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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. 1 32X ¥j heari that talne Polo 5 i, Jfc«l*>^'-«^ 'i***** <-4t^'^^^=^^^ 4'5^ ^' / (i WANDERINGS OF A VAGABOND. AN AUTOBIOGBAPHY. EDITET) IIT JOHN MORRIS. "And wo wlU put down the things we havo seen as seen, and the things we have heard as heard, in order that our book may be honest and true, without any Ue, and that every one that mny rend or hear this book may believe it ; for all things it con- tains are true."— ifeciMiJ de« Toyagei df, la Societi df Oeographie.— Voyage de Mareo PoU). i^H^ NEW YORK: PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, .. . ftfjf^^ H 1/& •/ / ,d)3 S ICntorod ncooriling to Aot of rongrcss, in tliojonr IPTI), liy J O n X II O IJ lU S , In tlio OfTu'c of the Libraritin of Congress, at Wnsliington, D. C. iNxnom Eabi.v Early PllOFES TheCi CaI'TAI DU'Lo: MAjOI Faro Depa Pdan VTnF. OSTl The "W^AS IJiVI iNCt /6 '/ / S ^"'i T'; ^ CONTENTS. ISTRODUCTOnY Eabi.y Days Early Days PllOFESSION ThbClcb Cai'taik William Smith du'lomacy Majoii Geoiigb Jenks Faro Departubb Phastomb of the Memory "WnEELINO OS TO ElCHMOSn TheHobsb ■Washinhtgn' City Ixvextors INCIJBI J Shaupers C HATTER I. CUAI'TEB II. CnATTER III. CHAPTEK IV. CIIAi'TETl V. CHATTER VI. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XII. CHAPTER XIII. CHAPTER XIV. CHAPTER XV. CHAPTER XVI. CHAPTER XVII. 5 9 IB 81 87 . 30 . 37 . 47 . 56 .. 75 .. 64 .IOC .112 ..140 ..156 ..180 ..187 4 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XV III. P*"" SCKNU AT LONO BBAMCn ''''' CHAPTER XIX. Bkcond-Cla«8 Skinnwo-Hoises 207 CHAPTER XX. BnARrERS ** CHAPTER XXI. BlOQUAl-niCAL Sketcuks "'*^ CHAPTER XXII. NkwYohk ^^ CHAPTER XXIII. BtivARiNn Accorars "^"^ CHAPTER XXIV. In THE LOCK-UP ^^ CHAPTER XXV. BOXRRS ^^'^ CHAPTER XXVI. Pkhskcution ^^ CHAPTER XXVII. FnKJUDICBS '^^ CHAPTER XXVIII. Wolf-Thai-8 ^^* CHAPTER XXIX. "WoLr-TKAVa— Continued •. S^B CHAPTER XXX. Sbabf Practice ^*' CHAPTER XXXI. Lexington Races ^86 CHAPTER XXXII. TbbFugbt ^"^ CHAPTER XXXIII. The MI88IBSIFFI *^3 CHAPTER XXXIV. Siver Sharpers *^ CHAPTER XXXV. Three-Card Monte Throwers <35 CHAPTER XXXVI. The Hoo-Drovek *** CHAPTER XXXVII. Mobile *^ CHAPTER XXXVIII. A "Nigger IN the Fence." *^ CHAPTER XXXIX. The "Nigger " gets Out *^^ II tbau more beau ■with the beai and the in t hea Bill uut ear the mil of] sue ess ne' on en bo an pi ar P«o«. . . l'J7 ..207 . .S21 ..an ..262 ..280 ..285 ..310 ..321 .. 335 ..354 . . .366 ...380 ...386 ...401 ...413 ...428 ...435 ...444 ...458 ...463 ....481 INTRODUCTORY. " The castlod crnR of Draolionffils _ Frowuii o'er the wiUo and winding RUuio. with highly-cultivated funiiH, vincyarcls, cl"»ehi;s ull. s ana Thfp a ial residenccB of tho nohility. Beneath h.mhes the beaut nivillago of Melheim, to the left the ru.na of foll^f ««?'' mid the islands of Nonnerswcrth and Oberwinter to tho right the ruius of Godesburg, and, farther on, the eity of Bonn, whi e S the dii distance the cathedral spires of Cologne point to ^'ITtho oye turns from tho river the scene is entirely changed Billt e'evat'ed above hills, in endless Bucces^on of pyramids, until tho eve turns for relief to the beautiful Rhine. Tl^^ Rhino! Tho German's fairy-land! His heaven upon earth ' Tl e emi-barbarous hordes who, centuries ago, mhabi ed Se castles. hose picturesque -ins strike the traveler wthad^ miration and delight, are to him familiar nc^- ^b^^^f^ ite ^^chiUy. Truly, ^^^^^^^^^^^ SHLSSir ^S i^-=3^ity in the^.J.s enclosed by them, had no rights which they l^«f t^j^^J^^^^ bouBd to respect. '" Might made rig^," according othe.rcr^^^^^^ and their scanty flocks were I'-^^d "f ^^^ "° ^ S pleasure, and evc.i their wives and daughters t«™ f ;™ f .^j^^ arms to gratify the brutal lust of tueh: masters. Such were the 6 IJJTROUICTOUV. Ulionisli liorocs, whoso (loo, or battle-axe. Matters are arranged in a nmch moro polished .stylo in these civilized days. Mine host presents his bill v* ith tho courtly bow of the Mexican robber while inviting a padre on tho road to disgorge. lie is careful to wait until tho luggage of his guest is on tho cart, and tho carriage waits to convey him to the steamer or railway sta- tion, lie then presents his bill of costs. 'Tis of no uso to haggle over tho items; as soon would the robber chieftains of old abate one jot or tittle of their demand, as the smiling host who so suavely insists on his ''bond," even to the uttermost farthing. No grander treat can be given to the denizens of tho over- crowded cities of London, Paris, or St. Petersburg, than a trip through tho mountains of Switzerland and along tho Khine. Tho scenery of Prance, England, and Ilussia, is tamo in compar- ison, and they are ravished with delight on first bchoiding this storied river. Have not Byron, Scott, and many othc-a, immor- talized its scenic beauties, both in song and prose / But the Irishman can find as pleasing scenery along his ovra beautiful Shannon, and Switzerland nor Italy has nothing to compare with tho charming Lakes of Killarney. Even the Scot need not desert his native mountains for thoso of other coun- tries, and the American, who crosses tho most dangerous ocean in th tiiieii the I He Khiii I a lit a and Cru; the surr grai duel tho r Yuc unli izec ofv tho pro ran tho roti dui Th di\ as thi BOI foi thi ca nu en DOts, histoii- icciit t'iiiihs, riiiplcs jildiii^ iitliil piiluci'rt 'Ills of rapino les wild and lo Lorruiiiu'd itily tlio Rco- lovcd arclii- tbis storied csnuo dwell- er chieftaiiia, lintcd holds, la i)lunil('i'ed >lito demand 111 ari(i!iiieiit Mattens arc ivilized days, the Mexican oygo. lie is ho cart, and ' railway sta- iso to hag,i,do of old al)ato host who so t farthinfj. of the over- , than a trip : the Khino. in compar- jhoiding this lies, i tumor- long his own i nothing to iven the Scot ' other coim- i^erous ocean iNTKonrcTORV. 7 in tlio world to bcliold the bcauliex and wonders of another con- tinent, leaves behind lii.u scenes as kimihI and heaiUiful along the npp<;r Mississippi, the St. Lawrence, and the grout luJies. Ho will not I'nid his native Hudson snrpassed, even by tho Khine, nor lakes in llurope more cliarming than Saint (Jeorge. The d-.vellers on tlio western raiigo of tho Andes can well afford to look with indilVerenco on tho scenery of Switzerland, and a snort sea \-oyi>,-" "'' t'""''" ^I'ly*^- *"''"'" ^'*'^^' *hleans to Vera Cruz, and a forty miles journey, over one of the finest roads in the world, to tho city of Jalapa, and the traveler finds himself Burrounded by sceneiy inisurpassed on tho face of tho earth for grandeur and sublimity, and where all the climates and pro- ductions of tho world can bo embraced in a siuglo glauco from tho mount aiii-sido above Jalapa. Tho seeker after aiiticpiities may continue his journey to Yucatan, where once flourished a now extinct and almost totally unknown raco of beings, believed to have been as highly civil- ized as tlio peojile of Assyria and Ancient Egypt, and the ruins of whoso once splendid temples and cities ho will find, amongst tho tropical forests of Misantla and J'apantla, and which *vill prove as interesting to liim as climbing tlie pyramids of Egypt or rambling among tho musty tombs of ^dciiiphis or of Thebes. It is now, however, only fashionable for Americans to make tho "tower of Oorop," and up tho Nile to tho Holy Land, and to return tlioroughly disgusted with— cverything-Araericau. La Belle lliviere, or the Ohio, was once a favorite resort during tho summer months. It is, indeed, a beautiful stream ! Tho lovely valleys and rounded hills, into which its banks are diversified, present to the eye a ouccession of verdure so varied as to at onco attract the lover of beautiful scenery. For more than^ix hundred miles tho eye is momentarily presented with Boraething now to feed upon. It has not, indectl, the ruined castles and churches, tho terraced vineyards and frowning cliffs, for whicl' tho romantic Rhine is celebrated, but, at every turn of tho river, finely-cultivated farms, thriving orchards, herds of cattle, sheep, and horses, " on a thousand hills," with an endless number of towns, cities, and villages, teeming with a restless and energetic people. Twcntv years ago the charming scenery of the Ohio was the theme of painters and tourists who moved over its gentle waters, Si 'I '.'; 1| y^i rsTKoDt'croRT. find enjoyed Its over-cliaiiKlnK sroiiery fi'oni the decks of piilntlnl Htcaiuors which siip[)liod to the triivolor every luxury of a first- cliVMs hotel. IJut niihoiids have HuporHech-d tliis once deliKhtriil route, and the beiuiticH of this most lovely river care left to an oceasiuiiid wandering tv)urist, the dweller on its banks, or the boatmuu who hiburs along it» lrau(inil waters. ^\. ^1 P Ol » of palatini J- (if II llrst- l route, iiiid I occasiiiiial )atiuuu who ^;iw«i i t-»iiO ' '->i* '«— " WANDERINGS OF A YAGAUOND. f" CHAPTER I. KAUIA' DAYS. baKKlin« over tho q.ior y, ^^'^.^'^^'7,7, ''.'h,, ^^. no rontrol a fortunate event, or otherwise t. ^ '^ f^V ^^^^^^ tho ..rtho- or choieoln thdr -" J"-™:?^:^,;^ ^^ r^.^ tho beginning s,:rMCSivr:;;,"n,,^;:.o.uteteruau after, n.r the " clee.ls .hmo ^ ^J > • „,,„y ^^^ There is, ha« hoen, a id aUva>8 v, • o believe birth to be a ^^'^]Ji:}Z^^oi outrageous upon this earth to endure the h1 ngs .ml an ^^ fortune, and the thousand ^^^^ S^!^^^fl^^ ,^ to leave it for that raU.er ui.eerta m locaM v^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ dieth not, and the lire is not qu ml d J^ 'j';^/ ;j,,^^ ,,;,,^^ ,„d is too deep for me, ""^/.^^IJ^^ w^h tC -vie wasled much wrangling priests a subject on ^"^^ ^'^^^ , ^..^^f Of this argument, without arriving «\" . ^^^^ i -^^^ (to me) important fact, 1 ^f^^^"^^^^ fortune or s^:s-pr;is f^o-^^j^Sh t:ttx^^:^ dream. i'^ •.%- 10 ■WANDEmXGS OF A VAGABOND. If I nm sorry for anytliiii.ir, II, ''■ tliat llio tlicmo on wliicb I ■write is not in ir.oro a))le luuuls. l?ut ihc sulijoct is witliin tlio knowledge of but few ; ;uiil of those few persons, I do noi know of one any more capable of writing a Look upon the subject tlian myself. Therefore, wiiatever may be its diffcts, let them be at- tributed rather to the lack of education than lack of truth. Forty years ago the town of ISInrietta was a thriving place, depending mostly on the rich farming country by which it was surrounded, and numbered a population of fifteen hundred souls. It contained two flour mills, a foundry, and, as it was the county Beau, a brick court-house and jail. A fmo little wharf, paved in with cobble-stones, adorned the city front, and atforded acconnnodalion to the steamlioats, trading-boats, keol-boats, and' all the various river-craft that plied on the waters of the placid Ohio. The little town could boast also of fourdilTcrcnt religious sects, for the godly lived in Sfarietta. The Methodists and Presbyterians had each a small brick church ; while the Catl jus I cor cit; Ko CO] nu su sei in bi nc m lo tc tl P k a t i )tton Mather, iniuly spirits many of tho tos, revolted vented them iction, it still ) who dared Y to its rigid niaiTicd sons [1 until suita- tho faithful, lid. 3 opinions of ost hardened rowth of im- •b vice within n-er has been fi.:' sectarian into intoler- mcans used re ad\i-nccd practical rc- if his people, tolerant and ower and ve- )ple of vheso o, within the iwdyisro and ;riod. ly, a general t the average ' unheard of. EAKLT PiVTo. 13 Each city, town, and village had its bullies, who were esteemed, among a certain class of their townsmen, in proportion to their prowess in "free lights." Whenever tlu-so worthies met, at any public gathering, a light of some sort was the inevitable consequence. If one could not, as ^vas preferable, be arranged with the champions ol some rn-al town, their "dernier resort" was a "set-to" among tbemsel^es, just to keep thcar hands in. In those davs, lighting was p-nudar with tho masses, and the contests of their gladiators were to them as interesting and ex- citing as were those which took place in the arena of ancient ^Te'tween tC^'l.artisan bullies, that which begun in single combat was freqintly Joined by the friends ot both parties, numbering sometimes fifty or more, and a free flght was the re- sXand a fortunate thing wa, it if it ended in nothmg more eerious than black eyes, bloody noses, and cracked &,iulls. organized police there was none worthy tho name, even in our large cities; and if a constable, .beriff, or any other oflieer presumed to interpose his authority to preserve the peace or break up a fight, his interference was considered highly imperti- nent, and as an infringement of his rights of amusement which no son of liberty would for a moment tolerate. Nor was this roughness of character confined entirely to the lower daases ; even the wealthy, and, I am sorry to add, educa- ted portion of the people, did not consider it beneath them to be the aiders and abettors of rowdyism. Even our lirst-class colleges were but little less than schools ''^'niTamusements of the scions of the aristocracy consisted in playing excceding.y peisoral practical jokes, wrenching off knockers and bell-handles, knocking down infirm watchmen, and a constant succession of fights with the young men of the town or those of rival colleges, which not unfrequently resuUed in death to some, and disfigurement for life to many more. Amon'^ the weaKhv and cultured classes punctiliousness was mistaken for polittniess. and their haughty and patronizing man- ner towards their p.orer and more ignorant neighbcn-s was near- Ty unbearable, and must, in time, have led to ^ Woody social revolution, had it not been for our extensive terntoiy, and the » 14 ■VTAXDERIXr.S OF A VAGAHOXD. immense tide of Europcnii emigration eimstantlj' flowing in uixni lis. Uow often Imvo \Ye smarted beneath the lash of eriticism, so unspaiingly indicted upon us by Dieivens, Capt. llaie, aud Mrs. Troliopc. Tlie writers of this country liave exliausted tlieir genius in abusing tliem, because tliey had the audacity to hold up to tho world's ridieido the elegant peculiiirilics of the in- habitants of tho "greatest country on tho face of tho earth." But these criticisms have unciuestionably done much for our im- provement; and though in many respects highly colored, have certainly had the cfl'ect of polishing down many of the rough points in our character. It is now nearly forty years since ifrs. Trollope published lier book— and what a sensatinn it created! It aroused the indigna- tion of the reading public irom the great Lakes to the Gulf. Yet nearly every statement made in that book was truthful ! ^Vllcn she said, in her book of travels, that it was common on our western river steamers to see men seated at their meals, in com- pany with ladies, in their shirt-sleeves, she told only tho simple truth; and only what I myself have witnessed repeatedly, and, I doubt not, many who read this have also witnessed. When she declared she had seen in the dress circle of our first- class theatres, men seated on tho balustrade in their shirt- sleeves, with their backs to tho audience, while dozens of feet at tho same time rested on tli'j rail, she told but the truth ! Yet hundreds of pens and thcasands of tongues branded her with falsehood. Before her work appeared, it was no uncommon thing for both officers and passengers to be seen at table, on board the west- ern steamers, in their shirt-sleeves. I saw tho same thing my- self a few years after reading her work. Whether the lady's book caused tho revolution or not, I am unable to say; but within a year or two after its publication, no person was permitted to seat himself at table, on a steamer car- rying passengers, unless in proper costume. For myself, I havo no recollection of ever seeing a person seated on tho balustrade of tho dress-circle of a theatre in his shirt-sleeves, with his back to tho stage while the perform- ance was going on, but I have been credibly informed, by eye- witnesses, that tho thing has been repeatedly witnessed by them ; an( on h:>' asl ba' ou: ox K( Al Dli Sr sh b£ tl ni tl c b d fi t i I t EARLY DATS. IS flowing in criticism, so c, and Mrs. lUHtccl their u'ity to hold 1 of tlie in- tho earth." for our im- ;)lored, havo if the rough Liblishcd licr the indigiia- Gulf. Yut iful ! ^Vhen iiion on our pals, in com- y tho simple tedly, and, I 1 of our first- thcir shirt- Mis of feet at truth ! Yet ed her with ling for both :'d the west- ic thing my- or not, I am blication, no steamer car- ng a person [V theatre in the perform - med, by eye- sed by them ; and I havo mvsolf seen sucli a want of decorum between acts, on several ocVasious, as m du.scrii.liou coul.l do justice to. I bnve also seen, though I am glad to say not ottou, prrsous aslcen in the dress-circle, with their legs hanging over the balustrade, and il was no uncommon sight, a few years smce, ui our southern and western tlicalres, to see, between the acts, an extensive crop of boots reposing on it. .,,,,■, a Such want of nt.