Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-12-08
The Gamblers Victim.

John Lawrence and myself were passing
down the Father of Waters in one of the
Western floating places. our destination
being the Crescent City. A large num-
her of passengers were on the boat, and
the jest, the song, and the sparkling rep
artee, passed from one to another with
jovial rapidity. In sooth we were mer
ry company. There was but one thing
present to mar our. festivities, viz the
number of those pests, Mississippi gam
blers.
They were busily plying their accus-
toned vocation, and reaping rich har-
vests from the simple fact that there
were many pigeons" on board the st.
Louis, who were foolish enough to allow
themselves to be carefully and cleanly
'plucked."
It was quite late in the evening when
Jack proposed that we should visit the
quarters of these gentry, and observe
their operations.
Accordingly we strolled leisurely
along until we reached the cabin where
were congregated some six or eight of
the noted gamblers of that section. They
were evidently Sin luck and some of
them were '.fush."
was watching game of Red River
loo, being carried on near where we were
standing, when I was somewhat startled
by the hasty exclamation of Jack, who
seizing my arm said hurriedly:
s'Hello, by Jove !! there's Big Jim -
at the same time pointing to tall, dark
complexioned, -whiskered individ-
ual standing across the room nearly op-
poslte.
'Well, who is Big Jim?'" l enquir.
ed.
Zone of the worst men between New
Orleans and st. Louis p was the reply.
''He does not scruple at anything" he
continued. "He will clean out man
and then, if demonstrated with by the
victim. blow out the unfortunate man.
brains !"
but does your authorities allow sucl
open-handed injustice and murder %
authorities p ironically. "What d,
they care Jim divides the spoils."
"Ah, | see so law and order 60 hant
in hand with theft and murder 90
"Yes."
..He does not seem to be engaged a
present"
''Oh nc" quietly. 'sHe's watching hi
chance. Let us seat ourselves and watcl
matters awhile. I think there will be
muss before morning. There Is gener
ally when he's around
We seated ourselves and awaited tn
, course of events.
An hour passed away fraught wit
ruin to some, prosperity to others, an
success to the sharpers. At the end G
1 this time Jack directed my attention I
Jim. He was dealing the cards. In
mediately opposite sat man some twe1
. ty-fve or thirty years of age. He wa
a tall, handsomely formed man, Of yer
pleasing address and quiet manner. HI
light hair hung in clustering curls roun
a well-shaped head,' while the ligf
moustache which graced the well-cut Ii
f gave distingue air to his appearance.
: We crossed the saloon to get a bett,
view Of the two players, and also
y watch the game.
AS we passed the table, the strang
. glanced at us from a pair of the cleare
d blue eyes | ever saw. They were kee
bright and penetrating, although Il
l. owner could evidently soften their gla
II ces at will.
% "Who is it Jack ?" l enquired
Il am sure don't know. l nev
- - saw him before. | think he is a stra
/ ger in this part of the world. But, if
+" am not mistaken, Jim has met tou,
t. antagonist
is Time passed rapidly to the two M
- engaged at the table before US. T.
well-known skill Of Big Jim had attrat
IS ed hither all the loungers about the roor
is and even some Of the players had Civ
OF up their cards, and drawn near the pla
y occupied by Jim's table.
Stakes were changed from one to t
:, other often. Jim was ecool as a cucul
v ber," as the old saying has it, while
l. slight smile seemed to curl the lip of t
blue-eyed stranger.
< The game played was known as ''bluf
~ ~ Hour after hour passed. Jim was losir
or lie was becoming excited, but the sal
almost imperceptible smile played rou
er the mouth of the stranger.
"a 81 double stakes p exclaimed
al gambler.
@ of One thousand dollars now lay uI
,s. the board.
''Five hundred better p quietly
at marked the stranger, throwing the bi
W. upon the table carelessly.
u " The cards were played-Jim won.
% Again they dealt. This time
Oh stakes were heavier. Two, three,
Is, thousand were now at stake. The str;
ng ger called" Jim lost.