The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-08-04
A Famous Game.

''The river, Immediately before the
war;" the speaker continued, sswas q
great gambling house. The splendid
steamers plying between New Orleans
and the north were loaded with men
whose interest was deep IN games of
chance. The planters were the most
reckless gamesters. They seldom had
any ready money, but would lose their
live stock and niggers with equanimity.
went down on the Belle Key, in 1853,
from Memphis to New Orleans. At
Natchez great planter got aboard with
fifty slaves. He Clipped into q game
with q northern judge, New York mer-
chant AMI an army officer. The stakes
mounted up to fine proportions-so some
thing like $40, 900 in one pot--when
saw the Judge win. He held the best
| hands. and, before we reached the Cres-
cent City. owned forty OF the planters
/ niggers, valued at from $1,000 TO $1,000
each.
But by all odds the most interesting
game ever saw was played on the Belle
Lamar, in 1857 There were circum
stances connected with it which made it
an all absorbing event to the people who
understood what it really meant. The
players were two only. They are both
dead, and probably all their descendants
have followed them to the grave, so I
mention their names and tell you about
the train of events which led to that
game and its attendant tragedy. In 1855
there lived in q small town in Kentucky
a beautiful girl named Alice Crayton.
She had q number of suitors, but only
two seemed to meet with passing favor
in her eyes. One was rich young
planter named Horace Ellison and the
other young lawyer, recently from the
north, named Converse. Ellison had
the advantage of his rival in looks and
accomplishments. He had travelled
extensively, was we'll read, polished,
and bore the reputation of being
daredevil in affairs of gallantry, and
was said to be not over upright and hon.
orable in his affairs with women. He
was the sort of man to attract most
girls. But Miss Crayton preferred
plain young fellow, and finally married
him. Ellison, after swearing to be re-
venged, went abroad. In the course of a
year Converse and wife went to New Or
| leans to live. Two years after the mar
| riage, Converse, returning home on the
Belle Lamar, after business trip north.
| discovered his old rival, Ellison, among
| the passengers. All feelings OF resent
ment had died out in his heart, and he
greeted Ellison heartily, the latter re-
| turning his hand shake with we'll simu-
lated warmth. For day the two men
chatted together agreeably, to all ap-
| pearance good friends. The next even
ing Ellison proposed little draw to
while away the monotony of the voyage.
| Converse readily assented, and they
started the game in large stateroom.
l oE1.o onf h11t
they didn't join it. At first the ante was
| trifing. AS Converse steadily lost, he
| insisted on raising it with each deal, and
began drinking, rare thing for him to
! do. His i'll fortune continued, and after
| seance of two hours he began to bor-
row money from his friends in the room,
having lost oil his own to Ellison. The
latter was as cool and firm as q rock. He
seldom spoke, and then in cutting 40
cents, 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.
Mr. Converse can take care of himself
under all circumstances, Converse re-
torted.
| Yes, he demonstrated his faculty for
looking after his own interest two years
ago, when he won great stake, and not
by fair play.
I saw Converse's face flush. He un.
derstood the allusion to the old rivalry
between him and Ellison and its covert
insinuation. 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 dia-
mond pin.
Ellison laughed sneeringly. Mr..
Converse should apply his methods in
love-making to card playing he said.
What do You mean, sir?'
What you please. Shall we continue
the gamer
Converse was white with fury. The
, gambling spirit, mingled with hate and
! rage, was upon him. As If to answer bis
unspoken thoughts, Ellison said, in his
, cold, exasperating tones: You lack
stake. I will hazard all my winnings
against the nightkey of your house. We
will play three hands in five for it.
This monstrous proposition struck us
3 all dumb. Converse bounded from his
char and gasped. He was speechless
, In fact, the emotions of this great expert
erce had deprived him of the rover o
7 words. Ellison alone was unmoyed. III
: sat quietly tossing the pile OF gold be
3 fore him with his white fingers.
DO you consent2' he asked.
!, The loss Converse had sustained h,
could not replace. Ruin was before him
9 On the other hand, the privilege he we
!. invited to hazard meant, if he lost, a dis
: honor worse than death. What thought
passed through that mans mind in fey
;: seconds will never be known. ii
u grasped the back of his chair. stare
around and hoarsely muttered YES
. You might imagine how breathless "
a bent over the players now. They shuttle
= the cards in silence. Ellison won th
q first two deals. The next Converse VOL
! The fourth time, amid q silence In th
:, room deep as the tomb. Ellison deai
:, and gave Converse two queens. iac
! and two nine-spots. The latter drew on
= = card and announced himself as ready
+ Ellison glanced quickly at him and lai
e down four aces. I always thought
= had stacked his hand.
= You have won the key. said Cor
. verse. He drew it off the ring, and ther
quick as lightning, crowded it into th
:, = barrel of his revolver. Take it, an
- = pulled the trigger. Then he turned th
;, - weapon upon himself, and fell dead upo
- = the corpse of his antagonist, whose brair
~ bespattered the cards which had d.
= stroyed their fortunes, honor and live
= - Wheeling Register