^ 1 was consigned to tho care of an old Irishman, I'ebT MelJirney by name, who had boon chosen bv Ibo go.lly I'resbylerians to pn-side over tlio Academy of Marietta, and to .■nli-bten tho understanding, cor- rect the tempers, and lorn, the manners of tho youtli ot the place. During the live years which 1 passed under tlie fos- teriu- care of tho venerai)lo -Mellirney, ho managed to lleg some of the rudiments of reading, writing, and ciphering, mto my cranium, lie was a severe master, and used tlu. rod upon his scholars with an unsparing hun.l, and what htli., od.ieat.ou 1 re- ceived from him cost mo many tears and stripes. \V lien 1 tould read, write, and cast up accounts tolerably, Mr. Giles considered my education fmi.shed, and removed mo In.m the care of this worthy old gentlemau,and transferred mo to the tailoring board, where it was intended 1 should bnirn tho trade of my father •, but it requires two to mako a bargain, and iny worthy f;)ster-ather and mvself were by no moans in accord on tho subject. The business was hateful to me. A tailor ! My ambitious sou soared far above such a comraonplaco occupation. In tact, i had no desire to learn any trade, but had a romantic idea of being a rover and of seeing the world-a desire which was strengthened by reading novels, and boolcs of travels, of which I was inordinately fond. My fond foster-parents saw with grief my intractable disposition, for their minds were set on my occupy- ing tho vacant place of my father in tho respectable hrra of "Giles & Morris;" but "tho best laid sclicraes of mice and men gang aft aglee," and thoy were doomed to disappointment. Often did mv poor foster-mother, witli tears in her eyes, prophesy that I should leave this world in the presence of a largo audience some flno day, my exit being facilitated by "Jac^ ketch, ad that all tho cares they had lavished on me would bo repaid by mv brinrH(('ipiitraiy, 1 didibt iinl, t(i their cxiicctatinnH), or alliiwcd Wiiiil lo visit llioir door iu thi'ir old ago. And wiiea ft kind I'rovidciii'i^ relifvcd ihoiii Iroiu ilio buriluiis of tliis hie, I iMUscd ii neat iicad-stoiK' to iio [ilai'cd ul llio grave ol" eaeh, oa wliicli were reeorded llii'ir names, a;;es, ami many virtnes. Had r boon Iohs olistinato iu rol'iiMiiiij to com|)ly >\ith tho wisheH of my foMter-parciit-i, I mi,dit iiave hecii to-day a icsprct- nhlc inemiicr of soeifty, oik! of llio riilin;,' li;,'lilH of Marietta, pcr- hiips — poHsiiily its Mayor, or even Governor of Ohio! Who knows f Perliapa I rnij,'ht bo rieli in pM; tlio owner of wido domains; the fatlier of numerom sons and daughters, surroimd- od by liosts of friends, sincere, no ilonbt, so loug aa their inter- ests led tliem to bo so. While* wealtli is yours, nnd fortune Rniilcg, friends will throng nround, and, like vultures, liatten apon you; but let the fieklo Jade desert you, and tlie cold shade of adversity fall upon you, and tl^ev will leiivo you as quiekly iis rats will abandon a sinking a holy name, but how shamefully abiiseil by 'pavated from interest, is almost aa dillieiilt to diseover , tlie rejuvenatin;; spriii!,'s in tho everglades of Florida, wliieh so loiijj; haunted tlu* dreams of tho kiiijrhtly cut- throats of Spain. No frii^ndship ean exist between tho ■wicked, the voluptuous, men of liusiness, or jiolilicians. The first have only ae(!om|>li<'es, the second companions, the third partners, tho fourth de.'-iLrnini,' associates, ^t is only anionj,' tho truly vir- tuous that friendship can exist;^^ Aa I was a disobedient and wayward boy, and havo led a thril'tlesa and roving life, I am possc.s.sed of neither lioiuu's, wealth, nor friends. Destiny do- creed it ; every t hint; is Koverned by its immutable laws. Jui)iter, suiu'cmo over gods and men, was ignorant that at the birth of Thetis, the fates had c'ecreed that her otl'spring should 1)0 greati'i' than his father, and had It not been for tho dark hints thrown out by the Titan, whom ho had chained to a rock, as a ]ninishinent for stealing firo from heaven, for tho bene- fit of mankind, would have made her Queen of Heaven. The Titan cxelian^'ed his secret for his liberty, and Juno was made Queen of Heaven instead of the mother of Achilles. If I did not learn tho tailoring businosa under tho worthy Giles, I In a great measure transacted his business for him, keeping his bocks, making out and collecting bis bills, and otherwise rendering mvself useful to him. For 1 and on town < boys" cock k wliene the la\ certair olllee, to tho the "l reproli riiii II biiildii a well- been o maiiiN tho 111 of his & Moi Was i tho"" that h at cai for m loss 1 active under visitoi tho 111 thoin. citize; shop, engaj sever the w sion, the ii rencc citize immitr*vmm^- ;i('t'tiitiiinH), \th\ wIr'u u IliiH life, I t>r each, ou tlR'S. y with the ,• II rcHiicct- ricttii, [iCT- >lii()! Who lor (if ^vitlo , smroimcl- thoh' hiter- nill thrniiK fh(> (icklo uiiiiti yon, m a sinking iihnsnl hy iia (lillicult iTKliulcs of liKlitly cut- :ho wicked, 1 first luivo I iiartnera, truly vir- ediont and life, I am )ostiny de- vs. mt that at ir ofl'spiiiif; ?cu for tlio lainod to a r the bcno- iveii. Tho i was made lio worthy !S for him, 1 bills, and ¥ ruorEssiox. 2f! Forinanv vciun. old Scniu'UH, a bottlo-iiose.l iiluc I'resbytfrian, and one of iiie •'uik'o -iiid," was iirosecutinu' attorney for tlio town of Marietta. nolwitiistaiKlin^ Hie eiluilH of the "jolly bovH" at cverv election, to oust iiiiii from lii.s ollice. Tlie old cock knew liis"«tieii-tli, liowever, and uUn knew his foe«. And whenever one of the lioys foiiml himself in tlie stromr ^rip of thf^ kiw, he looked for no mercy at ilie hand^ of Scn!!,'-M, and certainly found iiono. Fron the moment he was installed in his oHlce, he allowed no opportunity to slip of showing his hostility to the linn of "(liles iV Morris," wiiose place was considered by tho "unco guid" of Marietta to be the lirad-(piarteis of all the reprobates for miles around, and a liot-lxd of deviltry in n'eueral. The mysterious Ki>llierin«s wliich took place ni;,'htly in that huildiun could i>e for mi ^ood purpose. Had not vouulc Mortim, a well-to-do dealer in the ^rrocery Trnt . bei'ii ruiiiiMl Iheie, and been ol)li.i,'ed to (ly from tho town from inability to meet the do- mauils of his creditors? Did not poor .lenkins, chief clerk In the mercaiitii.' lirmof "Clarke iV. Fisher," emliez/.le tho money of his onii)loyers, and Kinnl'le it away at the tailor-ihop of (Jlles &c Morris, and, in conse(pience, had also lied to parts nidaiown? Was it noL ])ul.ru'ly known that John Travis, tho landlord of tho "Old Hickory," had for years been decoyimr his i,niests to tiiat infamous place, that they mi;,'Iit be roblied of their money at carda? Was it not eonmion talk, not only in Marietta, l)ut for miles aromxl. that tho establishment was nothiiuj more nor loss than a Kamiirmsj-hell ? Notwithstandim,' this, and tho active means of Seru^ss and his associates, wlio stuck at no underhanded measures to accomplish their ends, tho nightly visitors of tho firm of "Giles 6c Moriis" managed to escape tho punishment which their enemies were burning toinfliet upon thorn. During the life of my tatlior, the sheritl', with a posso of citizens, had oneo burst open tho door at tho baek of tho tailor- shop, in tho expectation of arresting a i)arty of gamblers while engaged at tLair nefarious l)usiness. Hut they only discoverod several gentlemen in conversation over wliiskey and cigars in the working doiiartmcnt, ard, to their great chagrin and confu- sion, saw no signs ol cards, nor any indication whatever that tho inmates had met for tho ])urposo of gambling. This occur- renco created no small stir in tho little town. Many of the citizens who abhorred gambling as much as thoft wore not at all 24 WAXDERINOS OF A VAGABOKD. prepared to sanction tbo forcible entry into a house by the officers of tlie law, unless armed with authority by a ni.igistratc. Such a precedent was a dangerous one. and contained a menace against the rights of domestic 'privpcy, which many of the reli- gious and respectable citizens were not disposed to tolerate. But Puritanism held its potent sway over the officers and the courts, and scarcely a lawyer could be found in the place, who liossessed sufficient courage to take a stand against its tyrauuy. I forgot to say that after the sheriff and his party had perpe- trated the outrage mentioned, they retired without making any arrests, or the smallest excuse for their unwarrantable conduct. The firm of Giles & Morris, when the district court next sat, brought before that honorable body the outrage it had suffered, and appealed to it for protection against similar violent visits in the future, but the appeal was treated with iudiU'crence, if not with contempt. The result of this descent of the sheriiT and his lollowers, and the refusal of the court to take any action on this outrage, was the lormation of a new political party in the town, being the first blow ever struck there against the absolute sway of Piiritanisra. The firm of Giles & Morris were the head and front of this new faction, and around them rallied all the free-livers and free- thinkers in the vicinity. From the riverracn and longshoremen residing in the place it gained its greatest support. The opposi- tion, like all parties, bad its platform ; and among the many planks in it was one advocatmg the introduction into the place of gin-shops, bowling-alleys, billiard-saloons and other like places of amusement. In its infancy the new party seemed but a speck on the horizon ; but it gained strength year by year, un- til it became so powerful as to be a serious thorn in the flesh to the faction in power, which had been watchi-g its growth with no little uneasiness. The second year after the death of my parents, the Puritans and the opposition contested the bit- terest election ever held in Marietta— the former, as usual, being victorious. The feelings of both parties were aroused to a war footing, though, happily, the affair passed without blood having been spilled. Mr. Scruggs and his followers now became satisfied that nothmg short of the total extinction of the firm of Giles & Morris would sustain them in power. Accordingly, one night,when no moon or stars mitigated in the shghtest degree the Cimmerian r • X'-. a honso hy the by a in.igistratc. tained a menace uany of the rcli- l to tolerate, ollicers and the 1 the place, who .inst its tyranny, arty had perpe- out making any ■autahle conduct. , court next sat, J it had suffered, • violent visits in ulifference, if not )in followers, and this outrage, was m, being the first ly of Puritanism, md front of this e-livers and free- nd longshoremen ort. Thoopposi- imong the many on into the place and other like party seemed but year by year, un- thorn in the flesh ;chi*"g its growth ifter the death of ontestcd the bit- er, as usual, being aroused to a war lout blood having ;r became satisfied e firm of Giles & ly, one night,when ee the Cimmerian PROFESSION. m darkness, and scarcely a twinkling light was to be seen m the quiet little town, the sheriff and about twenty men, citizens of the place, met by preconcerted arrangement at his house, and proceeded with noiseless steps towards the building occupied by the obnoxious parties, where it was supposed gambling took place Mr. Scruggs accompanied the cxpeditiois, m order to give to its acts the sanction of lawful authority. The party halt- ed silentiv at the door at the rear of the establishment, which was ordered bv the sheriff to be opened. Not receiving any re- sponse to his summons, he burst the door open, with the assist- ance of his companions ; when, however, they attempted to enter, they were confronted with the muzzles of seven or eight double- barreled guns, which had such an elVcct on them, that then- courage, like Bob Acre's, "oozed out at their liuger-euds," and from which they turned and. fled incontinently. , , .«, When it became known, on the following day, that the sheriff had been resisted in the discharge of his duty, a terrible excite- ment stirred the town to its depths ; such outlawry was unknown there, and an indignation meeting was called, which was presid- ed over by the I>resbyterian minister, and in which Scruggs and his colleagues, in stirring speeches, advocated the entire annihi- lation of the Arm of Giles & Morris, and everything pertaining thereto. His" proposal was carried by acclamation, and beloio time had been allowed for matters to cool, a motley Jlirong of more than two hundred peoplo were moving towards thepiem- ises occupied by the parties concerned, with the determination to wipe it from the face of the earth. But their benovcent pur- pose was frustrated ; for, when they reached the place, they found over forty determined men, armed with rifles, ready to protect it at any cost: This unexpected sight cooled their ardor, and after some muttering and threats, they abandoned thc:r hostile i"te"tion8 and disper -ed. Scruggs, finding himself defeated in his attempts to break the law, fell back upon it to consummate his revenge. Giles and as many as twenty of his associates were mdicted tor sedition, and nearly every other crime in the statutes of the State. But the determined resistance of tliose parties, to the attacKs on them, convinced the Puritans that it was no use to push mat- ters, unless they were prepared to fight. The court was willing • to set aside the indictments brought against Giles and his friends and to entertaiu the opinion that they had some rights in tuc I 26 AVAXUKKINGS Of A VAUABONU. commuuitj-, even if it were suspected tljey were iu the habit of brealiiug the laws by participating in gamlihng. After all, courts of justice are composed of only human intolllgcuces, who dispi-uso justice according to public opinion, instead of the spirit of tlie law. When, a few years before, Giles accused the shorilf before the court with having forcibly entered his premises in direct violation of the law, the court would not listen to him, because he had no power in the community. When he became powerful enough to resis* the encroachments of the authorities, the eye of the court was open to conviction; it decided that the sheriff had over- 8tepj)ed his authority when he attempted to break into the house of a private citizen, witliout a warrant from a magistrate, for the purpose of arresting suspected gainbling i)arlies. This decision freed the firm of Giles & Morris from the forcible vi.sitatio.is of the officers of the law, but not from espionage. Scruggs was ever on the alert to obtain evidence against the nightly frequeuterfi of the place, but his attempts were generally frustrated. The grand jury sat bat once in six months. Before the assembling of that august body, Giles and his friends, or at least those of tliem who had any fear of being summoned, would generally contrive to be absent on a fishing or hunting excursion, and not return until the danger was past. Since the opposition party had developed its strength, some of its members were on the jury at each session ; and if the tales were true, which Gile^ ind a few of his intimate friends used to chuckle over, they, had timely warning whenever a grand jury was disposed to bo troublesome. There were men on those juries, who held the strange idea that one's first duty was to protect one's friends, and. when that hung in the balance, were not half as particular about the secrets which hang around the august proceedings of grand juries, as was Hamlet's father about those of his " prison-house." 1 sho doc pre the No the lini bee use by wo the r we "s an bu on pr« res an pa sol ho wl do cU cb th qu cu 80 ev da ''-^^. the habit of ter all, courts who ilispi'iiso •it (if tlie law. fore the court t violation of ho had no ul enough to 1 of the court iff had over- iito the house itrate, for the This decision visitatio.is of iggs was ever 'rcqueuterfi of . The grand bling of that of them who ioutrive to ho turn until the developed its each session; his intimate iug whenever ere were men le's first duty 1 the balance, hang around imlet's father THE CLUB. S7 CHAPTER IV. TUK CLUB. The club, which assembled nearly every night at the tailor's shop, numbered about fifteen, and was composed of lawyers, doctors, merchants, farmers and mechanics. Mr. Giles was its presiding officer, and no person could gain admittance without the concurrence of the President, and at least six of its members. No spies or garrulou.'i persons had a ghost of a chance of entering the doors while any kind of gambling was going on. The gamb- ling was usually confined to the working department; when this became so crowded as to admit no more tables, the store was used. The two, three or four journeymen constantly employed by Mr. Giles, and who were also members, during the day worked in the back room, and if a press of business protracted their services into the evening, occupied the store. The diflbreut species of gambling cawied on at this club were poker, brag, euchre, all-fours, whist, "vingt-et-un," and "snaps" at faro. For use in the latter game, Giles had provided an old sheet-iron dealing-box, and about two hundred large horn buttons, besides a piece of black cloth with thirteen cards pasted on it, ranging from the ace to the king for a lay-out. The entire profits of the club went into the pockets of Giles, and was a very respectable rever.uo. Cards for playing all games except faro and vingt-et-un \Terp sold to the players at twenty-five cents a pack, thus affording a clear profit of fifteen cents on every pack sold. At poker, a check was deducted from the pool, for the house, whenever threes or over were exposed, and at brag whenever a full was exposed; let the check be one cent or one dollar, the claims of the house wore always the same. The house clahned ten per cent, of the winnings each "snap" at faro, and the same from the winnings of each game of vingt-et-un. Out of this revenue the house was expected to supplv it.