The Hickman courier., 1874-05-09

bles nightly, losing enormously, giving
orders upon orders upon her husband
for the amounts, which were gladly ta-
would sacrifice his last thaco rather
than dishonor his name by refusing pay
ment. Her husband soon discovered
the truth and paid her debts, but there
was a stormy scene between them, it is
said, and two days afterward he was
found dead in the street, slain by the
stroke OF a cuchillo in the hands of O
hired bravo. The truth is not known
for certain, but many believe that she
paid for the murder. Since then she
has been a nightly visitor here, losing
almost constantly. The last of her
husbands property is sold, and when
that is gone-well, there is the suicides
grave"
At the next table a Californian of
swart features and sinister aspect, not
lessened by the strips of court-plaster
that diagonally cross his face from eye
to jaw-bJDe, deals monte for the "ben-
eft " of the moths who hutter around
the golden piles in momentary expecta-
'tion of raising them first into their own
pockets; but, alas though riches have
wings, they do not fly in that direction.
"Soto mozo - ("Tue queen in the
gate % "The knave winner ~ at in
tervals announce in set phrase the pro-
gress of the game. The golden stakes
are transferred from hand to hand, their
sharp, metallic click contrasting with
the soft, rapid shuttle of the cards.
But then the betting almost ceased
when a man pushed himself forward
and seated himself in front of the
benches, while a servant deposited an
iron box before his master. When the
lids were thrown back a glittering mass
of Onzas appeared, causing even the i'm
perturbable dealer to start with wonder,
aud glance of Joy to fit across his
'sfsee-two Things that had not occurred
before within the memory of man.
The stranger played heavily, for the
bank had no limit, and in less than an
hour the banker slowly uttered Gen
tlemen, this bank is closed - The
stranger ordered his servant to gather
up the gold, and,then scattering hand
ful of ounces among the crowd, van
ished amid the confusion, by this ma
neuver escaping a probable blow from a
cuchillo IN the alley without.
''That man is an enigma" muttered
Don Jaime. with a long-drawn breath.
80 This Is the third time that have wit
messed the same thing each time he
broke the bank, and then vanished, Just
how nobody could tell, though 1 have
heard that the best cuchillo in Mexico
has been hunting for him this past
month. No one knows who he is, where
he came from, nor where he lives.
Some even say that he is the-the
devil" And here the superstitious
Spaniard devoutly crossed himself.
g But let him be what he may, wish
he would impart his secret to me -
Abound the adjoining table the faro
players were gathered, where a smooth,
oily, cat-like southerner dealt, huge
bowie with an inch blade sticking in
the table before them. Shutting the
cards he placed them in a silver box,
then while waiting for the players to
make their game he said, tapping the
silver hilt of his bowie
" Gentlemen, you see this? / play
on the square, and I warn you all that
the first man 1 catch trying to confuse
the stakes will have his hand pinned to
the table !"
As no remarks followed this blunt
statement, one would infer that such
trick SIS g confusing the stakes by sud
denly shifting from a losing card the
money staked thereon was not entirely
unknown. We watched the deal nearly
out, when, improbable as it may seem,
a seedy-looking ''greaser" suddenly
shifted his stake, his quick eye detect
ing the losing card ere it was fairly un-
covered.
Thud went the knife swift as the
lightning's flash, true to the eye as Kit
Carson's long " Harkins," and the
greaser's hand was pinned to the table.
Inc oil
table, each man instinctivelys pIa; g
back as the glittering blade fal&.,r 1e-
fore his eyes, while, with a single S1farp
yell of pain, the greaser bent low over
the golden-laden table.
His pain must have been intense, for
the broad blade had penetrated through
the back of his hand, severinG6sAaA or
mOre-of the bones, fastening m
upon the tritiing stake he had 20
much to cover. And yet, as14Ss11slt
the end of the table, distinctly saw
the rascal slip his left hand beneath his
body and clutch q handful of the gold
en- ounces from the pile of his next
then drop them unperceived
down his wide bootleg The sharp
jingle of the coins he deadened by an
other shrek, and q long-winded volley
of all the curses in his vocabulary,
which would have put to the blush the |
Oldest "bull-whacker" of prairie freight |
days.
The dealer "politely cursed the
greaser for a few moments, then with |
drew his bowie. wiping it upon the mans |
blanket, then calmly resuming the in
terrupted game. The greaser, swapping
up his hand, stole silently away, no
doubt thinking his wound paid for by
his adroit clutch.
[ had been watching young man, a
casual acquaintance, whom l knew was
] Inior partner in New Orleans firm.
He was playing heavily, and kept call
ing for liquor, which the obsequious
walters promptly supplied. I would
have spoken to him, but Don Jaime re-
me, pointing to the cooked re
volver lying before the man. And I
did not care to risk a shot-certainly au
insult-by making an effort to draw the !
young man away from the table.
Every deal seemed to go dead against
young Cleveland, and then, when but
one more turn remained in the box, he |
flung large pocket-book upon the ta-
bic, muttering hoarsely:
&C It's neck or nothing if that loses,
then I'll"
He did not finish the sentence, but
leaned forward, watching the turn with |
bated breath, pale as a corpse, and then |
the tray fell upon the losing side.
Scarcely was the result perceptible |
than the room rang with a pistol-shot, |
and Cleveland sank forward, his head |
resting upon the pocket book, his brains |
and blood bespattering all around him. |
Silence and death came at the same /
breath.
Shuddering, heartsick, I left the hell, /
nor has my foot ever crossed the thresh- |
Did of a gambling hell since that night. |
The Commune in France
A Paris letter says: (: Evidently diff
iculties are fast closing in about us, and
q L L.