Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-05-17

/ Ye are men-whatmore are they !?
Have they not the same Creator? A
Are they made OF finer clay?
Tisby noble deeds alone js
That noble soul Ii known. n
Let the voice OF prayer and labor
Blend In one harmonious chime
Useful works are glorious anthems,
Toll is prayer the m( SC sublime. tl
Though ye suffer scOrn and pain,
Think not that ye live In vain.
Think OF Him, the s.Meek and Lowly,"
When n weariness ye groan
How Heliyed, and t0iled, and suffered.
Poor, unhonored and unknown;
He,i the universal Lord, 1f
Wonhipped BY both deed and word
Honored be the earnest worker,
| blessed the rough, toll hardened hand.
While the gIOfi0u6 hymn Of labor
Upwsrd foats from wave TO land
wosf isil L 1SSns Worship, ySSe SSorS III L mot.
a8 MARY A. FORD
TElE FATAL CARD.
Some years ago the Mississippi wa.
ElaMaoMsa forA its-al 0AtiHg PalaOes, I'm,
within the last decade the railroad.
have driven nearly all the fine boats
off the river and left the field to sec
ond class crafts, whose accommoda-
tions for passengers are by no means
palatial. Many professional gamblers
made these boats their homes, travel.
ing back and forth with them, fecc-
ing all who were foolish and verdani
enough to fall into their hands. Sc
well indeed, was the system managed
that the various members had theil
steamers marked out for them by
common consent, SO that no one would
trcspass upon the domain Of another
One Of the most remarkable men Of
this class was named Phillip Sturdi.
want, a Frenchman, a son of a broken
scion of nobility, who had settled
down in New Orleans before the
transfer of louisiana to the United
States. Phil. had been raised "gcn.
tleman," by his aristocratic father,
but on coming of age and finding his
fortune very bad, had taken to cards
as a means of bettering it. For SOME
years he had run on the palaces bet.
ween New Orleans and St. Louis, but
getting into row with q man over
the gambling table, and killing him,
he was obliged to "fly" that route
He was man of fine personal ap-
pearance. great physical strength,
noted for his courage, and as gam
bier was celebrated as the most sue
cessfnl on the river. In the early
part of the war he attached himself
to the steamer "Denmark." Capt. p.
A. Afford, (of which Capt. JAS. Rob-
inson was afterwards commander,
and at the time she sank. The steam
er and her Captain were well known
to the shippers of this city-as she
was at the time, one of the favorite
Upper River packets. To the travel
ers on the river, the fame of Stufdi-
want was known, and dark stories of
deeds he had committed while under
the influence of liquor and play, had
preceded his advent in these waters,
so that few who knew him cared to
play against him, but as they knew a
refusal might involve them in a quar-
lel, they rarely declined an invitation.
After attaching himself to the
''Denmark." he publicly announced
his determination to shoot any inter-
lopers, so that he had undisputed
sway, and reaped golden harvest
for two years, until he fell corpse
one night at the table in the saloon,
while playing, the story of which is
as follows, as detailed TO us by gen
tleman now holding position under
our city government, who was at the
time Of which we write, agent for the
line in this city. He SAYS.
One night, in answer to telegram,
| started from this city for Dubuque,
on the DENMARK and we had not
been over four miles UP the river be.
fore Phil. Sturdivant came to the
group which had gathered around
the stove in the cabin. He evidently
had been drinking, and as he ap.
preached, got up and offered him
my chair, as wanted "no truck" with
any such man .'you bet"
"Well gentlemen" said Phil. 'syou
seem terribly dun; let's have little
five cent ante T.
He glanced around the crowd as il
to select his victim, and as followed
his eyes, l noticed the gaze of one OF
the passengers fixed steadily upon
him. This man was stranger to me
his face being partially concealed by
broad brimmed sombrerO, but
noticed he was wonderfully bull
man.
Are you Phil. Sturdivant, ths
gambler?' he asked, i'm a calm tone
"What, if am, 'angrily replied he
"Simply this; l have heard il said
that You claim to be the best poker
player on the upper or lower river
and have come two hundred miles
to prove you a liar"
Stnr1tunnf ctp do fnr.tls OF n,
two, and thrust his hand into hi.
breast as il to pull pistol, but there
was something in the calm look and
stern manner. OF the stranger tha
seemed to render Phil. powerless.-
He hesitated moment and then said
"How do you know that you have
enough money to make it worth my
while? You look. seedy enough Il
carry a light pocket book"
In that book" said the stranger
Il have five thousand dollars. If yo,
win it it is yours
| The crowd who had heard this di
alogue now gathered around the Ia
BILE, expecting to see a scene of more
than usual interest. The stranger dit
not raise his hat, and none of us hat
seen his face very distinctly, but i
did not take long to see that Phil
Sturdivant had met his match. Fo
an hour the play went OH in silence
the stakes were high and the contes
marked with rare skill. Sturdivan
was losing hourly, and then he com
menced his "professioap tricks. Oh
a ''calH he laid down his hand in tri
umph, as he drew in a '.big pot
grhat was well done," said tn
stranger coolly. "You are an exper
mt cheating; but can beat you evel
at that game" 81
Phil. said nothing, but dealt th
cards again. The "hand" was playe'
and Sturdiyant was about to draw il
the stakes when the stranger lai,
down card and checked him.
The gambler uttered sharp cry, a
he sat motionless with his eyes fixes
on the card-a faded ace Of heart.
with 4 dark stain across its face
Sturdivant's face worked convulsive
i ly as he gazcd at II, and the specta
/ tors gathered more closely aroun