^, guests with li- quors and cigars, but when lunches were desi'-d they were pro- cured from the "Old Hickory Tavern," at the expense of the per- son or persons ordering. During the hours devoted to play, everything was done in a quiet and orderly manner. In fact, they dared not do otherwise. The fear of detection and conviction ; J . miiii >i'*rii' fmir'riaiiai ■■■■■ m 28 AVANl)EUIN'(i.S OK A VACAUUND. held in check all who nii^ht otherwise have been disposed to be qucrnilsoine over their losses. Whenever dififereuces of opin- ion arose regarding points of play or other matters belonging to the game, the question in dispute was left to tho decision of any Binglo pcsrson who i.uld bo agreed upon by both, and whoso de- cision was final. If one or both parties were unwilling, as was Bometimes the case, to leave the vexed question tc tlio decision of a single person, each chose a referee, whoso decisions were considered final, provided they could agree. In the event of their disagreement, the referees choso an umpire, who deter- mined the matter. But this last method of settling a dispute was seldom required. Giles, being the high authority on all subjects in dispute, was generally appealed to, to give his deci- sion-a duty ho performed with tho utmost willingness, whether able to do so properly or not. The principal gatherings, and those which were the most lucrative to Giles, took place on Saturday evenings, when could bo found gathered in the club-room the whole sporting fraternity of Marietta and its vicinity. On these nights, from four to five tables were in full blast, running poker and brag games, from five to twenty-flve cent ante, while snaps at faro and vingt-et-un wouM bo also going forward. The hi(are aj,'aiii dealt; llir Captain's cards showing tluTO aces. The brag being pasM'd up tn him, ho bcl live dol- lars. (Jlles called him. " Sliow your papers, Cap," said(JiIes,see. ing him hesitate. "As I cannot show anylliing worth seeing, I'll let yon take the money, Mr. Ciles," said the Captain, care- fully putting his cards in the pack and shulHing tliem lieforo ho passed it over to Giles. Tho remark of Giles aliout the aces had given him a healthy scare, and belnro ho would risk arousing suspicion, by sliowing them again, tlioM','h sneli an event wiis hardly probalile, he pret'ened to lose his money. I remained in my old position until I had seen him exercise on his adversaries three (lueens and sul)se(iuently llireo eights, manipulating tliem in tho same manner as the three ac(>s, wlien I replaecid my plug and entered tlie dub-room. Taking a seat in front of the Cap- tain, in order that I might watch him closely, I was but a short time in solving the mystery of the three aces, the three queens, and the three eights; they were placed at the bottom of tho pack, and not disturbed in tho shuflle. The cards being dealt ro\md, one to each, until the dealer ccmies to himself, rapid as thought ho deals one to himself from tho bottom instead of tho top of tho pack. This trick is now so old, that the most verdant fools \v.- fuso to submit to it ; l)ut for several years after it was introduced, many of tho shrewdest gamblers in tho country were victimized by it. Any person liy im-ictico can learn to deal from tho bot- tom, but very few can become skillful enough to impose it on a party of players, without being detected. Like billiard i)laycrs, they can obtain a certain speed, and no amountof practice can make them more perfect. I have seen many skillful "bottom dealers," but none who could equal Captain Smith. If his own statement was correct, ho never had any instruction in it, and the principle of it emanated from his own brain ; that is, he devised it himself, altliough the trick had l)ecn known to a few sharpers some years beHne. Tho game continned until alwut four o'clock in tho morning, when it was broken up by Captain Smith leaving tho table, a loser for the first time since the night he joined tho club. Even liis advantage over his adversaries could not save him, and he left tho table, a loser of one hundred and twenty dollars. Giles was tho only winner, and, as is usual in such cases, was estrorae- ly happy— a state that owed something to the large number ' MMMHI m WANnKIIINOH OF A VAdABOND. whlskpv toddles of which he had pnrtnken rtiirlnff the orcnlnpf. Oil our way hiiiuo lio hoM forth al ^rcat loii^cth on his Huporlor psccllcupo ns a pokor-playcr. '• Didn't I toll yvv, Jack, that tho Cai)tnin was a fiat ? Flod n heai) of luck, had tlio Cap- tain, but r knew, if over tho luck iirok;^, I'd mnUo a fool of him. Kh, .Jack! Lot hiui koo]) on [jlayinR ; you'll hoo if I don't fetch him from his roost. Kh, Jack? Ain't that bo ?" " YoH, Hir, I export ho," I replied, rarolossly. "No, yon don't oxpeet anythin;^ of tho kind; you're a fool, I know you arc 1 Didn't you toll me tho Cap. was ohoatinK us! Ila! ha I ha! ha! That's rieh! Why dhln't ho cheat to- night f Didn't I make him squirm f When I boat that nco full for him I captured sixty good bucks from him on that hand. They may play their cursed nigger-luck on mo for a wlillo, but I'll bring Vm, whenever tho jjapors breaks oven, and every ono of them fellers too! If they get ahead of Giles, I'll agree to root for acorns tho rest of my life," etc., etc. I allowed Mr. (Jiles to have all tho convensation to himself, until we reached tho house, when I turned him ivcr to tho caro of my foster mother, and retired to my chaml)or ; but it was long after daylight before I fell asleep. The discovery I had made drove away slumber. What should I do— expose tijo trick f Hatred urged mo to expose tlio Captain. " Expose him !" also cried vanity. " Expose him, and receive tho in-aisos of your elders who had not brains enough to discover they were being fleeced by this man." "Pshaw! there's no money in exposure," said prudence; "don't be a fool ; put money in thy purse. Ha! did not that prince of villains, lago, say o f And is ho not high authority on the subject ? Who refuse follow his sago and moral teachings t Does your meek i linister of the gospel, your blatant moralist, or your astuto lawmaker, or your ermined dis- penser of justice I By no means ! Does not each and all look out to take precious good caro of numl)er ono, and feather his own nest particularly well ? If tho Captain's secret could bo made beneficial to mo, why should I expose it ? Why should I give it away to others 1 No ! no ! Captain, my boy, I'll not expose you, but I'll try and make some money out of you." A the My f'l'l' cat( had aire as < pok knc for a li his nrg dot "B tin; Mr, do ti'm Mi] m i I »* ho evening. liiH Huporlor Jack, that •1 the f'ap- fool of lilm. > If I don't iii'ro (I fool, ■licatiiif,' usi I cheat to- at that aco ill! on that on nio for )roakH oven, 1(1 of Giles, etc. to himself, r to the caro but it was ovory T had 50 tljo trick ? I him !" also fyoiir elders )eing fleeced Tosnro," said 30. Ha! did ho not hlpli lis sago and gospel, your jrmined dis- and all look d feather his •et could bo Why should boy, I'll not f you." DIPLOMACY. 37 CHAPTKR VI. niru)MA(T. About Rpven In the evening I rei)aired to tho wharf, to meet the Captain, on his way up fnun liis boat to tlie tailiins' hIioj). My watch wa.s longer than I expected, and gave nic aniplo oi»portunity to collect myself for tho Interview. For tlio deli- cate piece of diplomacy, in which I was about to lainicii, r had had a full week to ddilicrate and arrange my i)lan.-t. I had already settled Giles; that is, I had placed him in such a position as disabled him, at least for tlic present, from jilaying any morn poker. That ho would not borrow money for that puri)oso I knew, and conscciuently felt secure, as far as ho was concerned, for a time at least. After his la.st game bo had in ready money a little over six hundred dollars, and was, I know, indebted to his cloth-merchant, Mr. Camplicll, eleven hundred (or goods. I urged him to pay over what ready money be bad, towards tho debt. "No," ho replied; "I never make half-way payr.ents." "But you may lo.se your money, and tho cloth bill is really get- ting too large. Pay in what money you have, before you lose it, Mr. Giles," I remonstrated, but all to no purpose. " I .'han't do it,'' ho tartly replied; "I am going to win a pile with this money I've got; you see if I don't, .lack," ho cried, shaking his head and mumbling on at me as if desirous of eflaciug any un- pleasant impression. Seeing that further attempts in this quarter would bo useless, I changed my tactics by calling on Mr. Campbell, whom I re- quested to dun Giles for seven hundred dollars, e.\[»)aining that ho had nearly that amount on hand, and being in one of his spreeing moods, was likely to squander it. I told him that my only object was to save Giles, and requested that my visit might bo kept a profound secret from him, as ho would bo ^ery angry should ho find I had been meddling with his aflairs. Jir. Camp- boll, who had been for many years tho warmest friend Giles had in tho place, and who had never once, during tho long period of their business relations, sent a bill to him, but allowed him al- ways to settle his accounts with him at his own convenience, promised all I asked, and sympathized with my efforts to prevent I . H ff j^ al i Mii wfOn i 'ioiiV i i)i_tf isd ■WANBERIKGS or A VAGABOND. Giles from squandering his money. Tliat same day he called upon Giles and iircscntcd his bill in full, on the plea ^hat his merchants in Baltimore vrcro pushing him for money, and begged Giles to pay what he could on account, if unable to meet the full amount. Such an appeal from this quarter was more than Giles could resist, and he immediately handed o\-er six hundred and forty dollars, which was all ho had, and told Mr. Campbell that he would borrow the balance for hiiU immediate- ly. Mr. Campbell insisted that the amount he had receiTed was sufficient for his present wants, and the two parted the best of friends ; Giles, to my great satisfaction, being left without a dol- lar in ready cash. My first effort in diplomacy having proved so successful, I was now waiting on the wharf to put my second in execution. It was a beautiful evening in the beginning of April. No signs of life were visible on the levee, save the few lights that twinkled aboard the "Statesman," the only steamer at the wharf. The absence of drays, carts, and toiling men and brutes, told that the week's labor was ended on the wharf of Marietta. The clock on the court-house was just striking eight as I discerned the Captain crossing the gangway-plank of the Statesman. He walked slowly up the levee, with his eyes bent on the cobble-stones, as if ho was afraid to lift them to tho bright and tranquil moon which shone above hii i. Whatever may have been the subject of his thoughts, ho was so deeply plunged into meditation that he did not hear my approach, al- though I tried to call his attention by clearing my throat loudly, and beating tho cobble-stones with my feet. " A pleasant even- ing, Captain 1 " I said at last, when he was within a few feet of me. The unexpected sound of my voice startled him so much that ho made a motion to run away; but f,aickly recovering himself, and ashamed, probably, of being detected in showing fear, demanded in a harsh, angry voice, without noticing my sal- utation, "What are you doin' thar?" "Waiting to see you, Captain," I replied. "Well! yer see me, don't yer? What in h— 11 d' yerwanti" "Don't speak so confounded cross, Captain, I am not going to hurt you," I answered. "No impudence, youngster, but tell yer business, if yer've got any, and be quick about it too." day he cailecl 3 plea ♦hat bis r money, and unable to meet irtcr was more mded o\cr six , and told Mr. lim immediatc- xl receiTcd was ed the best of without a dol- iving proved so t my second in of April. No few lights that teamer at the ling men and 1 the wharf of t striking eight y-plank of the I his eyes bent ft them to the h 1. Whatever was so deeply y approach, al- y throat loudly, . pleasant even- n a few feet of i him so much ckly recovering ited in showing loticing my sal- d' yerwantf" am not going to )ss, if yer've got DIPLOMACT. «W "Very well, sir, I'll do so; I want to go halves with you in your poker games; here's my part for the stakes," I replied, holding towards him, with my left hand, a roll of bank-bills. lie stood gazing at mo in speechless astonishment and auger for some moments, then hissed from between his closed teeth, "Ton want to go halves with me in playing poker, eh?" "That's the busmess which brought me hero to night," I coolly replied. no stared so fiercely at me with his little black eyes sparkling with anger, fliat for a moment I imagined they were going to pop out of his head and shoot me ; I stood my ground, however. " It is, is it?" he finally ejaculated, still eyeing me from head to foot. "Nothing more or less, Captain," I rejoined. "Why, you d— d dirty cub, I'll whip the life out of you." "I reckon not, Captain," I rejoined, in the same cool and tantalizing tone. He made a spring for me, but I was expecting it, and jumped nimbly out of his reach. Being foiled in his efforts to get hold of rao seemed to madden him. He again started for me. But I had too much speed for his bottom, and could have easily left him far behind, had such been my object. I allowed him to pur- sue me to the top of the levee, about fifty feet from where we first met, then turned and faced him. On he came, fully bent on doing me a mischief if I fell into his hands— a thing I was fully prepared to prevent. I drew from beneath the bosom of my coat, a large dragoon pistol, cocked it, and presented the muzzle to- ward his head, when within a few feet of me. "Stop, or I'll fire," I cried, in a determined voice. The cocking of a pistol jars harshly on the ears of a foe. The unexpected sound, together with the flashing of the barrel in the bright moonlight, had a terrible effect on the Captain. My admonition was useless. The fight was completely knocked out of him ; he placed both arms before his face, as ?.f to ward off the expected bullet, and stooped at the same time, as if to dodge it. Baffled and cowed, he stammered, " Don't kill me, Jack, I didn't mean any harm." "You did, you ruffian ! You did," I almost shouted, for my blood was up. "Ton honor. Jack, I was only in fun; indeed I was ! Now put 40 ■WAXDEKIXGS OK A VAGADOXI). up thai pisto% Jack, that's a good soul; it might go oflfaccidePi,- ally, and you'd lie sony. Do put it up, Jack." " No, I shouldu't l)c sorry I'or it, cither. You'd whip tUo life out of 1110, would you? I've a good notion to send a bullet through your cowardly braius!" "Don't, Jack; I meant you no harm; I tell you 'twas only a joke ; do take away that pistol," ho cried, imploringly. "I will, on condition that you listen quietly to whatever I hare to say to you." "I'll do anything you want mo to. Jack, if you'll put up that shootin'-iron : it might go ofl" accidentally !" " No, it shan't go off accidentally nor intentionally, if you keep your hands off me, and listen quietly," I answered, lowering the pistol, but holding it cocked in my hand, as security for his good behavior. "Now, Captain, we'll resume business if you please, without any more angry words." "Yes, well, what is it you want?" ho hurriedly asked, still trembling from the effects of his scare. "Listen, and I'll tell j'ou in a very few words." " Go on." " I want an interest with you in your poker-playing at the tailor-shop !" " And what if I refuse f " " Then you shan't play there anymore." " TVliy not ? Who'll prevent mo ?" "I will." "How?" " By exposing to the whole party the trick by which you have been packing off their money." " I don't understand what you mean. Jack ; it's all Greek tome." " If you don't, it's because you don't want to understand," I replied ; " but I shan't have any difficulty in making those people understand me, when I explain to them how you've been robbing them, by dealing from the bottom of the pack." The accusation knocked him speechless. When he recovered the use of his tongue, he stammered out, " Why, J-J-J-ack, you're crazy I" "Am I?" I asked, calmly. "Let's see if I am? I've been watching you for the last month, fully satisfied that you were cheating, but was unable to detect how until last Saturday night, who that yoar thel the ' took you in SI aftei to si agei remi then you meu mys Buffi was (I ask( BO C Boin whi eigl mor affe. barl ope: seal it eh? hon oflf accidepi-- wbip tUo life iend a bullet 'twas only a atovcr I have 1 put up that y, if you keep lowering the y for his good f you please, y askttd, still aying at the lich you have Greek tome." nderstand," I 5 those people I been robbing he recovered -J-ack, you're 1? I've been hat you were iturday night, DIPLOHACT. 