The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1868-04-22
How I was Cured of Gaming.

My friend was Captain OF ono Of
the mail steamers, plying between New
Orleans and Mobile. He spent some
days with me not long since and
among other adventures which had be.
fallen him, hereta,ed' the following:
] had been engaged on hoard the
steamer something over a year, and
was then serving In. the capacity Of
mate. During the first few months !
had been rather shy Of New Orleans BY
gaslight. had heard so many strange
stories Of robberies and murders, and Of
strangers being attacked from mere
wantonness, that | preferred TO keep
myself as safe. as possible. Sometimes
spent the night at the hotel. where
the officers Of the various steamers had
assembled FOR a social lime, and some
tsines went TO. a theatre. At length.
however, as became acquainted with
the city, the timidiiy wore off, and |
finally accompanied some Of nay BROTHER
officers to places where the more wml
ding episodes Of real life in the city oc-
CURED. From the hotel we went 70 il,e
theatre, and from the theatre we went
TO some Of the most famous gambling
hcuses. ......f
Suffer me, my friend, to inform you
here that am moi game,tet have
. played little. as I shall sbe obliged to
confess; but tie charm was broken, as
you shall hear. - ,
:. On the third or fourth visit to the
gambling house. one of my companions
lsughipgly proposed that We sbonl'l
make = smslfyenture at the fare table.
With n smile upon my countenahce |
threw down quarter-eagle. The BAN
ker asked me il ] bet upon the queen.
] told him" yes" i was then sdmon
ished to put my money fairly upon the
card. ] pushed the piece further on
and the confusion exhibited must have
informed the bystanders that / was
Sligh,ly verdant toucbing the rules, reg
ula'ions and mysteries Of the faro bsnk
The banker bsgan to slide of the cards,
and presently he drew in the piece oil
gold which | bad venlured, and threw
down in its place an ivory cheque rep
resen.irg five dollars. I had won.
smiled at my luck, and when the card,
were next shuffled, l placed my cheqne
back upon the queen. won again
and again / smiled /: for the ,boaghl
iha, ! was gambling did not enter my
mind. Il was sport-spot of new
and exciting kind. / bet Upon the
queen again, and again won. Before
the next play + calculated a. iiufe. Il
was not likely that the same card would
win again, so / made my venture upon
the ace The queen lost and the ace
won. A.ihe end Of an hour had won
s55 or $780,; and then went with :ay
companions to the hotel, where VIZ
spent another hour before repairing Il
our beats.
After this I frequently accompanied
nay friends 10 the gaming house. and
also made further ventures at the fare
bark. A love OF the excitement grew
. upon me 30 strongly that more than
once yentursa clone into q gambling
house not far from our hotel. Ons
evening four Of us officers we're at the
ST. Charles, and aEer supper the ques
lion was started ~ 10 how we shuult
dispose Of the next four hours. Two
were for the theatre. aud two for IN,
gaming house. How should we dc
eidei As neither party seemed willing
TO give up, il was finally arranged lha
We should go just as our inclination leo
us. Two went 10 the theatre. and lwt