Middletown transcript., 1869-02-06
$50 it seems" said the other.

run OF LUCK as this" said Thorn's oppo-
nent, "and l have no doubt your friends
will join us in a social sit-down; for if you
are as good at cracking bottle, singing a
song, or telling story, as holding hand
at cards, those who arc your friends are
fortunate"
" must confess" said Thorn, g" that I
am not of convivial or musical turn,
though l can occasionally tell good sto-
ry. / have little history now, sir, upon
my tongues end, that will be of uncom-
mon interest to you"
"To me! Pray, tell it, sir ~ said the
gamestcr, with a laugh. 1t will be a wind
up for the evenings entertainment"
1t was now long past midnight Alb
sorbed in the excitement of the game, we
had scarcely noticed the fight of time, or
that the adjoining rooms were now nearly
deserted by their occupants, and that the
other two players, at the other end of the
apartment in which we were, had finished
their own game long since, and had been
spectators of that between Thorn and his
opponent, and were now apparently inter
csted listeners.
"About three years SINCE" began
Thorn, "a young man in Kentucky, the
confidential agent of large business firm,
was entrusted with sum of money and
commissioned to transact some business in
New Orleans; it was his first visit to the
city he started happily, leaving behind
him young wife and lovely infant.
Unfortunately, upon one of the Mississippi
boats, or Immediately upon his arrival in
| n ha al -, 81,
al man-a man of play, mean-you un-
dcrstand
The gambler nodded, and Thorn con-
tinued:
"By the management Of this "profes-
sional," the young man was enticcd to a
"hell," induced to play, supplied with
wine, stripped of his moncy-in short, to
use professional word, "plucked."
Ha! ha the old story" said the
gambler, "tho fate of pigeons"
Z" You are very complimentary, but that
which interests you is yet to come"
Indeed Go ON" ...-
"The young man was perfectly sobercd
by his loss he returned to his hotel !;
stung with rcmorsc and half crazy with
excitement, he placed pistol to his head
and blew out his brains, leaving tarnish-
cd name as an inheritance to his wife and
innocent child"
But what is all this to me p said the
gambler, now pale as ashes beneath the
flashing eye of the speaker. =" Is it a
moral lesson you're about to read here, or
sermon You have to preach p
"What is it to you y continued Thorn,
his voice quiycring with excitement.
"Ah I'll tell you what it is to you.
This meeting of you and tonight, which
for three long years have sought, is not
mere chance. The hand of Heaven is in
it. "Twas three years ago this very night
aye this very hour" said he, glancing
at his watch, ''that the young man spoke
of rushed madly into ctcrnity-not by MS
own hand-but his opponent at the card
table is he that should be accountable for
he lost was just the amount I have this
night won from you-That very ring up
on your finger is his I am his brother,
and you arc his assassin %
Thorn pronounced these words in
firm, clear ringing voice, and, as he con-
cluded, brought his hand down with a
blow upon the table at which they were
sitting, which was instantly overturned as
he and his opponent started simulta-
ncously to their feet, They were scarcely
six PAGES apart after springing from their
chairs, and both drew their weapons as
they rose.
"Dic, liar !" shouted the gambler, dis
charging his weapon the moment he gain-
ed his feet. The bullet ripped open
Thorn's waistcoat, and his watch few in
fragments from the pocket, dangling by
its chain at the same moment his arm,
which was slowly rising, became as rigid
as that of a statuc-the pistol he held ex-
plodcd, and the gambler fell back a corpse
upon the carpet. This all passed so sud
denly ere we could Interfere, that we stood
as if paralysed for an instant-the SER
wants, alarmed by the noise, and the po-
lice came rushing into the apartment.
Thorn quietly surrendered himself,
merely turning to us and the other two
who were in the room, saying as he did so,
Gentlemen, bear witness l fired in self
defence, and that received that villains
first fire here" and he pointed to his shat
tered watch with smile, and turning,
left the room with the officers
He was tried and acquitted, as it was
clearly proved that his adversary fired up
on him first. The fact of the gambler be-
ing notorious rascal, whom the commu-
nifty could well afford to spare, might have
had some influence with the jury.
have never met Thorn since, but the
recollection of that fearful scene is vet
fresh and vivid in my mind, though many
years have passed since it was enacted.
Wages went to the depot of one of our
| RAILWAYS the other evening and findinp