41 when I bored a hole in the house immediately behind you, so that I could sue the cards iu your band us plainly as you could yojrsclf. In the lirst place. Captain, Til recall to your memory tlie lirst pair of aces you held during the play ; with them you won the ' pot.' Giles exposed to you the ace of spades which you took, and put with your two aces. When you next dealt the cards, you hold three aces, and you held the same three aces four times iu succession. The last time you bunched them in the deck, after beiug called for a five dollar brag, because you were afraid to show them to the board again. Rather a bad piece of man- agement on your part. Captain, to deal yourself cards on which remarks had already been passed, on account of your holding them so often, and then throw away five dollars on them, because you had not the courage to show them. Kather bad manage- ment that, Captain " "Indeed!" sneered the Captain. " Yes," I replied in the same cool tone ; " I should not have dealt myself four aces the third time, and bet on them, unless I had sufficient confidence to show them to the board when my hand was called." " What would you have done in such a case?" ho sneeringly asked. " Why, when Giles made the remark about your holding aces 80 often, I should have bunched them and waited until I had got some other kind of threes, and worked them on the party for a while, as you did the three queens, and afterwards the three eights." When I had finished ho neither moved nor spolce for several moments. At last he tried to force himself into action with an affected laugh, which, in sound, bore more resemblance to the bark of a do;; than anything else. However, it acted the part of opening chorus, and gave him time to regain in a measure his scattered senses. " A nice cock-and-bull story ! So they made you a spy on me, eh? A fine den of thieves I've got mto ! I suppose they sent you hero to assassinate me too, eh ?" " You've lost no money in the den of thieves, as you call it, and in whatever robbery has taken place there, you yourself have acted the part of robber; but if you carry off any more plunder from there, you'll have to divide equally with mo. If I assumed the 42 AVANDERIN08 OF A VAGABOND. character of a spy upon your actions, it was at tlie suggestion of no other person, but for the direi object of getting a sliare in the spoils, and I am too greedy to have any partner in the busi- ness except your-'elf ; so the iiuiclier we come to a friendly understanding the better." "You say that you've told no one of this nonsensical suspicion of yours t" " Not a soul !" "Wliat, not even to Giles?" '• No, not even to Giles 1" - • " That's wonderful!" a Why V " Why ? Because it was your duty to tell him 1" " Perhaps; but I want to make money, and bad I told Giles I could not have done so !" "Why not?" " Because Giles is too honest a man to suffer his friends to be robbed if ho knows it. Had I told him of this matter, the whole country would have known it within an hour." "Well, my boy, I'm glad you've been so sensible! If you'd told this foolish story to them fellows at the tailor's shop, it might have caused some mi&chief." " I'm perfectly aware of it. Captain." "Very well. Jack," he said, in a half-coaxing voice; " I've no doubt you believe every word you've told me, but you're wrong; you've let your suspicions run away with your reason. Can't a man hold three aces half a dozen times, for the matter of that, in succession ? There's nothing strange in that ! I saw a man hold four Jack-fulls one after another, a few days ago, m Cmcinnati. Nobody thought anything strange of that ! 'cos they knew it was possible. I'm sorry such a foolish suspicion has got holt on you. Jack, and I'm d— d glad you've kept it to yourself; so there's no harm done. Now, Jack, I'm willing to forgive and forget every- thing, if you'll solemnly promise mo never to mention this affair to any one living. Come ! what do you say I" " Yes, Captain, I'll kocp your secret, and also swallow all you've been telling me, on one condition, which is thut I shall be equally interested in all the poker gnmes played by you in future at the tailor-shop." " That's impossible ! Don't think of it," ho returned, shaking his wit: lin$ tlet (I dol anj wai tha < pre th€ yoi ha' au( wii mt an I suggestion of ing a s^iuro in •r in the busi- to a friendly sical suspicion d I told Giles s friends to be ttcr, tlio whole 1 If you'd told shop, it might )ice; "I've no you're wrong ; ison. Can't a ,tter of that, in iw a man hold , m Cincinnati. 3y knew it was 3t holt on you, '; so there's no d forget every- ition this affair so swallow all thrit I shall be ed by you in urnod, shaking DIPLOMACY. 43 his head. "What! to be mixed up in a gambling transaction with a mere boy ! " " I want to bo interested with you in a stealing, not a gamb- ling trausaction, Captain," I retorted, getting considerably net- tled at his assumed airs. "Call it what you please," ho said. "I'd sooner lose fifty dollars of my own money, any time, than one of a boy's." "Which means, I suppose, that the genie's too good to give any of it away." " I mean nothing of the kind," he retorted, angrily. " I don't want tobeconcerncd in any such busiuesswith a boy of youragc." " Boys of my ago have sometimes more sense than men older than yourself." " They think so, no doubt, especially when not kept in their proper places." " Maybe you're 'right. Captain ; but that's neither hero nor there, in this case; and, as 1 have had sense enough to catch you dealing from the bottom on those sap-heads up there, I have also sense enough to benefit my pocket by the discovery ; and, to close matters, you must let me have an equal interest with you, or you play no more at the tailor's shop." " I must, eh ? " " That's the word ! " " And if I refuse, what then ? " "I'll expose you!" " Very well ; if that's your game, I'll not go there any more." " Then I'll be sure to do it." " What ! Because I don't go there ? " " You must continue playmg with the party, and allow me an mterest in your games, otherwise I'll expose your tricks," I answered m a quiet, but firm tone. " Well, I see your drift. But if you think, Jack, that you can bully me or force me into anything contrary to my own wishes, d n it, you're m the wrong channel." This vaiia boast betrayed to me his weakness, and convinced me that my point was gained. " You control your own actions, Captain," I said, "but those fellows up there," pointing with my finger towards the shop, " won't like you any better, when t'ley hear you've been chiseling them at poker ; and, let me tell you, tLcre's some ugly customers among that party. Can you afibrd m m 44 WAKDEEINOS OF A VAGABOND. to hare the report circulai ed all tLrough the country, that Cap- tain Smith is a coiumou swiudlor at cards i I asii nothing unreasouablo ; I have uiy sliaro of the money necessary ; and, instead of gaining less by my being interested, you will make much more than if ullovrod to go on in your miserable picayune way. Why, man, there's ten thousand dollars to be won there !" "Ten thousand lice to be won!" waa the contemptuous reply of the Captain. " That's all you know about it. I am speaking the truth, and if you will but listen to reason, and follov- my directions, I'll en- sure you five thousand for your share, in less than two months' time." " From wliom can it be won?" "From several persons, but more particularly from Rathbon and Clarke, who are rich, and who have won in the tailor's shop during the last three years much more thau that amount." "And what about Giles!" he asked. " He must know nothing of the business," I answered. " Well, by G — d, you want to beat your own father ! " "No," I answered quietly. "Giles shall not play in the game." " Why not?" he demanded. " Because I have so arranged it that he cannot," I replied. "I see! I see ! A d n nice trap you're trying to draw me into ! " " What trap. Captain ? " " How do I know ? But I expect you want to get me into the tailor's shop and have mo robbed and murdered." " Well, Captain," I said, laughing, " I could not expect any- thing better ffom your distrustful nature ; but listen to reason. If those fellows had made a plot to "ob and murder you after you had entered the place, it was no use for them to send me to de- coy you, as you have never failed to come of yor.r own free will every Saturday night since the one you were introduced there— and you were on your way there when I met you a short time ago. The party are waiting for you, 'tis true : but to treat you with all kindness, as they do every visitor, and to win your money, if they can." " But you say you've managed so that Giles can't play. D n me if I see how ? " "I becai mom from read soon botb (I goti it dolli you Wh ing (( sup t expect any- iten to reason. sr you after you end me to de- own free will :)duced there — I a short time ut to treat you d to win your les can't play. UlI'LOMACT. 45 'w, that he will soon have any more. Ho long as he lias none, he wil never bother us, because he won't borrow money to gamble with. ■ " You say you've got plenty of money. How much have you ^''" sTough to pay my way with if you should lose a thousand dollars." ^ , ^.,, " Why, how the h— 1 did you come by so much money 1 "Aslam anxious to arrange this matter satisfactorily with vou, I am willing to tell you everything you wish to know. What money I have, I have won duriug the last two years, play- ing caras at the tailor's shop." *' I never saw you playing any cards there, and I should uot suppose any one would play with such a boy as you arc ! "Still I have done so, and every man you have seen there will and has repeatedly played with me." " And vou've beat 'em ? " , • , „ " I've got their money to show for it, and what's more, besides winning it, have kept it in my possession." "You're pretty good for your age, and if you keep up your lick 'till the hair comes out strong on your lace, you 11 be a ^'^"Weli, Captain, I've now given you every assurance of my willingness to help you in making money, and also all the infor- mation you have asked me for, to erase from your mmd the suspicions you seemed to entertain. Now are you willing to accept my offer 1 It is getting late, the party is waiting for ycu, and I want an interest in your game to-night." "But you say you can direct how five times as much as I have been making can be made." "Yes, twenty times as much! Nothing is easier. Increase the ante whenever they demand it, which Clarke, \^ ilhs and Rathbon are sure to do, whenever they are losei-s in a game i^w one of them will be willing to increase it up to ten dollars. N-oue of the lest of the poker players will consent to play more Sian d dollar ante, and will drop out of the game, which will r 46 WANDEKING8 OF A VAGAJIOND. make it all the easier ftjr you. I want you to break Rathbon and Clarke — they arc too greedy for my use ; and you can do it if you will only shove a little more sand in your craw. If you don't want to risk your money, I'll take any share in the game you don't want." "I can stand na much as you can," replied the Captain, sul- lenly. " Well, pitch in then, and tret their money ; you'll find I'll ren- der you more assistance tlian you'd exi)ect." " Well, Jack, do you think you could keep yoin- mouth shut, if we started in together f " "Yes, until the grave shuts over it; would not exposure in- jure me as much as yourself? Have confidence in me, Captain." " Now, if I lose your money don't blame me for it, Jack !" "If you lose it, I shall not cry for it; I made it by gambling." I gave him two hundred dollars, and promised that I would be careful not to betray, l)y words or looks, that any intimacy ex- isted between us, after which we separated. It waa arranged that I should call on board the " Statesman " each day on which she left for Cincinnati, to settle accounts and other matters connected with our compact. That night the Captain phiyed poker until after daylight with Clarke, Rathbon, ilicks, and a man by the name of Frazer. Towards morning the ante was raised to one dollar, and the Cap- tain rose from the table the winner of three hundred and eighty dollars. I met him in his room on the Statesman shortly before she started, when he handed me over my money, and my portion of last night's spoils. As we parted he said, " Aleet me on the wharf where we met last time, when we come back." I did so, and con- tinued to meet him every Saturday night for three mouths, when the river got so low that the " Statesman" had to lay up at Cincin- nati. The Captain sold his interest in her, and never made his appearance again in Marietta, at least while I remained there. During my connection with this man, I dreaded him, and never met him without being armed. That he hated me I was satisfied, and I doubt not would have done me an ill turn, had I ever been so unfortunate as to fall into his power. At our rendezvous of an evening, I watched him as closely as if he had been a rattlesnake, and I was looking for the fatal spring. No words except those pertaining strictly to business ever ID. to break Rathbon lul you c.nn do it if raw. If you don't lie game you don't 1 the Captain, sul- you'U find I'll ren- your mouth shut, not exposure in- ;c in me. Captain." for it, Jack !" e it by gambling." isod that I would t any intimacy ex- the " Statesman " ettle accounts and itil after daylight 10 name of Frazer. Jilar, and the Cap- indred and eighty nan shortly before , and my portion of 3t me on the wharf I did so, and con- ireo mouths, when :o lay up at Cincin- id never made his I remained there. 3d him, and never me I was satisfied, , had lever been so " rendezvous of an jeen a rattlesnake, to business ever MAJOR 0EOR(!H JKNK3. 47 passed between ua; our interviews were brief and entirely to the point. riis dealings with me wore honest, and on llio whole wo divid- ed bt'twccn UH, four thousand and seven hundred dollars, the most of which came from the pockets of IJathlton and Clarke. I managed to keep Giles from plaviug cards with the Captain, by induoilig him to pay over to .Mr. Camr'iell, at various times, what surplus money lie had. One niglit, while drunk, he insisted on having a hand in the game, and lost forty dollars, what money ho had about him. flo tried to biirrow some, but as I liad wiini- ed those playing, that ho was unable to pay, he could get r to loan to him, which caused him to leave in disgust, go to bed." CHxiPTEll VII. MAJOU GEORUE JENKS. The spring had passed away, and with it the volume of water which floated palatial steamers on the bosom of the beautiful Ohio. The long-sunken bars were drawn to the surface by the heat of the sun, and so confined the channel to such narrow and shallow limits as almo.st to impede navigation altogether. Had it not been for a few light-drauglit stern-wheelers, and occasion- ally a keel or flat-boat which struggled their way painfully, the bosom of the river would have been as destitute of life as when the savage glided over it in his bark canoe. The town was so dull that the arrival of a dinkey at the wharf or the stage-coach from the interior created no little excitement, and brought out a largo portion of the inhabitants to stare at and speculate on the few passengers who arrived or departed. Like the calm that succeeds the storm, gambling died away after the period of unusually high betting at the tailor's shop which marked the era of Captain Smith. Ho had now ceased to visit the place. Clarke and Rathbon, who had been Lis princi- pal vicHms, grew despondent because they had no opportunity of recov< ing their losses. Old Hicks would not measure his skill with tueirs unless more verdant players could bo found to make up the game, for their losses had made them wolfish. The i ^^^^^^^^ -.S«i!:-».i>^« .t^'ii ■JXSSS .