The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1865-10-25
,ppousut folded the money.

! opponent folded the money. e. i'i8 g.
saFortune favors yoa," said the gam
! bier, stoically too well schooled to betray
any emotion or chagrin at the result. y
$50 il seems, slsaid Thorn. 5sd cd
soimBut | hopeio meet you again sir, for
I must have my revenge after SO heavy q
run Of luck us this, ,ossaid Thorn's oppo.
nent, "and I have 10 doubt yourfTieuds
will Join us 10 social sitdown, for If you
ere as good 'ats cracking . bottle, singing
a song; or telling story; as holding .
hand at cards, those who are your friends
are fortunate. ,, ,'sGillaiis fslhl09 9at
~ must confess,,' said Thorn, "shat |
am not Of convivial or musical turn,
though | can occasionally tell good
story, i have o little history now, sir,
upon my tongues end thatwill be Of un-
common interest to you" ,s4ssusili
"To me Pray tell it, sir," said the
gamester with q laugh. git will be a
good wind.up to the evenings entertain
ment." ..s.,.
II was now past midnightj absorbed In
the excitement Of the game, we had scar.
cely noticed the fight Of time, or that the
adjoining rooms were nearly deserted by
their occupants, at the other end Of the
apartment in which we were. The other
players had finished their game long since,
and been spectators Of thatbetween Thorn
and his opponent.
"About three years since young man
in Kentuck, the confidential ,gent Of a
large business firm, was intruaed with a
sum Of money, and commissioned to
transact some business in New Orleans
It was his first visit to that city; he
started happy, leaving behind young
wife aud lovely infant. Unfortunately,
upon one Of the Mississippi boats, or i'm
mediately upon his arrival Of New Or
leans, he fell in with a prqfessional-a
man Of play-you understand. l
"By the management of this profess.
ional, the young man was enticed to a
'hell,' induced to play, filled with wine,
stripped of his money-in short, to use
the professional word 'plucked.'
aha ha! the old story said the gam.
bier; "the fate Of all the pigeons"
"But l have not finished; that which
most interests you is yet to come"
"Indeed go on" g
sThe young man was perfectly sober
j cd nj his lnss-;; ha raiyrnad to his. hotel
stung with remorse and half crazy witt
excitement, he placed pistol to his heat
and blew out his brains, leaving tar
nished name as an inheritance to his wifi,
and innocent child"
"But what is all this to me 7" said th'
gambler, now pale as ashes beneath tn,
flashing eyes of the speaker; lis it I
moral lesson you're about to read here
or sermon you have 10 preach I"
"What is it to you :" continued Thorn
his voice quivering with excitement
''Ah! I'll tell you what it is to you. Thi
meeting Of you and tonight, which fo
three long years [ have sought, is no
mere chance. The hand Of heaven is il
it. Those three years ago this very nigh
AYE, this very hour !" glaucing at hi
watch, "that the young man spoke o
rushed madly into eternity ty-not by BIZ
own hand, but his opponent at the carr
table is he that should be accountable 70
the deed Of blood. The amount Of mon
ey he lost was just the amount | hav
won this night from you-that very RIM
upon your finger Is his-I am his broth
er and you are his assassin !"
Thorn pronounced these words in
firm, clear ringing voice, and, as he con
cluded, brought his hand down with
blow upon the table at which they wer
sitting, which was instantly overturned
as he and his opponent started simulta
> neously to their feet. They were scarce
, " six PAGES apart after springing from
their chairs, and both drew their weapons
! "Die liar p shouted the gambler, dis
} charging his weapon the moment b
gained his feet The bullet ripped opel
Thoru's waistcoat, and bis watch flew il
to fragments from his pocket, danglin!
by his chain, at the same moment, hi
arm, slowly rising, became rigid as tha
Of q siatue--the pistol he held exploded
} and the gambler fell back corpse upol
the carpet. This all passed SO suddenl
3 ere we could interfere that we stood Q
. 2 almost paralysed for an instant-ths SCI
I, vaut alarmed by the noise--and the polio
! came rushing into tho apartment. Thor
quietly surrendered himself, merely turr
!, ing to us and the other two who were
the room, saying, as he did SO, "Gentl'
Q men bear witness that / fred in self.d'
fense, and that received the villain
' first fire here ;"land he pointed to h
D shattered watch with a smile, and turnin
I: left the room with the officers. 4&
d He was tried and acquitted, as IL WI
clearly proved that his adversary fred VI
n on him first. The fact that the gamble
was a notorious rascal, whom the commr
n,ty could well afford to spare, nigh
have had influence with the jury.
!; / have not met Thorn since, but h
d recollection Of that fearful scene is y
fresh aud yividin my mind, though man
D years have passed since it was enacted
Z t,3N ----------sts.-st--A------ rog
MI - co,,lk n.-ol:.. Nonsl