The Van Buren press., 1872-01-09


shaking hands, shullled the cards. For
tune seemed to have favored Harris, for
lust as | reached the spot he marked the
last point in closely contested game,
while tho professional, with fierce oath
dashed down the cards, and challenged
him to give him his revenge with dice, TO
TO which proposition aitor moments
hesitation, Hsrris assantcd,
The dice and cups we're produced, and
the excited gamesters again bet their
money, but 20 longer with the same re-
suit Harris good luck seemed to have
deserted him, aud his antagonist won
stake after stake Harris seemed now
Wild With excitement lie doubled every
time,..uhtil at last no less than ten tbous-
aka dollars lay upon the table to be'won
or lost at a single throw OF the dice.
Again the gambler was successful. riar
ris now sprung from bis cbair aud called
on his antagonist 20 rtmairf wtic<e he
was, repaired to his staterooni, and re-
,s,rning IN few minutes, he dashed down
upon the table roll Of bank notes, say
inc at the same time TO the gambler
&" You have already won from me over
fifteen thousand dollars The bank
notes represent double that amount dare
YOU risk a like sum, and let the owner
ship of the whole be decided by single
cast?'
The gambler at once expressed his WI.
linpness to do. 50, but declared that he
had not 50 much money in his possession
The deficiency was,. however, made NJ
by others of the fraternity, and they pre-
pared to resume the game There. was
large carving fork lying near Harris
which the waiter had neglected to re
move when he cleared the table that eve.
ming. This Harris with careless and
apparently (as he took his scat accidcn
tai movement OF his arm, drew close TO
his side.
All now drew near in eager cxpcctan
ny. Harris seized the cup, and shaking
tho dice violently for moment dashed
them down before him. | could scarce
" suppress cry of eXultation, when |
saw he had thrown double fvcs, within
one of the highest number it is possible
to make
The professionals east uneasy glanees
upon each other, but Harris antagonist
only smiled scornfully, and drew the
ivory cubes towarhs him Just, hower-
er, as he was placing them in the box
they slipped through his fingers and fell
on the hoor. He stopped and recovered
them in M instant, but as be reached
forth his hand to take The cup, Harris,
whose eyes had fixed determined look,
and which had never for moment been
off of him, suddenly seized the fork and
with movement quick as that OF the
deadly rattlcsnake, stuck tho sharp
prongs through his wrist, literally PIN
ming It to the table. at the same time pre-.
scnting cooked pistol full at his head
There was a yell from the wounded man
and a volley Of. .imprecations burst from
his associates A dozen weapons were
planted at the breast Of Harris. He,
however, was equal to the occasion. Not
muscle ofhis face moved and his voice
was not raised the least when he spoke,
"Une moment, gentlemen, /" said he,
You, yourselves hayc declared that
should any one in your iiiimfjer be tie
tectedfn FOUL play, the strikes should Bd
forfeited and he sumniarily punished VI
th q dice I now hold under my hand, he
NOT ialsc, then do witi, me "a you viii
II. however ] prove corrcet IN my asser-
ton. j dcr.and The fuln'lmcnt OF yotil
threat.
By ths n.ie every mate passenger had
collected around the table, and the gam
blers saw. by their' looks and drawn
weapons, that they were no. to be triiied
with. So they were forced reluctantly
t6 admit the truth Of what II. ha' sald
edfhe gambler was held secure IN ms
chair, the fork withdrawn, the dice cx'
amined and found to be loaded-the true
pair were concealed in his sleeve. His
fate was sealed in spite Of his desperate
resistance. Strong arms stripped him OF
his Weapons, and forced him into boat
and rowed him TO the nearest land; s
low sand bank entirely surrounded 10y
the river, and whose rapidly rising wa
ters promised to subncrge it, Upon
this island, deaf to his pittcous appeals
they forced him, and the steamer resum
ed her course down theropid river iea
Butlong after we had lost sight ofhin
| in the darkness there came to us, out O.
the black night, wild cries that sounded
| in our ears high above the dash OF ouI
ponderous wheels and the rush of The
mighty river, screams for mercy, fearful
imprecati6is, ana chilling blasphemies
| ii hid hisfaee in his hands and wcp
like shild Strong men turned pal'
and the very gamblers looked &c cncl
other with whitencd checks and trcm
bling lips ~ 4a'
| or his fate there could be no doubt
The strongest swimmer could not for
moment stem that fearful current, and u
remain upon tha bank was but to choose
q lingering and more fearful death.
There was no more playing on bonrt
the boat that trip, and at the first landing
place most of the passengers left her
fleeing from it as from a place accurscd
| Among those who loft was Harris.
Years had passed when we met again
but he trclnbled when he spoke Of thn
fearful night on the Ohio, and said h'
had never touched n card since then.
d. WV
Ey- Says an Irishman writing home
from Chicago, "Shoor. there are no peo
pie ut ahl in the most dinscly popo'atct
dstrics, and the sidewalks is in the mid