#: 4A AVANUEIilNCJS OI' A VAC.ABOND. pockets ofWilll.s hud Imon (Iniiiicil l)y tlic liplit-finffpretl Cap- tain until ho was unahlo to borrow a tloljar nioiv. Uilea, it is true, was willing to jjlay, bet. im it was Ibr his intevcst to have yaincs going on in the shop, but ho was no niateh for such i)lay- cis as Clarke and Hathbon and TlicUs, and I used all the elo- (luenre I was master of, as well iis every stratagem I coidd devise, to deter him from playing. But my advice and remonstrance were equally thrown away. The only way I could succeed was to keep him impoverished. 'J"hc money derived from his busi- ness, after the payment of necessary expenses, I applied to tlie payment of his debts, and the money which I received from the gambling tables for household expenses, or handed over to the custody of Mrs. Giles; and if more than she required, I gave it to Mr. G. to dispose of as he pleased. Ho was not by any means dispo.sed to submit in silence to the arbitrary acts of his prime minister. Not that he objected to paying his debts, on tho contrary he was very hcnsitivo about his obligations, and at all times anxious to meet them ; but when he had drunk a few glasses and wanted to gamble, ho imagined that the claims of his creditors had no right to interfere with his anmsements. On these occasions ho would insist on my giving him money. Ho was aware that I kept on hand a stock of my own, but had not tho remotest idea of the amount, neither had anyone else ; for I allowed no one to share my confidence regarding tho strength of my treasury. Giles believed I had four or live hundred dol- lars, and, as ho frequently remarked to his friends, a suction-pipo of forty-horse power could not draw any portion of it out of mo. My frequent refusals to loan him money to gamble with made him very angry, and ho indulged in such ill-tempo -od expres- sions, bitter gibes, and sometimes even threats of violence, as hiade my relations with him anything but comfortable. Cne day, while in ono of his drunken and domin ;ering moods, he began abusing me because I refused him money to jday poker. I told him plainly that he must alter his style of behavior, or wo must part company. Tie dreaded my leaving him, because I was in many ways useful to him, and, besides that, he entertained for me a rough kind of aflfcction. His wife loved me as much as if I had been her own olVsjjring, and this little circumstance having come to her knowledge, and the "gray mare being in this case decidedly the better horse," Giles was induced to alter his bo- I). rht-fiiiRorcf''. Cap- iiKii'o. Giles, it is is interest to have iti'h for such play- I used ail the elo- ;etn I coiild devise, and remonstrance could succeed was •ed from his busi- 1, I ajjplied to the received from the inded over to the •cquired, I gave it 3 was not by any bitrary acts of his nng his debts, on )bligations, and at had (h'unk a few that the claims of ; amusements. On him money. He own, but had not anyone else; for I •ding the strength live hundred dol- nds, a suction-pipe on of it out of me. ;;amble with made -tempe-ed oxpres- ats of violence, as fortable. Cneday, f moods, he began day poker. I told lavior, or wo must , because I was in he entertained for me as much as if I rcumstanco having being in this case d to alter his be- M.V.KiK CKOKilK .1 KMCS. 40 havlor towards me, and after this little all'air, which took ])laco a few mouths previous to my collusion with ('apt. Smith, allowed mo to conduct matters im'tty much as I pleased. When the players, who were the nucleus iiiduiul which were gathered all gambling operations wliiuii took place at the tailor's .shop, could not keel) a game gt)ing, the ]ilaco ceased to bo a centre of at- traction, and the hearts of llio "unco guid" were gladdened on behoUUng at night the dark windows and the death-like stillness which hung aroiuid the hated place. But as a pebble drop]ied on the glassy surface of a lake will agitate its waters from shore to shore, so was the sporting fra- ternity of ISlarietta stirred by a report that the royal "tiger" had made his appearance in the jjlace, and spread him.self, for his prey, at the shop of Giles tc ^lorris. Faro had been for years a favorite ga'- with the frerotulierances which adorried that facial ornament, It was much nearer tho color of wet putty. His countenance might, with the aforementioned exception, bo called cadaver(Mis. When ho made his appearance before tho citizens of Marietta, he was attireil in white linen pantaloons, a claw-hammer coat of line blue cloth, an open black silk vest, a lufllcd shirt, while around his neck was folded a largo black silk handkerchief, turned over which his extensive shirt-collar shone immaculate. A broad-brimmed wliito beaver covered his shaggy heatl, and a small diamond twiidcled among tho rufllos of Ws shirt. A largo gold fob-chain with several seals and small keys attached, dangled from his thigh; his feet were covered with brightly varnished shoes, and, to complete the picture, ho carried in his hand a varnished hickory cane, ornamented at one end with a brass ferule, and at tho other with a knob of fine polished gold, on which was engraved tho name of Major Goorgo Jenks. Ho was born in Virginia— a fact of which he was inor- dinately proud ; but where can tho Virginian bo discovered who is not! or where is the Virginian versed in the lore of his native State, who cannot trace his pedigree far back among Bomo of the titled families of tho British Isles? His lantern jaws were entirely overworked ; for, when not employed in masticating his food, they were always occupied— except during his hours of sleep— in crushing the juice from that weed so largely cultivated in his beloved native State. Whenever tho brains of the Major became heated from over- dosing himself with the " essence of corn," he would hold forth at great length, and with much unction, on tho superiority of Virginians in general, and tho Jenks family in particular, to all creation. Ho would insist that his family wore among the first settlors, and that its illustrious members could trace their pedi- i the UiHl profos- licb terms are sy- loiinr, I sluill rii- lit'ty-tiv(> years of [IS long uiul oval- wliii'h lui't a jialr ell ho hud a larLto his complf'xion to tint on tho cud of lich adoiTiod that lor of wet putty, med oxeeption, ho !aranco before tho ineu pantaloons, a 1 blaek silk vest, a ; a lavRO black silk fihirt-eolUir shono a\er covered his anionjx the ruflles ral seals and small feet were covered etc tho picture, ho ornamented at ouo ith a knob of fine 10 of Major Goorgo dilcU ho was inor- bo discovered who in tho love of his far back among ? ;cd ; for, when not always occupied— thejuico from that vo State. heated from ovcr- would hold forth 1 tho superiority of in particular, to all ?ro among the first Id trace their pedi- MAJOU OUUKUU JENKa. SI greo back to tho IMantagencts; of which niuch-HulToring name, and its bcirers, he had, however, a very confused notion. Ilo was aware that this august nanio was the polar star of all ichor- blooded Virginians, and ho lloin-ish(!d it before us with the utmost looseness. 'I'ho .Major had but ono country, his heaven and iiis earth— that was Virginia. When in one of liis convivial moods, ho delighted to talkof the general.shipof Wasliington, thostates- maushij) of .lelVeison and Madison, the chMpienco of Henry, and tho wit of Randolph. Ho denounced (May and Jack.son a.s hum- bugs and demagogues; and when reminded that Clay was a Virginian, he insisted that ho was only a mongrel, who was obliged to leave his native State because ho was imablo to copo with the mighty intfdlects with which it was filled. In line, no good thing, in tho Major's eyes, could come from anywhere out- side of Virginia. Of whou or how ho obtained tho title of Lfajor, I am profoundly- ignorant; perhaps ho had bclongc'. to tho militia— tho country, In those days, was filled with citizen ildiers— or, as is quito as likely, it had been awarded by his i.icnds as an expression of respect ; a way in which thousands of others havo obtained their military titles. It is, indeed, a subject wo cannot afford to be too curious about, in this country. I never asked him how he ob- tained it, nor did he ever volunteer any information, though he never failed, in putting his name to any paper, however insignifl- cant, to adorn it with tho title of "Major." lie also aped tho bearing of a military man, by shoving out his chest to what must have been a most uncomfortable degree, and keeping his head prcternaturally erect. His faro-tablo, covered with the implement.'? of tho game, created quito a sensation among his visitors, very few of whom had ever seen anything better, in that lino, than Giles' sheet-iron^ box, big horn buttons, and lay-out of cards tacked to tho table. Giles was careful that no persons should bo admitted to tho game, but such as \ifishod to join in it. On tho first evening, tho Major had a lively game, in which ho lo.st over three hundred dollars. It broke up by ton o'clock ; the players, having all won, were satisfied ; but the polite Major would not allow his customers to leave imtil he had treated them to a lunch, which he ordered from tho " Old Hickory." Some of the winners objected to this, and proposed to make up a purse among themselves for that pur- J It- i fi! IP f I WANDEKDJGS OF A VAUA130ND. his money, and were now ^"J"^ "^ , ^^'/"^'^[^^^^^^^ and ho showed them by his "^^"""- ^^ ^^ .^^^ ^^ f^ t^-^.k J, and in his memory (or at least tried *« "J^^ ''^'^^r lavor than Bvircceded), and that they could not do him a greater to partake of his hos))itahty. .',cd-eYc" had some- When a half-dozen or so of glasses ot ic^J^J^ ^ ^hat enlivened the old fellow he «;!"g ^^ ^j^^^^J .7,;^ '^ ^^d manly voice, to the ^-^-^^^^ ^^1:^^^ ilv given my entire attention to the ^^'>"^'/l^.;';^ ' ^^,^^,1; ,vaitcd on evening. I had helped 1^^ *« ''^"''^.^f.^f ^^^^ the "Old the players, and afterwards brought ^^;j'^f^;';;,,i,es, and Hickory." The old fellow ^f^^^^^^ h^ had thanked me, in tboj---; etn we';t sX a's to prophesy finished his love-song, ^e e\en \Ne that I should some day ^-^Pr^^^l^^^^^.i^^' f,"S^^ channel. Major's idea of f ^^^ness ran rdtoge^be^^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^. ^^ ^ He showed much ^Y'^'!l\^^Z'crJr \n a sorrowful voice, Tarn^ mTt^re^r crds,Cl'wIld from "the wrath to ''"But you don't practice ^hat you preach, Major," I laugb- ^^^!^Ss so, my son," ho r^^ed ; <;but^c^tancc. have thrown me into my PJ-^^^PJ^! f^ u dsrw tricks,' you E^^MttTdoir^o^llS n>o .o^.ivingyou good ^'"^; M^or, ^^I'-thankful foryom kind^nt^^^^^ '^'"Tnde?df""be exclaimed, regarding me curiously; ''pray, what current is that, Master Jack V W—i'l I I I I iND. by telling tliem they , whether they won ;cr the hrnch, hnuora the place aflbrrtcd, bave entertained his liteness, had he been ,ra. They liad won lives at his expense; i losses held no place tlicni think so, and a greater lavor than ' red-eye" had some- i love-song, in a fine f his hearers. I had :he Major, during th' 1 faro-table, waited on hnich froi tlic "Old ed my services, and ompany, after ho had io far as to prophesy rict in congress. The in a political channel. 10 present told him I in a sorrowful voice, d from " the wrath to ach, Major," I laugh- ut circumstances have I am now too far ad- Id dogs new tricks,' you from giving you good X kind intentions; but yn away on TOO, because imbling is carrying me mo curiously; "pray, MAJOB GEORGE JENKS. 53 " Lovo of excitement and gain, sir," I rejoined. " Damn me, gentlemen,"' cried tlie Major, bringing his hand down on the table so fiercely that the bottles and glasses rung again, " if I don't believe the youth on this side of the Ohio ad- vance faster tlian tliose along our sea-shore ! " After which forcible delivery of his opinion, lie invited all hands to join him in another drink, wliicb they were quite ready to do, being all capable drinkers. " Then it's really yoi.r intention to become a gamblor. Jack?" was the half-way inquiry of the Major, the round of liquor being tossed down the capacious throats of the company. "So it seems, Major." " Then I'm sorry for you, my boy. You've got a crooked and d d stoney road before you, that's all I can say." "Well, Major, can't you give him some advice how he can drive his team over that ar' road?" asked old Hicks, who was present. "I can, sir, with pleasure, if he will listen to it; but before I begin, with your permission, sir (bowing to Hicks), we'll fill up our glasses and take another round." The company met the call to a man, and, having supplied his cheek with a fresh quid of " nigger-head," the Alajor leaned back in his chair, strotched his legs under the table, and pro- ceeded to enlighten me as follows : " My young friend, remember that cleanliness, not to mention its being next to godliness, is the parent of health. Live accord- ing to your means, dress well, but avoid foppishness ; make it your study to use good language and acquire the manners of a gentleman. Beware of intemperate and dissolute companions ; never intermeddle with the business of others, or neglect your own for frivolous pleasure. Avoid quarrels and quarrelsome persons, and, above all, shun the company of abandoned women. Enter into no business transaction without first giving the sub- ject due reflection, and, when in doubt, seek the advice of men on whose integrity and judgment you can rely. Wlien your money or your honor is at stake, rely on your own natural sense, if you have no triTstworthy friend at hand to advise you. Give your confidence to few ; but should you ever bo so fortunate as to have a tried friend, let nothing l)ut death separate you, one from the other. Ne>'er borrow money under false pretences, wm M •" which, being money won and lost, two more cards^the fn-st for the bank and the second for the phyer, and thus he continues until the whole pack is doult out. Whenever two cards of the sumo (lenomination, as, for exam- ple, two .sevens or two fours, appear in the Siuue turn, the dealer takes half the money found upon .such card— this is called a "split," and is said to be tlio bank's greatest percentage, to avoid which old faro players wait until tiiere is but one seven or four, or card of any other denomination left in rlie box, and then place their heavy beU upon that, thus avoiding the possi- bility of a "split." If a player wishes to play upon the banker's card, or to bet any certain card will lose, ho indloutes it by placing a copper upon the top of his stake, and if this card wins for the bank the player also wins. When there is but one turn left in the box, the plaver has the privilege of " calling the last turn," that is, of guessing the order in which the cards will appear, and if he calls it correctly he receives four times the amount of his stake. KEEPIKO THE GAME. As it is important for both dealer and plavcr that the cards remaming in should be known, the game is accurately kept, so as to exhibit at a glance every phase of the deal. For this pur- pose, printed cards are given to the players, upon which they keep the game m the following manner. No. 1.— This table, marked as the cards are dealt, exhibits what each card Jias done; the means that the card has lost, 1 that it won ; thus, the ace lost, won, lost, and won; the four lost twice and won twice; the seven won four times; the queen lost four times, and the Jack split, lost and won; the X indicating a split; the six was the top, or "soda card," a& shown by the *; the nine won, lost and won, the fourth nine remaining in the box, being the last, or "hock" card, which is indicated by the t No. 2.— This table illustrates a deal partly made. One ace has been dealt, and three remain in the box ; two deuces have No. 1. No. 2. A— 0101 A— 1 2-0000 2—00 3—1001 3-000 4—0011 *4— 5-0010 5-01 *6— 101 fl— Oil 7-1111 7— 8—1100 8-11 9— lOlJ 9—011 10—1110 10— J— XOl J— Q— 0(K)0 K-llOO l=S ! 3 1 (JO WANDERINGS OF A VAOADOKD. lost, and two remain in tho box ; four was the top card, and all the sevens remain in the box, etc. Vt this staKO of the game cautious players would avoid bet- ting upon tS seven, ten, or Jack, preferring the trois, mx, or nine because upon tliese latter ear.lH they cannot be split, an r e is but onE of each in the box, while the seven ten, ad Jack are all in the box. uud arc therefore liable to spht or to ap- pear before tho othcra. KEEPING THE GAME BY A CUE-BOX. Another mode of keeping the game, common in tj^° Northern States is by a "cue-box," by which the dUlcrent stages of the g!^e are correctly noted by one of the players or by a regular ''cuc-kecper," who is usuahy attached to the bank. The cue-box is a minir.turc "lay-out," with four buttons at- tached to eacJ Ia. Those familiar with billiards w,ll recog- nize this as the same method of keeping that game. At the beginning of each deal, the buttons, which are placed upon wfres extendrng from each card, are all shoved up to the card- iis soonasaturnis made the buttons are pushed to the oDDOsi e end of the wire. If the Jack is the soda card, one of Su buttons belonging to that card is pushed to the opposite ond of the wire. If the turn come a kmg, and then a four, a blon Z:Z king and one from the four i^ P-becUo t^^^^^^^^^^ posite end of the wire, and so on to the end o the deal, so that by a glance of the eye, the player can see how many of each card remain in the dealer's box. TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN FARO. BanlerorBacker.