The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-04-27

What change half q century has
made III methods Of travell Id 1869 10
reach New York from ciaclnnatl. then
the Queen City OF tho West. one
might 20 part or the way BY steam
boat another By stagecoach and the
balance BY canal In such convey
Rnces people were thrown together in
hmately and lifelong friendships were
sften made The passenger eaaalboat
Was the arst 70 pass ont Of use. and
shere are few living who remember Il
IS method Of travel.
Il WAS In 1s45 that one OF these pas
senger canalboats was being dragged
along By herse on the towpath.
There we're ne statersems, eniy berths
eomsthing like those on a modern
sleeping car. Between these was the
cabin, where the passengers lounged
during the day and evening At that
time the professional gambler worked
81 the narrow channels Of the period.
I3e was on the steamboat. but did nor
aisdain the canalboat. on this canal
boat portion Of the bow had been
eurtained OF. and IN 1t were card ta.
bles. At one Of these tables sat pro-
fessional gambler aeeeing a youngster
ef twenty
That youngster was my uncle and !
got the story / am about 70 tell from
him.
He had been deputed to carry some
$1,000 from Pittsburg to Harrisburg.
How the gambler knew that he had
the money with MIN he did not learn.
My uncle played with tho sharper tglI
be had lost ali the money that had
been given him for bis expenses, then
began ID play With his trust fund. RE
quit At Il ocleek at night, haYiag lest
half at the $4,000.
The next morning was Sunday A
service was held In the cabin conduct
ed by clergyman slightly past mid.
die age. My uncle was much Impress
ed With bis appearance and the fervor
with which he spoke. His accent was
that Of the southerner. Ny uncle said
that the clergyman attacked gamblins.
telling a number Of interesting, many
Of them pathetic, incidents. III which
some foolish person had been robbed
ct all be POSSESSED Ia these stories
the speaker shewed an intimate
knowledge Of all forms Of swindling
1t cards He was looking straight at
my uncle while he talked and seemed
to be speaking to him personally
Then my uncle remembered that while
playing with the gambler he had seen
The clergyman standing among those
overlooking the game.
Notwithstanding that It was sunday
my uncle was eager TO renew the play,
hoping TO win back what be had lost
he argued that 10 lose any part Of
the fund With which he had been IN
1erested would ruin him the same as
II BIZ lost the Whole Therefore Sum
day afternoon be proposed to the gam
bier that they 20 TO their curtained
space for more play The gambler,
who knew well enough that the
would be after him. assent
FL. AAl lHC4 WNtE HONA g RA~J
or course my uncle lost ateadilg
His last thousand dollars was slowly
melting away when who should walk
ID but the clergyman. 1e stood look
Ing at the game for awhile, then said
to my uncle: "Bey. yeu can't play
with this man. He's professional
gambler aud is playing with marked
rarisT
Picking up one Of the cards lying on
Ehe table face Down the speaker rub
bing bis thumb on It. said. THE king
81 clubs Then, turning i over, his
prophecy proved correct. in the same
way he told the value Of other cards
they were all provided with minute
points that could9be felt but not easily
seen. Then. turning e the gambler
Be said. sGive the boy the money you
aave won from him.
The gambler put up vigorous 9iAl-
what you got to do with this susi-
sass. anyway? You're parson ana
gon't xnow any mere about cards than
mule you just Get eHr Of here Or
81 fnd way to put yea out"