Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-10-29
PLAYING CARDS.
AN AFFECTING NARRATIVE.

AN AFFECTING NARRATIVE.
In the winter Of 1870 had occasion to
60 from Green Bay to Chicago on the
Northwestern Railway. At Oshkosh we
were joined by delegation of lawyers,
on their way to Madison, the capital, to at
tend the LIE islature then in session. They
were all men Of more than usual intellect,
and of unexceptional character. Two were
ex-Judges of the Circuit Court, and one I
had seen chairman of the Young Mems
Christian Association. The party found
seats near together, and after the first sal
utation was over they began to look about
for means to while away their time. AT
ter while some one proposed game of
cards. Nc sooner said than done Two
seats were turned apart SO as to face each
other, cushion lmprovised to serve as
table, and three OF the lawyers, including
the chairman Of the Y. NJ. g. A., and a
Chicago runner on good terms with them,
were soon deep in the mysteries of a game
of euchre.
I was surprised to see the Christian gen
tlemcn, judges of the law and equality
leaders of society, makers OF public SEN
timent, law-givers of a great state, direc-
tors of public morals, supposed to be
public exemplSrs of all that is good, and
guides to the young-thus setting pub
licly their seal Of approval to most evil
and dangerous practice. 10 be sure, they
played for stakes no higher than the CT
CARS for the party. But it seems to me-
in the eyes of all discreet persons, this
does not change the act or lessen the dan
ger of it's example, but rather elghtens it,
as from the less to the greater is the inva-
riable course of crime. I did not intend
to moralize on paper-l was about to say
that while Twas filled with such thoughts
as these, one of the party grew tired Of
the game, and our remaining judge was
invited to take his place. l saw the
blood mount in an honest blush of disap-
prevail TO his manly face, and he hesitated
and drew back. But the game had be-
come interesting, and his excited compan-
ions urged him:
Come, judge, take hand; we can't go
on without it."
The judge rose slowly from his seat,
inwardiy condemning the act, as I evil
IDENTIFY saw, and stepping forward, took a
seat among the players, and the game went
on.
had noticed an old lady in seat to
on board at Menasha, 1 believe Gray,
and bent with age, she had sat abashed,
and with eyes closed seemed asleep most
of the time until the train stopped at Osh-
kosh and took on board the company of
lawyers. She then underwent change,
and became greatly interested in the COM
pany, looking from one to another, as if
she recognized them all, or was trying to
recall their faces. When the game of
cards was started she became restless,
would hitch about uneasily in her seat,
take up the hem of her faded apron, and
nervously bite the threads. Once or twice
l thought she wiped her eyes under her
shaker bonnet" but could not tell. She
acted SO strange, / became more interested
in her than in the players, and watched
her closely. She got up after time and
tottered forward, holding on to the seats
as she passed.
She brushed against Judge in
passing, but he had become interested in
the game and did not notice her. Reach
ing the water tank at last, she drank a
cup of water, took seat near the door
with her back to the players. But she
did not remain there. Rising again with
difficulty, she tottered back to her for
mer seat but reaching the players she
paused directly in front Of them, and now
excitedly threw back her long bonnet,
and looked around at the company. Her
actions at once arrested their attention
pausing in their play they all looked up
inqu!rlngly. Gazing directly in the face
of Judge --, she said, in tremulous
voice:
Don't you know me, Judge?"
mo mother, don't remember you, "
said the Judge pleasantly, where have we
metz
MY name is Smith," said she, land
was with my poor boy three days. off and
on, in the court room in Oshkosh, when
he was tried for-for-for robbing some
body, and you are the same man that sent
him to prison for ten years, and he died
there last June"
All faces were now sObered, and passen-
gers began to gather around and stand
over them to listen and see what was 60
ing on. She did not give the judge time
to answer her, but becoming more and
more excited, she went on:
He was a good boy if you did send
him to Jail. He helped us clear the farm,
and when father was took sick and died,
be done all the work, and he was getting
along right smart till he took to town,
and got to playing keards and drinking,
and then somehow he didn't like to work
after, but used to stay out till morning,
and then he'd sleep so late, and couldn't
wake him when knocked, he'd been out
so late the night afore. And then the
farm kinder run down, and then we lost
the team, one of them got killed when he'd
bin to town one awful cold night. He
stayed late, and suppose they got cold
standin' out and got skeered and broke
loose and run most home, but run against
the fence, and stake run into one of
'em and when we found him next morn
ing he was dead and the other was stand
ing under the shed. And after while he
coaxed me to sell the farm and buy a
house and lot in the village, and he'd
work at carpenter work. And SO l did,
as we couldn't do nothing on the farm.
But he grew worse than ever, and after
a while couldn't get any work, and would
not do anything but gamble and drink all
the time. I used to do everything could
to get him TO quit and be a good indus
trious boy again, but he uaed to get mad
after while, and once he struck me, and
then in the morning found he had took
what little money there was left of the
farm and had run Off After that I got
alongas wcllas could, cleanin' house for
folks, and washin', but didn't hear moth
ing of him for four or five year; but when
he got arrested, and was took up to Osh-
kosh for trial, be writ to me.
By this time there was not a dry eye in
the car, and the cards had disappeared.
The old lady herself was weeping silently
and speaking in snatches: But recovering
herself she went on:
"Butwhat could I do? I sold the house
and lot to get money to hire a lawyer, and
believe he is here somewhere looking