Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-09-26

LUNCH and glass oi
ale, and of course me-
Iswith the usual motley
" assemblage of patrons
to be found in the place at tha1 ho"i
They were all there and were busily en-
caged ordering and drinking their favorite
decoctions and talking bOisterously all the
while. 1t is an old and true saying that
one half the world does not know how the
other half lives and it will be equally true
to remark that one half of Wheeling's citl-
zens do not know how and in what man
ner a great part or the other half put IN
their nights, and it is not the intention OF
this article to say. However, on
this occasion it will not be
amiss to give the reader an
idea of the crowd that the reporter came
across on this certain night.
TO DESCRIBE THE PERSONNEL
of the assembly accurately, would be a
rather impossible feat. A photograph even
would also be as pOwerleSs. There was
the inevitable crowd of young men VINO
were out taking in the town, or, In their
own words, painting her red. They were
drinking small beers, settlers, and other
mild drinks, while one, who appeared TO
be somewhat used to the racket, was
''takin' plain whisky in his'n." These
Young fellows were i'll a very enthusiastic
state, and were having more fun than a
countryman at n circus. Then there was
the old topper who had just come in to take
q might cap" before retiring. His drink
was a brandy cocktail. While he was drink
ing his beverage in came another specimen
of the same sort, who couldn't sleep Tor
nervousness and was compelled to get out
of bed and come dOWn to get a bracer. Ills
order was "a little whisEey, please. III a
far away sort of voice. The bar-keeper
evidently knew him for he poured out his
drink, anda good,
STIFF ONE IT WAS.
The reporter had not noticed that the
old fellow was so Shaky until he attempted
to pick up the glass OfliquOr, in which he
signally failed, the vessel dancing around
like an animated thing. But he must have
the drink and that without much delay,
SO down goes his wide open mouth to the
edge of the counter and over goes the glass
of whisky into the dry and parched throat.
Then the drinker heaveS q deep sigh OF
satisfaction, and smacEing his lips admits;
s,Gracious I'm n~arvOuS." Before leaving
he takes three more drinks and the last
two he is able to pour out and toss oil with
a very steady hand. The reporter knows
all these people, with one or two eXcep-
tons and receives many invitations to
drink, all of which he politely but torclbly
declines. Wonder if newspaper readers
ever think of the many temptations with
which a reporter is beSct i'll furnishing
them the news?
As the reporter is about to leaves rather
handsome blonde man who has
been standing in a corner talking to II
friend, comes forward and insists on strik-
ing up IN acquaintanceship with him. lie
has been drinking pretty freely, and the
lead pencil destroyer attempts to leave
him, but it is no go. The nan becomes
offended, and says:
''Now, my friend, / know | am a gam
bier and make my living that way, Int
because | am in hard luck tonight, don't
think Pm so bad" The tender
hearted newspaper man is touched,
and disclaims any previous knowl-
edge of the gentleman'S profession, or
CONDITION OF FINANCES,
and to show him that he meant no slight,
.--a..,, l., ,,,,,l n,a ,,in,taG hltnpInD
to his talk. The five, or possibly ten
minutes thus spent proves to be more ln-
teresting than the reporter imagined, as
the talkative individual Immediately
branched out into a history of his life as a
gambler, and spun the following inter-
esting story:
"When | was n boy, probably sixteen
years of age the war was just over. My
parents lived in Virginia-Iam n Nirginian
by birth. My father had been a rich man
and owned n plantation with a large num-
Der of slaves. Shortly after the close OF
the wal he was found dead in his bed one
morning, his death being caused from a
broken heart over his wrecked fortunes, as
nearly everything he owned had been
swept away by the war.
IL had a mother and two sisters left, and
when my fathers estate was settled up We
discovered that all We had to depend upon
in the world, besides 4 home, was
SEVENTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS
in cash. This was deposited in the bank
of q town some distance from where we re-
sided, and n day mother sent me after
the whole amount. l received it and was
returning home when l was met upon the
road by two men, who in some way dis
covered that l had money. They would
have probably murdered and robbed me
they were heartleSS enough had it not
been for the fact that the country in that
section was pretty we'll settled. As it was
they induced me to sit down and watch
them play a game with cards, which l
afterwards learned was three card monte.
"At first they did not bet money, but one
man threw the cards and the other would
bet for fun that he could pick up the ace.
He did this q number of times, only miss
ing his call in a few instances, to make it
more interesting for my benefit. In this
manner they tempted NE to join in. I did
so. That was all they wanted. They
soon began betting money. Seeing the man
not handling the cards an easy winner, l
was
LED INTO THE WHIRLPOOL,
allowed to win several times until l
was living in an atmosphere ofexcitement,
which dulled every senses and-but why
should / dwell upon the result that
what followed. 1t harrows up my feelings
every time | think of it. When ! awOke
from my half crazed condition, the two
men were off and with them my money.
Imagine if You can, the horror of my
thoughts. My poor mother and sisters left
penniless! l think my heart must have
suddenly turned to stone on the spot and l
became like a deep dyed criminal in a very
brief period.
at gave me a sort of brute courage to 90
home and tell them what had occurred.
Of course there was a scene, but | did not
remain long afterwards. 1 packed up a
few clothes and left the home of my child
hood. a wanderer upon the face of the