, and both dressed in the same showy
manner Presently | saw the hard faced
gambler, Rodden. The young mother and
her baby looked pale and i'll; the old moth
er and her hopeful looked flush and eager
for prey. l paid so much attention to
those people, and thought so much of
what they had probably been doing all
winter in New Orleans, that rather neg.
lected the other passengers, but the day
after we started observed particularly
green looking individual, with light flaxen
hair, an awkward sloucbed hat, blue home
spun pantaloOns and q butternut colored
coat, that seemed to me to be both home
spun and homemade; he had old yarn
gloves, which he never removed, except
to put on some old leather or kid ones.
watched the gambler, for it had somehow
transpired that this gawky, homespun in
dividual had been to New Orleans with q
considerable cargo of bacon and cheese.
| thought of poor Greene and his three
thousand dollars. One day saw Rodden
and the strsnger-'lke,' so he called him.
self-together
No matter about my name, mister said
he, call me Ike; III answer to that till
the cows come home. You can't come it
over me calling me mister. How do |
know but what you are one Of them fel-
lows that play poker and allus wins2'
4 have never played but three games Of
poker in my life,' said Rodden, but I'll
play euchre with you for the drinks
NO you don't Look a here, mister,
pulling down the lower eyelasb, do you
see anything green theres'
i see that you have cut your eye teeth,
said Rodden. L wouldn't undertake to
cheat you, if cheating was my trade, which
| am happy to say it is not
You don't say Good looking but ye
can't come in. shan't play for drinks
nor for nothing else. I promised Susy,
when come away, that wouldn't itch O
kaird, the whole time | was off; an nc
more won't. You see five thousand dol
lars worth of bacon and cheese wouldn't
be no stake at all to one of them feler.
that'plays poker
That's So, said Rodden. You ar
wise
yes, an that ain't the hull ont, for my
moneys in the cap'n's safe, and what!
more, it'll stay there till half an hour af
ter | land
ATT said Rodden, suSgestively.
'At-yes, at but where at is, you'll
have to find out, for told Susy Id keep
dark as a woodchuck's hoie, and not talk
to nobody more'n was rally necessary
AS to you, | wouldn't mind telling you
for took to you at wonst. You are smar
but you can't keep hotel, or you would
not come at me about kairds. You nigh
have known that wouldn't play, just BY
the looks of me-
ROdden was persevering-the man ir
homespun was firm. The young wife
seemed more i'll, terrified and miserable
every hour the old mother more proud
hard and impcriouS. She would take th<
baby, keep it from its mother, and l be
lieve pinch it, simply to torture the pool
woman. Rodden never interfered to pro
tect her. What life that poor thing wa
leading, and what fate for her child =
One evening heard Rodden talking Il
the gawky man about play.
Look o here, now, said the latter, C
you ever say kairds to me again, I'll pitcl
into ye. am man of my word, especi
ally when my words given to Susy. Blu
| have got pocket full Of dice. and they
amt loaded dice nuther. Ef you want t
play enough to bet something handsome
agin' my terbackcr box III play with ye.
lie drew out very ancient silver boz
of al out five dollars weight and laid it OF
[ the table R0dden sat down to bushes.
with gleam In his dark eye that mean
mischief He won it-then lost it. 1t was
won and lost several times, but rested al
last in the pocket of the countryman.
Smart fellow, but you cant keep no
tel nor win my terbacker box said he.
The next day they played again and hi
lost his box, and watch, and thirty dollars
but the next time he won again, and SC
surprisingly that the gambler lost pretty
nearly all he had to lose, and then thC
countryman refused to play any longer.
Not to night, anyhow, said he.
might be willing to play tomorrow, but
want to sleep with my pockets full one
night. allus put my own money in The
cap'n's safe, but I'll keep this ere that wa:
yourn in my berth tonight to sleep on
just for luck
That foolish felloR will be robbed to
night, and may belmurdered, | said tc
myself l had such presentment o.
mischief thatI could not go to sleep, anC
at midnight, when l heard him go to bed
knocked at his stateroom door and said
will you allow me to speak to you ?
4 know what you're gonter say, said
he, but never you lay awake on my &C
count. I amt a baby; and l know what
that Rodden is gonter do. as well as you
do. But he's barkin' up the wrong tree
Look O. here, mister said he, and he
drew out a tremendous bowie knife from
the back of his neck, and showed me un
der his pillow six,shooter. 4 reckon
these will do his business if he comes ar
ter me and my winnins.'
| left the man, reassured, 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 boa'
there was a poor chance for the passen
gers. More than once we steamed past