The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-05-19
THE ACE OF HEARTS.

/ the large steamers pIYlng between Nay
Orleans and the ports above were called
Now the railroads have driven nearL
all the fine boats off the river. and LET
the field to the freight boats. who's
accommodations for passengers are h,
no means palatial.
The former class of steamers were !,
many respects delightful, but they neye,
ceased to be objects of dread to timi,
people, for if the racing, which on thai
stream was reduced TO a system. did moi
result in the loss Of the boat, there wa.
sure TO be one or more encounters be
| tween the more lawless portion of the
travellers, in which pistol-bullets would
| fly rather too thick for the comfort OF
steadygoing people. The cause for such
disturbance was generally a quarrel
over the gaming table.
The regulations of the boat USUALLY
required that all such amusemenis
should be conducted in a room provided
for that purpose in the officers cabin.
situated on the hurricane deck, but the
sporting gentlemen were by no means
careful to observe this rule, and the
gaming was mostly carried on at the
thirds of those ON board
Many professional gamblers used to
make these boats their home, travelling
back and forth on them, fleeing all
who were foolish and verdant enough
to fall into their hands. So well. in
deed, was the system managed, that the
various members seemed To have their
different steamers marked out for them
by common consent, SO that no one
would trespass upon the domain of the
other.
OF course these men were warm
friends of the officers of the boat. who
were either too sincere in their friend
ship to put a stop to the practice, or too
much afraid of the gamblers to care to
provoke a quarrel with them; for, in
those days, it was common affair for
such men TO resent a fancied insult with
a pistol-shot.
One of the most remarkable men Of
this class was Daniel Sturdivant, a
Frenchman, the son Of a broken-down
scion of nobility, who had settled in
New Orleans before the transfer of
Louisiana to the United States Stur-
livant had been raised gentleman"
~ his aristocratic father, but, on com |
ng of age, and finding his fortunes
7ery bad, had taken to cards to better |
hem. His success in the field was 50 /
,reat that he was induced to continue /
t, until at the time Of which | write he /
vas one of the most notorious gamblers /
o be found between ST. Louis and New
Orleans.
He was a man of fine personal APP
'earance, and of great physical courage
nd as gambler he was most expert
nd successful. There were dark sto-
les of deeds he had committed while
nder the influence of play and liquor;
nd it was said by some that he had
illed half dozen men in his life No
ne dared to speak of these stories
penly, for no one cared to bring upon
imseif the anger of such a man.
here were few who knew him that real I
7 cared to play against him, but they
armed that refusal to do so might in
olive them in quarrel with him so
ley rarely declined an invitation.
About twenty years ago, at the time
f which | write, he had attached him
If to one of the splendid-steamers ply
lg between New Orleans and Nicks-
urg, and had publicly announced his
to shoot any man who
upon his scene of opera
ons. OF course this left him in undis- /
Ited possession of the field, and he
,aped a golden harvest during the nine /
ears be conducted his operations there.
1t was my lot at the time to be compel 5
d to make very frequent trips between
ew Orleans and Vicksburg, and pre- :
rred the steamer of which Sturdlvant /
ad taken possession, inasmuch as it
as not only the most comfortable but !
so the swiftest, and time was Of the
tmost importance to me. ltwas known
lat at times | carried large sums of
oney, and | was always apprehensive
st Sturdivant should ask me to play. !
made up my mind to refuse him, and
he attempted to draw me into quar- /
j, to shoot him without mercy, as /
new that the only chance of my life 1
Y in getting the advantage over him. .
range to say, he did not make any
lch proposition to me, and | took care I
give him no chance to do so.
One night we had struck out from 4
icksburg, and were heading down the
yer, when Sturdivant came toward the d
cup that was gathered around the f
owe He had been drinking and was ?
noking a fine cigar as he appeared. t
"Well, gentlemen" he said, in an a
1steady tone, you seem to be terribly 0
Ill; who wants to play for $40 antey
There was no rP~lrr; no one yolun- a
cred to place him :. in his clutches. +
Hump !" he exclaimed, with an ex- d
-ession of contempt afraid to try :
our luck with Daniel Sturdivant, eh ? a
r may be you want little coaxIng a
mt stand such treatment. Come, let's c
e who it shall be-" /
He glanced around the crowd as If d
select his victim, and, for the first
me, noticed the gaze of one OF the
cup fixed steadily upon him. He was :
to me, and was dressed III :
ain home-spun, and his face was part :
concealed by a broad-brimmed SOM !
'ero which was drawn over it. he
as small but powerfully made man, :
I'd in the decided expression OF his :
head read an unusual firm :
IS and intensity of purpose. :
Are you Daniel Sturdivant, the =
.mbler?" he asked in a calm tone. =
Sturdivant flushed darkly. and gave =
e stranger a sharp glance. !
''Some persons call me so behind my '
ck,n he said insolently, 'but no one ',
,uId dare apply that term to my face. =
Nevertheless, said the stranger, :
ietly, Il want an answer-yes or =
well, then, l am :" said the gamb- q q
angrily, What of it ?" d q
Simply this" replied the stanger. II
have heard it said that you claim to %
the best card player in the South =
st, and I have come 200 miles TO II
ove you a liar" y
Sturdivant strobe forward a step or E
o, and put his hand into his his breast y, "
ickly as if to draw weapon.
Stop said the stranger eff you =
Dot me you will simply prove your ~