New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-17
Local Intelligence.

FLOATING DEBT.-He stood at the wheel,
but it was the wheel of fortune. A cheap
tressel, with q square board upon which
was painted . circle divided into eight
numbered radial points. On perpendicu-
lar pivot there was an arrow pointed iron,
and this was made to revolve with rapidity
whenever sufficient show of nickels upon
the radial stripes made it proper or profit
able. Such was the wheel at which stood
the sportive engineer, proclaiming: "Faites
rotre jeu, messieurs! Make your bets, gen.
tlemen! Any time while the wheeps-a-
turniu. Quatre pour une-four for one Is
what we pay" Whirr!
The wheel was on the Pontchartraln
wharf, and the patrons consisted OF TWO
gentlemen OF q Diego tendency, with
paralyze fsherboy who, having failed to
beguile the crabs, had fallen back on the
rather forlorn hope of beating . game in
which there were eight chances to one Of
being paid four nickels for one. An over
weening confidence in their star or the
want of srithmetical calculation bound the
patrons in profound silence, only inter.
rupted by the whirr of the iron arrow a. it
spun around on it's mission of fortune.
A Deigo gentleman having ventured
several nickels without return, drew from
his corduroys . note of the denomination
twenty-five cents. 1t blew of the table
aud succeeded in finding its way through
crack in the wharf into the troubled waters
IL Ina nj n f1naf-
ing debt over the precious metals was now
evident. The shinplsster foated away.
The master of the wheel regarding the loss
a. his own, ran to the edge OF the wharf, as
did all the betters and spectators. The
note floated below, but was inaccessible I'M
less some one should plunge in after it. The
salvage did not apparently justify such an
act of desperation. The master of the
wheel lifted up his eyes and saw boat at
distance of half mile going in diagonal
direction. There was single mariner in
the boat; he wore q straw hat, and under it
an handkerchief to protect his head
from the evening sun. The master OF
the wheel hailed the boat, but with
out attracting the mariners stten'
ton. Persons at the lower end OF the
wharf seeing the commotiOn over the shin
plaster, make o more eftectual appeal to
the boatman who turned and rowed Justify
under the impression that some person OF
purse had been lost overheard, which ms
services were required to recover. AZ ne
rowed rapidly to the spot where the treas
ure still tloated, the master of the wheel Of
fortune cried out: LA! la! There! there
Billet de banque! A bank note Of two
beetsr' swat a you ssy!" asked the boat
man. 1.-TWO beete"' exclaimed the gam
bier and re-echoed the patrons OF the game
The Italian at last heard Of the treasure
which his voyage had been perverted u
secure.
"Wata you say! Two beet"
1t ia a little remarkable that one OF thu
first AGO uirements of the average foreigne
in the American language is it's profanity
The volubility and perfection of our oath
was admirably presented in this case.
"To h-ll wis your two beet! What tn
h-ll you soopose want wis you d-n tw'
beet. give you too beet myself, Cd On
make you seek tor two beet"
Then he turned and moved with the spee'
of several Cambridge shells, looking oe
tiance first over one shoulder and then tn
other. The maoter of the wheel turne'
sadly back after his losses, and the LAX
having won the last stake of the Diego AM
others seeing the chances
Between the lawyer and trustee,
Between the devil and deep SEQ,
Seemed to accept the admonition, and tn
wheel of fortune stood idle.
ATTEMPTED INCENDIARIsM. - ADout
quarter to twelve O'Clock Monday night
fire WAS discovered in the double two-stor