-ThQ person who furnishes tho money for ^^iSr.-He who cieals^the cards, and takes and pays tho ^'c«e or Case-Keeper.-The person who marks game on the cue-box. iooA-er-o.i/.-The dealer's assistant. C/iCcfcs.-Ivory tokens representing money, with which tue .rnmn =q nlavod* thev vary in color, size, and value. '"ZHCrorH^MUj Card is tho last card remaining in the box after tho deal has been made. When one turn remam. to ^4. top card, and all would avoid bet- tho trois, six, or mnot 1)0 siilit, :vs 10 Hoveu, ton, and e to split or to ap- UE-BOX. )n in tlie Northern ircnt stages of tlio 3rs or by a i-ogular bank. ;h four buttons at- jilliards will rccog- gaiue. I, which aro placed I shoved up to tho s arc pushed to the e soda card, one of shed to the opposite and then a four, a Is pushed to the op- of the deal, so that, how many of each N FARO. ishes tho money for takes and pays tho marks game on the ley, with which the id value. ard remaining in the I one turn remains to FARO. 61 be made, there arc three cards in the box. They may be, for ex- ample, the live, six, and seven. We will .supi)o.sc tlio last turn to be lir*!, six, leaving the seven in tho box, which would bo called the hock card, because, as the game was originally played, tho dealer took "liock," that is, all UKJUcy whicli happened to be placed upon that card ; tho bank, therefore, luul a ccrlninty of winning tliat money, witliout tho possibility of losing it; lienco the term hock, which means certainty. A Deal.— 'Tho dealer is said to have made a deal when ho has dealt out tho whole deck. A Ttirn.-— Tho two cards drawn from tho dealer's box, one for tho bank and tlio other for tlio player, which thus determines the events of tlio game, constitute a turn. Coppering a Bct.—U a player wislios to bet that a card will lose (that is, win for tho bank), ho indicates his wish by placing a cent, or whatever may bo provided for that purpose, upon tho top of his stake. It is called "coppering," because cojjpers were first used to distinguish such bets. To Bar a Bct.—K player having a bet upon a card, and wish- ing to bar it for a turn, must say to the dealer, "I bar this bet for tho turn," pointing to it, in which case it can neither win nor lose. Last CaW.— When three cards only remain in tho box, any player has the privilege of calling the order in which they will be dealt. This is termed the last call. Tho checks are placed so as to express tho call, and, if correctly made, the bank pays four for one, and if a "cat," two for one. A Cat or Cat ifarpew.— When the last turn consists of two cards of the same denomination, and one card, as two tens and a king, it is called a cat. ParoU or Par/ec— Suppose a player to bet five dollars upon the ace, it wins, and the dealer pays it ; if tlie plaj'cr then allows the ten dollars to remain upon the ace, he is said ♦^^o play his paroU, which means the original stake and all its winnings. Pressing a Bet. — To add to the original stake. Betting even Stakes is when the player constantly bets the same amount. Stringing a Bet is taking in one or more cards, remote from tho one upon which the bet is placed. Playing a Bet Open is to bet a card will win, not to lose. I I 68 WAKDEHING3 OF A VAGABOND Bevcatinq and Iimmr,f,.-A card is said to repeat vhen it plays as it did upon tlio previous deal, and to trrersc when it plays directly opposite ; that ir,, if it won four times it is said to reverse if it loses four times. Smp.-A temporary bank, not a reRular or established Rarae. Slcrprrs.—X bet is said to bo a sleciicr when the owner has forgotten it, when it becomes public property, any one having a richt to take it. , , ,, A Bet or Case Cnrd.—Vfhm three cards of one denomination have been dealt, the one remaining in tho box is called a bet, case, or sini/le card. The Soda Card is the top card of tho deck, when put into the dealing-box preparatory to a deal. , , v. *i Snakinq a' Game.- X game is said to bo snaked when tbe dealer's cards have been stok'n, and privately returned, marked, or prepared in such a manner as th:.t when they are dealt, the Bnaker knows what cards will win or lose. Faro banks are often broken in this way. , Throiving off a Game.-V^hm a dealer, by a preconcerted plan, allows a player to w in, he is said to throw off the game. Catching a J'Mrn.-Sometimes tho dealer is so careless in Bhuffling his cards, that a shrewd player will know what cards have not been separated, or will have some other advantage by which he will beat tho turn ; this is called " catching a turn." LAWS OP THE GAMB. The rules of faro are few and arbitrary, and are based upon principles of j.rstice and equity. All questions or points of con- troversy which may arise during a deal, may at once be settled by refe'-'-''i«r to the general rules or principles of tho game. All bets art to be taken or paid as they lie upon the card, except there is m\ express understanding to tho contraiy. The intentions of a pl.^er aro not to bo c^ siderod by tho dealer; his bet being supposed to represent his lu. ^ntion. If a player wishes to bar a bot on a card, ho must make the dealer understand that ho bars it, when it will remain barred until he says "it goes." If a player should put a bet upon a card, and say to the dealer, " One half of this bet goes," it would be so understood until the end of the deal, unless the order was revoked. % to repeat vhen it reverse when it times it is said to eatal)lishe(l Ranie. leii tlie owner has 1 any quo having a one denomination )ox is 'galled a bet, , when put into the snaked when ti)e returned, marked, they am dealt, the iiro banks are often by a preconcerted nw off the game. • is so careless in 1 know what cards other advantage by catching a turn." md are based upon )ns or points of con- y at once be settled 3 of the game. ' lie upon the card, the contraty. The d by the dealer; his n. , he must make the will remain barred md say to the dealer, understood until the FARO. W Should a player or the dealer, by design or accident, remove or alter a bet belonging to anotlicr, ho is responsiljlc, for its loss. When two players bet the sumo stake "single" ujion dillbrciit cards, one coppered and the other to win, and tliey both win upon the same turn, the copper bet, being the llrst to win, must be paid, The dealer must pay all bets for which he turns, provided they are made in checks, but only the limit of the game if in bank bills. The dealer should take and pay correctly, and not make mis- takes by design or through carelessness ; nor should ho alter the position of the cards dealt, but allow them to remain upon their respective piles undisturbed. When the i)laycrs have broken a bank, the dealer must take and pay the largest bets first. Suppose the bank to have but one dollar left, a turn "a made by which the dealer wins one dollar and loses two ; ho mu.st take the dollar he wins, and pay the dollar lost; the ruie is to take and pay the amount of the bank in sight. The dealer has the right to close his game, or to quit dealing, whenever he sees proper to do so. Players have the right to count, or otherwise examine the cards of the dealer, if they suspect foul play, or if they wish to guard against it. In all cases the dealer has the right to the last shuffle and cut ; and where he permits a player to shufifle or cut, it is an extension of courtesy to the player, and not bis right. THE CHANCES OF THE GAME. The percentage in favor of the bank is generally estimated to be about three per cent., but the average is evidently more than that. Some players reduce the percentage against them to almost nothing, while other players, less experienced, give the bank enormous advantages. With all players the percent- age varies with each turn of the cards, so that no proper esti- mate of the bank's advantage can bo made. One thing, how- ever, is certain — all regular faro players are reduced to poverty, while dealers and bankers, who do not play against the game, amass large fortunes; and, again, the higher order of faro-rooms are gorgeously furnished — luxurious suppers and costly wines >!| 64 ■WANPElllNns OK A VAr.ABOXn. arc pratultonsly oflVrod to plnvcrs, and tlio proprietors aro cvorywhoro diHtiii-iiiislicd for tlii'ir rfcUlt'S'i (.'Xtriivii.i;iiiicc. A'l this is siistiiiiicil hy the pr-rcciita;;!) of the niimi'. Almost every laro-pl;iyer liiis soiiio pociiliar system, wliieli ho rfrlves to believe will lieat tlie liank, ami wliieli sometimes doea realize liis liopes ; but, in the end, all systems fail. Tlio truth is, tlie fitum is based upon eertain matlicmatieal prineiplcs, giviiit; it"a percentage which no system of iilayinjj caa overcome. CALLING THE LAST TURN. The bank's greatest percentage is when players call the last turn, as is here illustrated : Suppose the cards remaining In the box to bo the 4, 5, and fi; the turn may come I, 5—4, (i— r>, 4—.'), G—C, 4, or 0, 5. Therefore it may come six ditVerent ways, but ho who calls it correctly receives only four for one, or four times the amount of his stake. When the turn happens to bo a "cat," it may como three dillereut ways, but the bank pays only two for ono. No better exposition could bo given regarding tlio rules, laws, and maxims which govern faro as It Is dealt at the present time in this country. But when the author tells us that the percent- age in favor of the bank is generally estimated at three and a half per cent., ho displays his ab.solute want of knowledge upon that subject. Faro is the only banking game of chance known to us, whoso percentage cannot bo clearly defined. The best algebraista among the gambling community of this country have been un- able to show us that faro has one and three-fourths per cent, in its favor. The author also informs us that "all regular faro-players are reduced to poverty, while the dealers and bankers, who do not play against the game, amass large fortunes." With all due re- spect, he does not ki'ow what ho is talking about. He must have derived his information from hearsay, and could never have consulted intelligent gamblers on the subject. There are thousands of persons who have played against faro games almost every dav of their iives, from budding manhood to old age, who have iiever been reduced to poverty. I can recall proprietors aro trava.i,'iincc. J!l system, whicli ho I somc'tiiiius (1(103 fiiil. Tho tnilh atical priiiciiilcs, ng caa ovcrcumOi IN. ycra call tho last bo tho 4, 5, and G— 0, 4, or r», 5. it ho who calls it 103 tho amount of may como three • ono. ng tlio rules, laws, ,t tho present time that the porcent- at three and a half :)\vledge upon that ance known to us, he best algebraists itry have been un- burths per cent, in IV faro-players are inkers, who do not With all due re- about. He must and could never ibject. There are ainst faro games, ig manhood to old rty. I can recall FA no. 63 many sutli rnsea under my own observation, where (ho partieH ares:till livini:, with iiniplo means tomistain tiieinM-iveM andthoso l)el()n,i;ing lo llu'iii. I also doiilit if tliein are in tlie enuntry, or liave lieen witiiin the last tiiirty years, twenty per-ions who Iiavo amassed a fDrttiiic of one liinKlred thousand dollars l»y faro- dealing. I have known within that |)eri()(l, myself, hnndreils of I'aro-hankers who have n«>ver made more than a respeetaltlo living from tlieir business. The author says : " The higher order of faro-roonis aro gorgecmsly furnished and deeorated, Itixurioiis suppers aro gratuitously I'urnislicil ttt the players, together wKli eostly wines, and the proprietors arc everywhere distiiiguished for thtir reek- less extravaganee, etc., and all this is sustained by tho perrcnt- ;i;;o on the game." The author, as well as the publie in general, has a most erro- neou.s opinion on the .sulject of gambling-hou.ses and gamblers, and is as unable to disthigui.sh between fair ganihrmg, and swii.dling under that name, as to undeisland the dill'erenee be- tween a car(l-sliari)er and an lutnest gand)ler. To separate these ciiaracter -1, to plaec gambling, as carried on in tlii.) eonntry, in its tr;io light, to exi)()se "card-sharping" in all its deformity, before tlic rei der, is tho prlnci[)al obje(;t of the writer of this book. On tlM^ matter I .shall sjjoak fully in its jjroper place. There aro i'.» our largo cities many of tho upper class of gam- bling-houses wl.o furnish suppers gratuitously to their i)atrons; and some of thost, which deal what is called " day-games," give dinners, but none iuiiiish wine to their guests, nor aro any of these fitted up otherNvise tlirai rospcetably and comfortably, that is to say, neither gorgeously nor luxuriously. Tho expense often in some hou.sos amounts to ten df)llars per day, and in others from twenty-flvo to fifty per day — an expen.so which any bank having select players, and doing a fiiir business, can well alTord. During tho civil war, when money was plentiful, a fow houses in the city of New York did furnish luxurious suppers and costly wines to their customers ; but these houses did not numl)er four in all, and their unusual entertaimncnt did not last over a year. The houses which furni.shetl them could well afi'ord to do so, as each of them had an opportunity to win or lose daily from twenty to thirty thousand dollars, and tho amount luade from splits by such heavy play was enormous. 66 TVANDEEINGS OF A VAGABOND. In New Orleans it was customary for such houses as gave en- tertainment, to sot ordinary claret wine Ijcfore th'!ir guests, but no other kind was given by any of the "square" gambling hous- es in that city. , r X, I am led to believe that we are indebted to the Frenca for the game of faro, from the fact that all the peculiar technical \,ai^.3- es used in playing the game were originally m that language. As "punters" (players); "couche, or enjeu" (a bet); "coup" (a turn); "doublet" (splits); "Vunpour I'autre" (stand off); " op- pos6" (copper bet). All these terms were in common use until American innovations were introduced into the game, which commenced some fortj- --ars ago. It first flourished m Louisi- ana, and from there st m. ihroughout the Union. When gam- bling-houses first were \c. ased m New Orleans (some forty-five years ago), faro was placed up.m a largo oval table covered with green cloth; on one side was the "taiUeur" (dealer); and on the other his ^'croupier" (look-out); dealing-boxes had not then been invented, and gold, f::-- and bank-notes answered the purpose of checks. , , , ^, When the dealer had shuffled and cut his cards, he held the deck (irmly m his left hand with the face downward. When the pla) ' -s had made then- bets, he turned over the top card and placed it face ucwards on the table. This card was for the bank. Then m the same manner he exposed the next card, this being for the players. As the dealer made his turns in this wise, his "croupier" took the bets the bank won and paid those which it lost— he sole duty of the dealer being to attend to the cards; the croupier fu^alling all the other duties of the game. These games were generally with a Umit of twenty-five dollars, but the bankers would increase the limit when rivr iry sprang up be- tween different bouses, in order to draw patronage, or when a rich customer refused to play unless the lunit was increased foi his especial accommodation. In such cases the limit was usually raised by givmg to the player the privilege of going his paroh. For example : if ho bet twenty-five dollars and won, he could let his stake and its produet remain, which allowed 1 im to bet fifty dollars. Some- times the paroli was allowed to be repeated ^.wice, which enabled the player to realize (supposing both stakes to have won) one hundred and seventy-five dollars. This mithod of betting is DND. I houses as gave en- ore tli'!ir guests, but arc" gambling hous- to the French for the iliar technical j^hras- ily m that language. u" (a bet); "coup" (re" (stand off);" op- ia common use until ito the game, which flourished in Louisi- Union. When gam- eans (some forty-five B oval table covered jiUeiir" (dealer); and ealing-boxes had not bank-notes answered lis cards, he held the ownward. When the ver the top card and 'his card was for the 5cd the next card, this ! his turns in this wise, L and paid those which attend to the cards; of the game. These ty-five dollars, but the rivr iry sprang up be- patronage, or when a imit was increased foi ised by giving to the ""or example : if ho bet let his stake and its it fifty dollars. Some- id *.wice, which enabled ,kf,s to have won) one 1 mithod of betting is H f i W W n-gw 'if' FARO. G7 termed a running limit, and has been almost universally adopted by the