Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-03
ONE MANS LOVE.
A True Story 0f~sfeamboat~ Days ON
the Mississippi.

sHS tHissiSSAppi.
"Now that time has released the seal of
secrecy on my lips" said Capt J. F. Ma
son Of New Orleans, TALL slender. 1.-THE,
white haired gentleman with the unmis-
taxable accent of the lower Mississippi
board of my steamer trip down to
New Orleans shortly after the war.
-Four gentlemen came to me one night,
just after We had passed Natchez, and re-
quested the privacy Of my cabin, in which
to indulge in a. quiet game of poker.
knew them all personally and that they
We're men OF high standing in their respec-
tive communities.
7 acquiesced. 1t was black, stormy
night. and l had taken my station in the
wheelhouse. At about midnight one of the
poker party, a young New Orleans lawyer,
pushed open the door and called me out on
deck As the glare of the port signal light
fell on his features l saw that he was
deathly pale and very nervous. Grasping
me by the arm, he said with great agita-
ton:
"'Capt. Mason, you have known me since
my boyhood You know all of my people.
must confide in You. Since almost my
childhood days 1 have been an inveterate
gambler. Try as 1 might. the facnation Of
the game conquered my nobler instincts,
and l yielded to the passion as a strong
man yields to drink. / have sworn Off play
ing poker hundred times, but the moment
my eye encountered the cards and my
surfaces 1 became transformed into an
other being, lost all my reason, all respect
for myself, and it was to play-play like
Down in New Orleans 1 have the
sweetest and truest hearted girl In the
state of Louisiana. 1 have solemnly prom
| | ever touch the cards again. I have looked
| into her big, truthful brown eyes, felt the
warm kisses of her red lips upon my own
lying ones, and swore as faithfully as a
a n no l,rt r,,a
to my word and to her
God! how manfully have tried to live
up to that VOW. More, have paced my
room at night frenzied with desire to play
/ Just one more game. How l have fed as
though from a pestilence from my own
1riends when social game would be pro-
posed. How my innermost soul has been
tortured as by spiritual torment. It has
been hell on earth, for my will has been
j pent and all but snapped a score of times
captain, love that young girl with all
imagine | possess. / would die for her I
would Kill another man like dog at her
bidding. But, captain, 1 cannot face her!
l cannot. my Godl / cannot meet those
CAIN, sweet eyes and look upon that pure
young face with the lie in my heart And,
captain here his voice shook with emotion
story. captain, she has warned me. She
has made her own dear self the test Of nv
honor She has declared, and 1 know her
her word If it kills her, that il am to win
ner as bride, I must abandon cards.
thought WOULD win in the end with
such priceless5stake to strive for-untiI
tonight. When Iasconpanied those gentle
men to your cabin. It was merely as a
spectator to whilE away the tedium of the
d ar,p. once the cards were shuftled and
oealt, and the stakes Began to change places
on the table, 1 Was seized with an over
towering fever to play. 1t set my pulses
ehropping, my temples beating. 1 over
came II, UNTIL in moment of weakness I
consented to take aslhand. Luck went
against me from the start a Just retribu
Ilon Tor my folly. lost hand after hand
on my person was soon gone, The stakes
became higher as the game progressed. I
checked all OF my balance In the bank
and then. God forgive me- I forged INV
fathers name for large sum. It followed
the rest. ~
'Penniless. ruined financially. a man dis
graced In his own eyes and q forger who
saw the future slipping out from his feet:
who saw the only woman in the world to
him wave him away with scorn as a weak
iing unworthy OF her priceless love. 1 left
the table raging. needed breath of
fresh air. l made a VOW. the last, that I
would never touch cards again, and now I
am going to keep it. In this envelope ea Won
will find her address. Seek her and tell her
that died as a southern gentleman, whose
death would save his family and hers from
dishonor. Tell her that loved her-thatL
"A sharp gust of wind carried his voice
from me. Before could lay a restraining
There was heavy splash in the pitchy
dark. turbid water thirty feet below.
mo. l did not stop the boat. The swift
current which was taking her down stream
at twice her natural speed would have left
him, II the concussion from q I'LL Of such .