The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-05-16
The End of the Game.
story of Mississippi River Steamboat
Gambling Befo' the wah.
Chicago Herald.l

'The river immediately before the war"
the speaker continued, twas great gam
bling house Tbs ARlsnaid the north ';s;
loaded with men whose interest was deep in
games Of chance. The planters were the
most reckless samesteis They seldom had
any ready money, but would lose their cot.
ton and live stock and niggers with equa
nimity. 1 went down on the Belle Key In
1859 from Memphis to New Orleans. At
Natchez great planter got aboard with
fifty slaves He Clipped into game with a
northern judge, a New York merchant and
an army atficer. The stakes mounted up to
fine Notwithstanding like $4,000 in
one pot, when ! saw the judge win. He
held the best hands, and before we reached
the Crescent city owned forty of the plant
er's uiggers, valued at from 81 ,000to 81 800
each.
But by all odds the most interesting game
| ever saw was played on the Belle Lamar
in 1857. There were circumstances connect
ed with it which made IL an all absorbing
event to the people who understood what 1t
really meant. The players Were two only,
They are both dead, aud probably all their
QccCcBOtlttS nave loliUHSU tD0tl " tftc Siaht,
so mention their names and tell you about
the train of events which led to that game
and its attendant tragedy. In 1856 there
lived in a small town in Kentucky be tuti
ful girl named Alice Crayton. She had
number of suitors, but of all of them two
only seemed to meet with passing favor in
her eyes. One was a rich young planter
named Horace Ellison and the other a young
lawyer recently from the North, named Cor
l.u1 81 3D. IS L
rival in looks and accomplishment. He had
travelled extensively, was well read, polished,
aud bore the reputation of being daredevil
in affairs of gallantry, and was said TO be
not over upright and honorable in his affairs
with women. He was the sort of man TO
attract most girls But Miss GRAFTON pre-
ferred Converse, plain young fellow, and
finally married HIM. Ellison after swearing
to be revenged, went abroad. In the course
of year Converse and his wife went to New
Orleans TO live. Two years after the mar
riage Converse returning home on the Belle
Lamar, after business trip North, discov-
cred his old rival, Ellison among the passen-
gers. All feelings of resen ment had died
out in bis heart and he greeted Ellison heart
ily, the latter returning his hand shake with
well simulated warmth. For day the two
men chatted together agreeably, to all APP
pearances good friends. The next evening
Ellison proposed little draw poker to while
away the monotony of the voyage. Converse
readily assented, and they started the game
in large state loom -Four five others
were present, but they didn't Join IL. At
-a-~s'--tfss ssrsrc r1fnfTg. rs CONVERSE
steadily lost he insisted on raising it with
each deal, snd began drinking, rare thing
| for him to do. His ill-fortune continued,
and after seanee of two hours he began to
borrow money from his friends in the room.
having lost all Of his own TO Ellison. The
latter was cool and firm as a rock. He sell
dom spoke, and then in cutting accents,
which added to the fast-growing enmity his
opponent felt toward him.
Perhaps if Mr.. Converse would finger his
glass less and his cards more his game would
be more interesting and less easy to beat,
Ellison remarked.
ssMr. Converse can take care of himself
under all circumstance Converse retorted.
Yes, he demonstrated his facility for
looking after his own interests two years
ago, when he won great stake, but not By
fair play
l saw Couverse's face flush. He UNDER
stood the ailusion to the old rivalry between
| him and Ellison and its convert insinua,ion.
| He started as though to say something, but
| stopped. The game went on, and soon after
Converse had lost every penny and his
watch and diamond pin.
Ellison laughed sneeringiy. Mr.. Con-
verse should apply his methods Ia love max
ing 10 card playing he said.
What do yOn mean, sirg
What you please. Shall we continue the
gameg
Converse was white with fury. The
gambling spirit, mingled with hate aud rage.
was Oh him As if in answer to his un
spoken thoughts. Ellison said in bis cold. ex-
asperating tones: You lack a stake. I wil
hazard all my winnings against the night
key Of your house. We will play three
hands in five for it,
This mOnstrous proposition struck us all
dumb. Converse bounded from his chair
and gasped. He was speeehless. In fact,
the emotions Of this great experience had
deprived him Of the power of words Eli
son alone was unmoved. He sat quietly
tossing the pile OF gold before him with his
white fingers.
DO you ronsent@ he asked.
The loss Converse had sustained he could
not replace. Ruin was before him. On the
other hand, The privilege he was invited to
haznd meant, If he lost 1t, dishonor worse
than death. What thoughts passed through
that mans mind In few seconds will never
be known. He grasped the back Of his
chair, stared wildly around aud hoarsely
muttered yes
You may imagine how breathIessly we
bent over the players now. They sh uffled
the cards In silence. Ellison won the first
two deals. The next, Converse won. The
fourth time, amid silence In the room deep
as the tomb, Ellison dealt aud gave Con-
verse two queens, jack and two nine spots.
The latter drew one card and. announced
himself ready. Ellison glanced quickly at
him and laid down four aces. / always
thought he had stocked his hand.
You have won the key said Converse.
He drew it off the ring, and then. quick as
lightning, crowded it into the barrel Of his
revolver. Take it, and pulled the trigger.
Then he turned the weapon upon himself,
and fell dead upon the corpse of his antago-
mist, whose brains despatched the cards
IL. III e. 4