faro- bankers of the United States. Bankers made their limits to suit their capital, small games made their limits thus : Three doUai's the amount of tao first stake, with the privilege of paroling it twice and taking down twenty-four dollars. Other banks made their limits six and a quarter, with the privilege of running it to fifty. Still others, twelve and a half, with the priv- ilege of running it to one hundred, while others allowed the first stake to be twenty-five, with the privilege of paroling it to two hundred dollars, and a very few made their limit fifty, with paroli to four hundred. Deahng-boxes were invented for protecting the bank. How- ever careful a dealer might be with the pack of cards in his hand, scores of sharp eyes were ever on the alert to take advan- tage of the least scratch, speck, or bend, and to turn it to their own account. In this case it was the banker only, who was liable to become the victim of wily sharpers. But about the year 1833, or perhaps a j jar earlier, it was discovered that the player also required some pi otection. Somewhere about this period an old German, named Swigel, maf^.e his appearance in New Orleans. This worthy old gentleman was direct from Europe, and could neither speak English or French. After taking a bird's-eye view of that fast city, he concluded that he could make a fortune there running a faro-bank. By his address and money combined, he managed to procure a half interest in one which was located in one of the principal gambling-houses in the city. For more than six months ho went along swimmingly ; his game having won in that time some sixty thousand dollars. The principal moneyed gamblers played against his bank, be- cause ho gave to them a larger limit than any other banker in New Orleans was willing to do. In fact, at times the old fellow did not believe the limit of a faro -bank was worthy of a thought. Many people, observing his eccentric habits, believed him to be insane, or at any rate " a little deranged ;" but, in spite of all, he managed to haul in whatever money was bet against the bank. He never associated with any one, and in the mornings could be seen taking his solitary walk in the suburbs of the city. In these promenades he always carried in his hands a pack of cards, and kept his arms in cons' mt motion, as if dealing for his play- ers. Finally the uld fellow was one evening detected in the act !. :• gg -WANrERINGS OF A VAGABOND. of taking the second card from the pnck while dealing a heavy game. This operation of course altered the turn, by throwing the card which belonged to the player in favor of the bank. In the general row that ensued, the worthy old gentleman made his escape in safety, and was never heard of afterwards ni the city of New Orleans. His bank, wliich contained at Ihc tnuo about six thousand dollars, was seized by tlio players, togcthcT w'thhis cards, which were discovered to be all privately marked. This, however, would have been of no use to him, unless ho could have changed the position of the cards in the turn, a tbmg which he accomphshed with such unerring dexterity that the shrewdest gamblers in tiiS land failed to detect it for months. Though the house shared equally in the prolits, it is more than probable that none of its proprietors were in the old fellow s confidence. . As long as public gaming was allowed to exist m New- Orleans, rules and maxims for playing faro were established, Init when, in 1836, the license-law was repealed, selfish men, m order to benefit their pockets thereby, foisted upon the game many unjust laws and innovations. The cases were not allowed to bo kept, bets once placed on the "lay-out" were not to bo removed until an action on them had taken place. The object of thiswas to keep plavcrs in ignorance of which cards were "cases," and to confine their bets to double, trebl , and quadruple cards. " Hock" was revived bv many bankers, wh.le in licensed gamb- iing-houses it was thrown from the game. 7.ut it was only cross- road gamblers and those who dealt faro-games at race tracks, that claimed " hoekelty." The only chance a player had to es- cape "hock," was when the cards in the last turn were all " cases." If any two of these three cards ccmnected, he could so place his bet as to include the connecting cards, and by so doing either won, lost, or had a stand-off for it. But if a " cat " was in the last turn, he had either to risk losing his money in "hock," or to risk having his bet split, and he cmild not take the latter chance unless the case and the double card were connectors. Should the last three cards be, for example, the king, four, and seven, none of which connect— and in those days no bet was al- lowed to include any card which did not connect— the players who had bets on anv of the cards mentioned could not remove them, thus giving to tli^- bank a percentage of 33^ per cent, oa all stakes placed on case cards on the last turn. w; fa Vf til 01 gf St h; tr tl] cc tl al w e^ It d( C£ tl t\ tc P S( 01 h •I ilo dealing a heavy a turn, by throwiug or of the bauk. lu Id geutlenmu made )f afterwards in the iitaincd at the time 10 players, together all privately niarlunl. 10 to him, unless ho s in the turn, a thing ; dexterity that the etect it for months. )lits, it is more than ) in the old fellow's cd to exist in New were established, but , selfish men, in order pon the game many >ro not allowed to bo ■re not to bo removed The object of this was ds were "cases," and ;nd qnadniple cards, lie in licensed gamb- TAXt it was only cross- :ames at race tracks, c a player had to es- ,e last turn were all onnected, he could so 3ards, and by so doing But if a "cat" was ; his money in "hock," d not take the latter ■ard were connectors, lo, the king, four, and .0 days no bet was al- , connect— the players Qcd could not remove e of 33^ per cent, on turn. VABO. 69 Competition, and a more liberal spirit ontho part of gamblers, have destroyed the old-fogy system of playing, aud have divest- ed faro of the frauiluleut rules foisted upou it by uuserupolous men. For this desirable revolution wo are indebted to eastern gamblers, more especially those of New York. The change was gradual, and it was only after a struggle of years in duration that faro was brought to its present perfection. First, " hockel- ty " was abandoned, then cases were allowed to be kept by the players with counters, or cheeks, to mark the game. This soon led to the introduction of "cue-boards," or " case-keepers," and shortly after that to "cue-papers." But the great struggle was between the runniug and the open limit : the former being far more advantageous to the bank. lu the first place it is ad- vantageous to a bank to compel a player to win his bet three times in order to win his highest limit. The odds are seven to one he will not succeed. Besides this disadvantage, the running game forced reclcless players to play on double, treble, and quadruple cards, which they often did in order to run their first stake to the extreme liuiit. so as to bet it on a case card. The bankers would not allow players to pick up their bets from double, treble, or quadruple cards, until an action had takeu place on them ; but the owner of a bet had a right to include with it any connecting card or cards. The greedy bankers also exercised their arbitrary rules to such an extent, that they would not even allow a plixyer to bat his bet for a single turn after ho had once won it, or its paroli ; and if ho removed it from the lay-out, for even a single turn, his next bet was reduced to the original limit. It will be easily undei )od, from this compulsory method of dealing faro, that the objectwas to drive the players upon double cards, thereby enhancing the percentage of the bauk by splitting their bets. A faro-bank doahng the "copper" game, and with a limit of twenty-five dollars and one hundred dollars, that is, the privilege to paroli twenty-five to two hundred dollars, can bo beaten by a player at a single deal, out of two thousand eight hundred and seventy-five dollars ; but if the player lost every time possible on the deal, the bank could only win from him one thousand two hundred and fifty. An open limit means when a bank takes a stated amount, which may be bet by a player any time during the deal. A game 5 . I, i llli 1 I'l 70 WAKDEKIJ.OS Cv 1 VAGABOND. of this sort, dealt with a limit of lifty-four dollars, would be equal in money to arunning limit jf twenty-five, and one hundred dollars. Either of those games may bo beaten on a single deal, providing no split happens, out of two thousand eight hundred and seventy- five dollars, and Lue bank, with an open limit, may win the same amount on a deal; while the one with the running hmit could only win one tbousand two hundred and fifty dollars. But as the odds are 98,729, 443,094, 784 to 1, it is not probable that we shall ever hoar of any person winning or losing on every card throughout a deal at faro. This calculation is merely intended to showlho difference between what can bo won and lost during a deal of faro having an open limit, and one having a running limit. The running game in bad luck can lose double the amount it can win in good luck; while the open game can win as much on a deal as it can lose. It would appear, at the first glance, that the open game would be the best for the banker; but such is not the case. The paroli is a heavy percentage hi favor of the bank, besides having atendency to force players, as I have already stated, on double cards; thus giving an opportunity to split the beta, which can in a great measure bo avoided at the open games; for the cautious player may greatly reduce the percentage, by playing on small double nards until a case appears, when, if he wishes, he can bet the liu.it, and have an even chance for his money. The open game of faro was first introduced into New England, and shortly after made its appearance in the city of New York ; where, hi the course of a few years, it usurped the place of the running game altogether. No faro games with any open hmits were dealt in the Southern and Western States until after the Mexican war. That event exerted considerable mfluence on the introduction of the open game into the cities of New Orleans, St. Louis, and Cincinnati. When the City of Mexico was cap- tured by the American forces, many faro dealers from the States flocked there. They found on their arrival there that moute was the attracting game ; even professionals played against it rather than the small faro games, which were dealt with running limits of twenty-five and one hundred dollars, and many even less. There was plenty of money, not only among those gamblers who followed the army, but among contractors, merchants, and ofQcers, numbers of whom would bo willing to patronize faro, if dealt on a liberal scale. A rivalry relative to procuring players sprung Pfp OND. vrs, would be equal in one hundred dollars, ingle deal, providing undrcd and seventy - it, may win the same running hmit could Qfty dollars. But as is not probable that losing on every card is merely intended to on and lost during a iving a running limit, ale the amount it can rin as much on a deal jlance, that the open I such is not the case, of the bank, besides ve already stated, on > split the bets, which open games; for the jrccntage, by playing 3, when, if he wishes, ice for his money. 3d into New England, le city of New York ; •ped the place of the with any open limits tates until after the iderable influence on cities of New Orleans, r of Mexico was cap- jalers from the States . there that moute was. ayed against it rather it with running limits and many even less, g those gamblers who lerchants, and ofQcers, onize faro, if dealt on juring players sprung FAKO. n up among tlie gamblers, especially among those newly arrived. Banks were opened with running limits of flfty and two hundred dollars, then witli limits of one liuiidrcd and four hundred dollars. Such limits were only soon at the Mississippi land-sales, and in Mobile, whon Brandon money was issued by the cord. Finally a Tennessee gambler named Andrew Rogers oi)oned a bank, and declared his limit to be an open two hundred dollars. The idea was now in that place, and the players could bet their money as they pleased, without l)elng trammeled by old-fogy notions and rules. The new game was a success, and received the principal patronage, and several others, not to be outdone, also p-^ claimed their games to be an open limit of two hundred dollars. Com- petition actually forced the now game on many bankers who thought it had no percentage in its favor. But tbey soon dis- covered their error. Many of tliese bankers, when peace was con- cluded, opened their games in New Orleans, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Louisville, and the watering-])lace3 of Kentucky. These games were dealt with an open limit of one hundred, and sometimes fifty dollars. From that time the open game became, throughout the Southwest, extremely popular, and would undoubtedly have broken up all the running games in the country, had not the California excitement at this time drained the country of its most liberal gamblers, leaving behind only an old-fogy class, who were terrified at the very name of "open game of faro." So this game was left exclusively to the city of Now York and tlje New England States, in which last section it had its origin. The principal faro-bankers who reached California early in 1849, had been in the City of Mexico. • All these set up the banks with open limits. Whon the public gaming-houses had got well started, the proprietors adopted the running limits of twenty-five and one hundred dollars in their pul)lic saloons ; but in their pri- vate rooms all their faro games wore dealt with open limits, and V hen the New York and New England gamblers arrived, they also dealt it. After the suppression of public gambling-houses, there was not a running game of fiiro in the State of California. The returning California gamblers, witli the assistance of those from Now York cit^ and New England States, finally wiped out every vestige of it from the United States, and scarcely a game of the kind could be found there after the year 1859, and 'tis now extremely doubtful wliether one can be found qp the continent of North America. 1 i •} < iW "'?, I W ' 11 I 72 WANDEKIKGS OF A VAGABOND. "Opposi'^' was idcntifloa with the old gario of faro, as men- tionecl by Uoylo in his book of games. It means, transhited in- to Eu'-lish, " copper-betting." Hut the early faro bankers of this country exi)ungel«r8 Who came eai y to California dealt it. One was opened in San Francisco early in 1849 that dealt tho copper, and without a limit. Those in pub ic saloons played a running limit, but admitted tlio cop- per only on tho last turn. In fact, nearly all the games through- out tho State, that dealt a running limit, conducted their busi- ness m a like muuuer, hut those who dealt an open limit played the copper. i j^^ It was the prevailing belief among a largo majority of the gambling fraternity that tho copper game was disadvantageous to the bank, and so iinpres,scd were many of them with this idea, that they would take no stock in sucli a game. They also be- lieved that more cases would lose than ,vin in a stated number of deals. For two or three years after the discovery of gold, gamb- lers could bo found daily in front of faro-banks, endeavoring to solve this problem by coppering tlio cases with even stakes, but most of them got tho worst of tho bargain and retired "dead broke." "oau. For many years after coppering became an established part of the game, it was tho general belief that coppering adoublocard was disadvantageous to the player, regardless of splits. "If two cards," they argued, "lie together in the dealing-box, they must split, or the first that appears must win; consequently the bank will either split tho bet or win it; whereas, if the bet had been played open it must win if the cards do not divide " In that case the player loses but half his money, which is tanta- mount to his betting one to two. Such reasoning is very illusive hut It hnz its hold on many of the gamblers of tho present day! We will say, for instauc'c, that tho player coppers tho double ten with a dollar; if the card does not split it wins and ho loses. ^ If It was destined the first ten should win, so was it that the second should lose, for it lies under that exposed on the box • then let the player copper the ten for another dollar, and he is even; it, m fact, equalizes the whole matter. To support then- argument against coppering double cards, they sav, " When a card splits, tho first one on tho turn comes a winner'for the play- er, when tho next one dashes realitv aside and makes him lose half Ins money : thuy making a difference of seventy-five per cent, against him in ippenrancc." " On the contrary," they say had the bet no copper on It, the appearance of tlfc first card on WANDKRINOS OF A VAOABOXD. 