Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-04-13
ADVENTURE IN A GAMING
HOUSE.

1t was III the spring 0! that found
myself gliding upon the waters Of the
mighty Mississippi, and bound for the
Crescent City--Ncw Orleans.
With single exception, l had formed
no travelling acquaintanccs on board the
boat, although had been nearly two days
upon my journey, which was becoming
somewhat monotonous. Tbs individual
with whom l, singularly enough, franter-
nizcd, seemed, like myself, to have but
little inciuation to extend his acquaintance
among the passengers, though he seemed to
be constantly upon the lookout for some
unc, aud from the close manner in which
he regarded the operations Of two or three
individuals, whose profusc display Of vest
chaius und jcwelry, and proficiency at cards
at the tables in the saloon, betrayed their
profession, more than once set him
down as some sort Of police detective in
disguise.
lie called himself George Thorn of
Kentucky; SO his card read, which lie gave
me in exchange for mine In truth he was
a noble specimen of the Blue Grass State.
Full six feet in height, clear, intelligent
blue eye, broad forehead. and light curly
hair, muscular arms aud the chest Of Herr
Gales, he challenged the admiration Of more
tnan one of The passengers, I'd, with his
never smiling face he paced the promenade
deck, or sat apparently tu'ied in though,
in the saloon
DO you never ply t c"ris?' said l
to him, us he left group that were stand,
ing q out a table of four players and not
ing lhc prog.css of the game. had fre-
quently seen him invited, but he invariably,
like myself, refused to participate in the
game.
"Oh! ycs," said he, "tut where is the
use of playing here? These fellows (nod
ding towards the playcrs) can tell every
card in the pack by the backs, and they
arc trying hard to pluck some poor pigeon
from among the passengers but with
indifferent success. Beware of them,
| SIR"
thanked him for his friendly warning,
and at the same time expressed my aston
ishmept at his affirmation. TO convince
me Of the truth of it, he called the stew
erd Of the boat aud ordered fresh pack of
cards, which were brought, aud he handed
tho pack to me, bidding me to shuttle them.
| did SO, when he Immediately salecIei
nearly every ace aud king from the pnck
without looking ut the face of them Noxt
he dealt them into two parcels, one to me
and one to himself, when upon examination
found that the cards of real value in the
g"nc were in his hand; and could not
detect the least unfairness as he dealt
them.
"You see" said he, smilingIy at my lock
Of establishment, "thc advantage an ex
pert in these matters kns over even a skill
tul player"
81 do, indccd,' replied, ustonished at
my fellow travellers dexterty, and begin
Mug to think he might be a reformed gam.
bier, or playing possum" for some purpose
or other; but, as ho did not urge or even
invite me to ploy, nor bad played with any
one else, aud threw the cards aside with an
expression of disgust too natural to be ass
sumcd ] camo to the conclusion that nv
suspicious wcro unjust, and my travelling
acquaintance was riddle yet to be solved
Early the next moroing the boat arrived
at New Orleans, and amid the hurry and
hnstlc Of dcbarkation, lost my friend the
kcntuckian, not even scciug him to bid
hin adicu. That same evening, however,
after visiting the theatre, / was enjoying
the cool air aud n fragrant Havana, in the
rotunda of tho St. Charles Hotel, and CON
vcrsing with a friend from the North
whom had fortunately met, when whom
should l encounter but my steamboat ac~
quaintance?
After tho usual greeting, our conversa
ton tnrncd upon our trip down tho river,
our fellow passengers. SO when my f'iow
traveller remarked that if I would like to
witness the interior of gambling house,
or "hell," ns it is sometimes moro appro-
priatoIy called, he would be pleased to show
it to us as ono Of the sights or "lions" of