The Shasta courier., 1864-11-19

sert OF thing. and forgot all about the adven-
ture. Jne can't remember everything, as
the man said when he went to chop and for
got his AZ. l got through with nv business
at New Orleans. 1t was city then full Of
wealth and beauty. lying, a purple grape, in
the sun, full of luscious pulp and sweetness.
Well, i is just like grape skin now, sucked
and thspwn under foot to be trodden on but
we'll adjourn tLat subject.
On TIE fifth of May, left New Orleans to
return North, went on board that palace Of
boat, Black Hawk, and almost the first per-
son saw was Rodden's mother. There she
.Tne " the same stately presence, the same
shaved -sesa, and false front, the same rich
lace !. moi-e artiQe. to which werc now
aodes -ashing jewels; and there was The
pretty little woman, with her baby, now about
a year Did. and both dressed in the same
Snowy manner and presently l saw the
hard feed gambler, Rodden. The young
mother aud her baby looked pale and i'll the
old mosher and her hopeful looked flush and
eager fYr prey. paid so much attention to
those people, and thought SO much of what
they bad probably been doing all Winter in
New Orleans, that rather neglected the 9th
er passengers, but the day after we started
obsersnd a particularly green looking indiyid-
ual, With light faxen hair, an awkward
sloucbcd hat, blue homespun pantaloons and
buternut colored coat, which seemed to me
both homespun and homemade; he had old
yara Sloyes, 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 indi-
vidual had been to New Orleans with con-
siderable cargo of bacon and cheese. thought
of poor Greene and his three thousand dollars.
One day saw Rodden and the stranger
= 'Ike.n 80 he called himself-together.
. No matter about my name, mister, A" said
he, "call me Ike; III answer 70 that till the
cows come home. You can t come it over me
calling me mister. How do know but YOU
are one of them fellows that plays poker and
allus wins ~
g never played but three games of poker
in my life" said. Rodden, but I'll play eu-
chre with you for the drinks"
g No you don't Look o. here, mister,
pulling down the lower eyelash, 9 do you see
anything green there?"
g see that you have cut your eye teeth, :"
said Rodden. - | wouldn't undertake TO cheat
you, il cheating was my trade. which l am
happy to say, it is not"
You don't say! Good looking but We
can't come in. shan't play for the drinks,
nor f,r nothing else. Ipromi-ed Susy, when
l come away, that | wouldn't itch kaird
tile whule time l was off; and no more
won't You see, five thousand dollars worth
of bacol, and cheese wouldn't be no shakes at
all - ,e of them fellers that plays poker"
hats so, saia Rodden. :. You are
wise
. Yes, an that amt the hull ont, for my
moneys in the cap'n's safe aud what's more.
it'll stay there till halfan hour afore land"
9 At-?'' said Rodden sugge.tieely.
'.Yes-yes at; but where it is you'll
have to find out, for I told Snsy I'd keep dark
asa woodchuck's hole, and not talk to nobody
more'n wa, really necessary. As 10 you, /
wouldn't mind telling you, for took to you
at wonst. You are smart but you can t keep
"A hotel, or you wouldn't come at me about
kairds. You might have known wouldn't
play. by the looks of me-
Rodden was persevering; the man in
homespun was firm. The young wife seemed
more i'll. terrified and miserable, every hour;
the old mother more hard. proud and imperi
GUS. She would take the baby, keep It from
its mother. and believe pinch it, simply 10
torture the poor woman. Rodden never in
teriered to protect her. What life that poor
thing wss leading, and what fate for her
child One evening heard Rodden talking
to the gawky man about play.
Look o. here now," said the latter. eff
you ever say kairds to me again, III pitch
into We. am a man of my word, especially
when my word ven to Susv. But have
got a pocket full Of dice. and they amt loaded
dice nuther. Eff you want to play enough to
bet something handsome agin my terbacker
box, I'll playwith you"
He drew ont a. very ancient silver box, of
about five dollars weight, and laid it on the
table. Rodden sat down to business wish a
g,eam in his dark eye that meant mischief
lie won it-then lost it. 1t was won and
lost several times, but rested at iast.iH the
pocket of the countryman.
"Saart fellow, but you can't keep hotel
nor win my terbacker box, said he.
Thc.' ext day they played again and kel lost
his box, and watch, and thirty dollars; but
next time be won again, and 50 surprisingly
that tie gambler lost pretty nearly all be bad
to lose and then the countryman refused to
play aiy longer.
N1t tonight, anyhow" said he. 81
nigh be willing to play Tomorrow, but !
want p sleep with my pockets full one night.
| allus put my own money in the cap ms safe.
but II keep this ere that was yourn in my
herth So-night, to sleep on.aiust for luck.
3at foolish fellow will be robbed to-
night + said to myself. land may be muir
dered.N I had such presentiment Of mis-
chief that could not 60 to sleep, and at mid.
night when heard him go to bed, ! knocked
at his state room door and said: :" Will you
allow me to speak to you ?''
know what you're gonter say y said he,
" but never you lay awake on my account.
amt q baby, and I know what that Rodden
Is gorter do, as well as you do. But he's
barkin' up the wrong tree. Look O. here,
mister" said he, and he drew out tremen.
dous bowie knife from the back of his neck.
and showed me under his pillow six shooter.
= reckon these will do his business If ne
comes arter me aud my winnins.'
left the man, re assured, and returned to
my berth, but not to Sleep The boat went
shorting ard roaring on her way up the
gloomy river. 1t was high food. and it
any accident happened to the boat there was
a poor chance for the passengers. More than
once we had steamed past the foating corpses
firm burnt or exploded steamers. As lay
thinking of all this heard step. The coan-
tryman slept with his door open. He would
" choke 10 death at onct," he said, " IT ne
didn't get the air." People brought up IN