Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1864-11-23

on the river too long not TO know sue
customers at first sight.
Among our felIow-passengers was
gentleman whoca himself Mr.. Browne
who seemed to be either an actor travel
ing incog., or a gentleman who intende,
to adopt the dramatic profession. W
got acquainted over a sherry cobbler, be
came intimate with our noses in our twc
first min5uleps, and when we had littl
lprivate party in off corner, he amuseC
US by initiating those on board, or Others
we happened to know, very cleverly.-
Among the rest, he took off the rOue
looking gambler, Rodden, as he called
himself, and the stately mother HI
had made up his mind about them pretty
much as / had made up mine,
Among the other occupants of the
great cabin, where society gets about as
we'll mingled as you ever find it in the
world, was a young man, a Mr.. John
Greene, a master carpenter from Chicago,
going to Memphis. He was simple, hon
est, and as verdant as his name. He got
acquainted with everybody, and told Of
his MEANS intentions, and prospects, as
if he tho't everybody as innocent as him
self Rodden made a set at Greene as
soon as 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 home, his pros
poets, his sweethearts. The young wife,
who seemed at times to score everything
about her, smiled on him sweetly, and
gave him her baby to hold. Whoever
she may have feared or hated, she loved
the baby 1t was I believe, the bond
that 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 to escape
tyranny that hour by hour became more
apparent to me, as I watched the drama
playing before me.
Rodden, of course, had made up his
mind to plunder the young carpenter, and
it had to be done before we got to Mem
phis They had played in fittle family
party at whist and euchro for candies and
sherry cobblers, or champagne. Greene
generally won, and was confident in his
luck, and a little proud of his skill. He
was fascinated also with the pretty woman,
who could wind him round her fingers.
Then he played with Rodden alone,
and won thirty dollars, as he boasted to
Browne, at half dollar a game. It was
of no use to advise him. He was as con-
ceited as he was honest. Like many very
great persons, he believed himself an ez-
cellent judge of character, and as sharp as
a needle.
The night before we we're to reach
Memphis, Rodden and Greene were play
ing, and Greene was flushed with his luck
and drinking more than was usual
Browne watched them 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. It was the old
story--infatuation, madness, and, Of
course, the loss of the last dollar Greene
had in the world. Then came another
insanity, worse than that of the gambler
or drunkard--the insanity Of despair
Instead of going to his berth, he ascend
cd to the hurricane deck. Then he took
off his coat and vest, and wrote on a SCRAP
of paper with a pencil this just legible
note
"To the Captain of the boat:-Rodden
has robbed me when was drunk, of three
thousand dollars, all 1 have in the world. |
I am going to drown myself. Please
thank Mr.. Browne for me and tell him
am sorry I did not hear to him.
"JoHN GREENE"
This he pinned to his vest, and then
quietly jumped into the river; but he was
not born to be drowned-hot that time
anyway. There was cry from the watch |
on deck of, a man overheard. 1 sprung
out of my stateroom with Muster. "Save
him, Muster r said 1. The dog didn't
need another invitation, and he caught !
him and held him up just as he showed |
you, until the steamers boat picked them
both up, and brought them on board !
again. The Captain came down on Rod
den, but Rodden drew a bOwie-knife and |
showed fight. The boat had touched at
Memphis, and before anything could be
done he broke away and was clear. His
mother, elegant and imperturable as ever,
had their baggage taken ashore, and we
were soon on our way, like the river, and !
life, and all that sort of thing, and for
got all about the adventure. One can't
remember everything as the man said
when he went to the woods to chop and
forgot his axe. I got through with my
business at New Orleans. 1t was a city
then, full of wealth and beauty, lying a
purple grape, in the sun, full of luscious
pulp and sweetness. Well, it is just like
a grape skin now, sucked and thrown un-