74 th« tnvn warns the player that his luonoy is lost, v;hen the agreo- IberhroHheseioud returns half his money thus m appear- :i : Sng him a gainer by fifty per -nt by bo turn ^ T?rn; Hii.h reasoniuK as this wo receive no mstrutt urns m mo J oTe\anees%nd they only serve to display the suduen vi. .r ons horn sorrow to joy and from joy to sorrow, wlueh ako ,:; "he mind of the player, as l^^-^^t''^;,!!;;" f i!^ ' ' .V . Jlo the dealer is making a turn. If a card split t was uestined -'so when the player placed his stake upon ,t and also destined L3 should lose half his stake if he allowed it to re- i'Sute^lit took place, and wh^^^^^^^^^^ on his stake or left it open, ho still loses half, no nioio, t^^o ^^^^^ Nor could the c™ on or off his bet, influence it favorably or otherw^e 111 proc ss of reasoning to the contrary is fallacious. tL bank bas aleidod advantage over bets placed .. dcnU^e, treble, and quadruple cards, because ^'1^''" ^^.^^^.f P^^iV^i^', ^ half the money found upon it. Upon ca^o cards thebank hasno nercenta!nng at me from its face. I plunged my spurs into my horse's lianks, and on wo flew with tho speed of the wind, but not sg iwiillj but whenever I turned my eyes to either side of my hr^rw they were met by those in the ghastly face of Clarke pou tit i.'fdy of the tortoise. "Whether in the stream or upon tb. ruad, it .-howed no signs of locomotion, yet th-- utmost speed of my gor-d horse was insufficient to ^arry vm vond it. In an agony of terror I awoke. It was some ir .;,TiCuti' 'lefore I could remember where I was, but sc 1 tho disa^i .'(iua >^^\ ■ s of the evening returned up- on my memory in their f .;! xoice. The Major was snoring with a forty-horse power m the berth beneath me, and, without dis- turbing him, I left my own, and sought the boiler-deck of the steamer, where I remained tho rest of the night. My dream had left such a fearful impression upon my mind, that I felt certain that Clarke was dead ; and I began to feel anxious about my own safety. Fear had clutched me with its icy fingers, and f could not shake it off. My mind, during that long night, would admit no subject but the murdered Clarke. It pictured to me every possible phase of the subject— the news spread through the Uttle town ; the people talking of it in little k a tl h si ai ai C( m si to J" T m w! t; tr ar th ch an ric er, thi soi fer PHANTOMS OF THE MEMOET. 85 led iuto my berth Qe I had a horri- . which impressed amber it. la my ipilte re -d, which .3 I looked at Um ^us tortoise swim- ad. As I looked s head, and, as it ror of horrors! I mce of Clarke I . turned my i •^il , but when 1 onoo longisido my horse, Clarke iooking at Qy horse's tlanks, )ut net SG iwifdy of my borsi- thoy e "ipon tLt !.'>dy of b- read, it showed of mygor-d horse L agony of terror I remember where I ning returned up- : was snoring Avith and, without dis- boiler-deck of the ht. )n upon my mind, id I began to feel itched me with its mind, during that murdered Clarke. subject — the news Iking of it in little knots at the street-corners ; the coroner's inquest and those who would bo there ; the verdict of the coroner's jury ; the offi- cers in pursuit of me— every incident connected with my capture and being brought back to Marietta and incarcerated in the lit- tle stone jail. Then the trial in the crowded court-room witn hundreds of familiar faces staring at me. My imagination showed me every moment of the trial— the judge, the lawyers, and old Scruggs giving me " blazes " in the cracked and discord- ant voice I remembered to have heard so many times, trying to convince the jury that the oiTender before him was the greatest miscreant on the face of the earth, whom it would be a burning shame and disgrace to all good men and true to allow any longer to cumber the earth. Then would come the awful sentence of the judge, "hanged by the neck until you are dead, dead, dead!" Then the last dread scene, disclosing the gallows, the swaying multitude, the sea of up-turned faces, and myself in the place where I saw them put old man Langston for murdering his wife. Then would rush over me, like a great wave, the grief and dis- tress of my poor foster-mother, that her boy should come to such an end. I would start from my seat at these thoughts and pace the deck in an agony. I tried to shake off these gloomy impressions and take a more cheerful view of things, but it was useless : fhey returned agam and again. The thought struck mc that the authorities might ride to Whcehng and arrest me there on the arrival of i he steam- er, and, had she landed during the night, I amQrmly convinced that I should have taken "French leave" of the" Major, and sought the woods for safety. " 'Tis the eye of childhood that fears a painted devil." In the gallery of the Louvre there is a picture, by Prudhon, representing a saudy defile bristling with rocks, and lighted by the full moon. Stretched naked on the sands is the corpse of a young man, while his assassin, clad in a tunic and mantle, and holding in his hand a poignard, is hurriedly making his escape. His dark, brutal-looking countenance, with its low, narrow forehead, is turned over his shoulder, as if attracted to the spot where lies his murdered victim, above whom, flying in the air, are Ven- geance and Justice. The former holds a torch in one hand and with the other is in the act of seizing the murderer by the hair; beside her is Justice, armed with a sword and scales. I have - vmnjr ■■ 3'; 'i ; tl- ^.3i ge -WANDEBINGS OF A VAGABOND. often cazed with admiration on this mastei-piccc, but never with- out XLgTng fresh to my mind the terrible agony I endured flnrinc the night of my flight from Marietta. When the Major joined mo in the morning, he was struck by my ha "gard appearance, and used all his powers o persuasion to SuTe me to believe I was beyond the reach of danger He took me with him on to the hurricane-deck, where he could talk fo me wi hout being overheard, and tried his best to impress me SSthe belief thci Clarke was not seriously injured. "Keep Too? ?.ck mv boyTthere's not a bit of danger, not the least, sir. AniSfvou'Sed the scoundrel on the spot you would only ^v'e Sd him right, damn him. The ^^- ^^'^fj^^^^ hair of vour head, sir. Damn it, what right had ho to violate S person of a gentleman, sirf ' At every "-;•-"/«;- ^J*^^^ come the Major's cane, with a thump on the roof of the boat, as He intended by that means to establish his opinion more ionglf to my inind. But he didnot succeed in dissipating my Jears and i I expressed my apprehension of being captured at Wheeto^ on the arrival of the boat at that place, and brought fa^to Ma ietta, he straightened himself up to his full height andscorllly gazed down upon me. "'^^''^;^'^ thought you had some sp.ric, but ? ou haven't,- si . You re an nSa! coward, sir ; that's what you are, sir I m ashamed of vou sii and I'll have nothing more to do with you. At ea..n "sil-" down came the ferule of the cane, as if he was bent n ™,nrhi ° -v hole through the roof of the boat. After tellmg me TshouS hav nS -ore tu do with me, he flung is ca^. nnder his arm, turned on his heel, and left me in disgust. I did noUlame hTm-T^.'as disgusted with myself for being such a InrH hnt twos all the effect of that horrible dream. The Sal tdtlaboit half adozen steps away from me, wh^n ^Turned round and ran up to me, caught me by both hands Syng ''Never mind me, my boy, I didn't mean a word of it I ^1^ spoke so to spur you up, and make you shake off that damn scare vou've got. Cheer up, Jack, and be a man, as you a[«- SneC leave you, sir; no, sir, -f^^-^^^^^^^ll^^Z o\ orce Jenkfl. And if that scoundrel dies, I'll take you witn ^" To tlf mountains of Virginia, where you'll li^ ^ ^fe apnn- Bir nd all the constables in Ohio can't take you out of it, sir. '^'^rScS^SL about his handsome and well- D. ;c, but never with- agony I endured lie was struck by rs of persuasion to lb of danger. He bere be could talk best to impress me T injured. "Keep ', not tbe least, sir. 3t you would only • wouldn't toucb a bad bo to violate "sir," down would roof of tbe boat, as I bis opinion more ?d in dissipating my 1 of being captured ; place, and brought 1 to bis full beigbt, ?hy, damn it, sir, I i't,sir. You're an •. I'm asbamed of itb you." At ea^^.b i if be was bent en t. After telling nie 3, bo flung bis can? ue in disgust. I did ilf for being such a irrible dream. The tway from mc, when me by both bands, mean a word of it ; I L shake off that damn a man, as you are. lile my name's Major >s, I'll take you with ou'UliN ^ like a prince, lie you out of it, sir. ■5 handsome and weU- PHANTOMS OiT THE MEMORY. 87 stocked farm, which ho called " Tbe Hawk's Nost," lying in one of the valleys along tbe Blue Ridge Mountains. According to bis own tale, be was a person of some importance there. His relatives, who were all wealthy farmers, resided there, and were the most influential persons in the neighborhood. Of course I believed eveiy word he said, and it gave mo no little satisfaction to know that, in case of the worst, I should find an asylum in the mountain fastnesses of Virginia. But I never had the pleasure of beholding the lordly manor of "The Hawk's Nest," nor did I ever visit the Blue Ridge Mountains, which the Major was so fond of talking about. While I was with him in Virginia, he never once thought of visiting "The Hawk's Nest," though be frequently referred to it in conversation with mc, especially when telling me of the number and quality of his racing colts, which he was intending to bring on the turf in a few years. Before our flight I had dis- covered that he was rather hyperbolical, but I never believed him to be a Munchausenist until after our arrival in Richmond. One day, while taking a stroll with one of his most intimate friends, I incidentally mcniioned tbe glowing description the Major gave of bis farm in the Blue Ridge, and of how important a personage he wiis ni ^is neighborhood. My companion shook bis head and laughed heartily. "Why!" I exclaimc-d, much surprised, "you don't mean to say he's been stuffing me ? What could be his object in doing so ?" "None in tbe world," he replied, laughing good-humoredly. " You can't find a more honest man than the Major, or one more kind-hearted: but pomposity is his weakness. He's told that story so often about his farm, that he's really got to believe it himself." " And do you mean to say he's got no farm f " " I don't believe he owns a foot of ground on earth !" " And what about those rich relations of his?" I asked. " Ho has got two brothers living on small patches of ground somewhere in tbe Blue Ridge; but they wouldn't have hog and hominy enough to keep tbe bide on themselves and their children, if tbd Major did not give them some assistance now and then." 'You astonish me," I replied. "I knew the old fellow was visionary; but I never knew before that he was such a confound- ed liar." "Don't let him know that you're any wiser on these points than he wishes you to be, or he'll take tbe sulks and leave you." I promised to obey his instructions, and we parted. ■(rniniMM rfs>^' =!|..,l »:. gg WANDERINGS OF A VAGABOND. CHAPTER XI. WIIEELIXG. It was lato in the ovcning when wo reached Wheeling, and, to my great joy, I was not pursued and arrested, as I had gloomily anticipated, on the landing of the steamer. The Major took me with him to the residence o h f> end Mr. Lane, in whose charge he left me, and proceeded to ho Un ted States Hotel," which was a few steps from the landing, and to which ho had ordered his luggage to be carried. Mr. Richard Lane, in whose house I found an asylum, was the only son of a highly respectable merchant of Wheelmg. His moUier dying during his infancy, young Dick was brought up under the ca?e of his remaining parent, who did not marry aga m until ho was eighteen years of ago, at which time ho was sent o ?ho University of Virginia, to be made acquainted with the subtle Intricacies of the law. While there, young Lane paid full as much attention to the mysteries attached to apack of cards as to unraveling he knotty points of Coke or Blackstono. Money being requisite in bo h fheso pursuits, the pockets of the older Lane ^^''^ 'i""^^^ t^^.^?^' in order to meet the demands caused by the profligacies of his .on. At first he paid grudgingly; but when ho «^vr ^'^'f ^" ^ho repeated promises of reformation made by h.s son, ho buttoned up his pockets and abandoned him to his fate, loung La^ie con- tinued to live along on his wits, and ^ ^^ r'Tott of wS promises to pay and drafts drawn upon his father, both of which wore dishonored, when, for sorao moro outrageous P>eco of ras- cality than usual, he was expelled from his college and his father no less cruel than his preceptors, forbade his return homo aftei such disgrace. Young Dick made his way to R'cb°^«°f '/^^^^ he divided his time between such of the gambling-rooms as ho coumSL an entrance to. Hodid hisbest in the borrowing hno playini at games and short cards, in which manner about throe yelvs moije of his life passed. About this time an old gambler by ho name of Brooks, living in Richmond, took a ^^^^J" f "=^.' ^s made him a faro-dealer. It was here that Lane and M=M< ^ Jon^^ became acquainted, both being concerned m tho same gamblmg- si d C( fe (V n: d( L si Pi R fa tl] Fi w] ye of ta de lal th^ of ha ga co] coi or tyi th( ac( sor sen boi ed tim tioi the pla 0. ■WnEELINO. 80 Wheeling, and, to as I had gloomily of his friend, Mr. cd to the " United lO landing, and to d. an asylum, was the of Wheeling. His k -was brought up \d not marry again imo ho was sent to ited with the subtle ;h attention to the raveling the knotty g requisite in both were doubly taxed, J profligacies of his ho saw broken the son, he buttoned up Young Lane con- rrowing on his own ither, both of which igeous piece of ras- llcge, and his father, is return home after to Richmond, where imbling-rooms as he n the borrowing line, manner about three ae an old gambler by i a fancy to Dick, and ane and Major Jenks L the same gambling- house during the space of a year, and in which time they had re- alized a clean profit of twenty-two tliousaiid dollars. Lane had shaken off liis dissipated habits by this time, and Iiad paid all his debts. A few years later his father died, without over beinc' re- eonciled to his son; but, dying intestate, his only child, of c.urso, foil heir to his property. Ho returned to Wheeling after an absence of seven years, to find, to his chagrin and disappoint- ment, that a smgle house valued at ten thousand dollars, and debts amounting to four thousand dollars, were all that remained Lane paid the debts and took possession of the house, and about SIX months later married his wife, stealing her away from her parents, who were bitterly opposed to him, and taking her to llichmond. -Mrs. Lane was the offspring of one of the first families of Wheeling-not the first families of Virginia, none of that rather equivocnl stock having gotten as far west as Wheeling From where did it derive its existence? From those emigrants who landed from the three ships in the Chesapeake Bay, in the year of our Lord lG07f If so, that party being composed entirely of the male gender, the weaker vessels necessarily must have been taken from among the Indian women, which might have a ten- dency to adulterate the pure Anglo-Norman blood. Fortv years ater wo find existing in Virginia a small oligarchy composed of the principal landholders, who tried to rule the colony by right of property or by " right divine," as all tyrannical bodies of men nave ruled from time immemorial. Possibly from this oli- garchy sprang originally the F. F. V.'s. But a good part of these colonists havmg "left their country for their country's good "in consequence of an inability to distinguish "mine" from "thine " or some such little innocent idiosyncracy, which the cruel and tyrannical lawsof Great Britain at that time punished by sending them out to Virginia, to be sold as slaves for various periods according to the enormity of their offenses, it is presumable that some of these unfortunate individuals, at the expiration of their sentences being purged, according to law, of the stains of dis- honor and restored to tho rights of citizenship, would have work- ed ou for themselves a brighter future; and that, in course of time, their offspring, having obtained a respectable property posi- tion m society, would come to be considered worthy consorts for tne daughtero .i the wealthy land-owners. By these means it is plausible to suppose that the "blue blood," which is believed to iMi tl 90 ■WANDERINGS OP A VAGABOND. have formerly coursed throuRli tho veins of the first famiHea of VlrRinia.has l)cenadiiltoratO(l,si) far, at least, aa to bilntr back its color to tlio reddish hue of that which runs in the veins of ordi- nary mortals. Such being tho case, it's very possil)le that not adroj) of tho "cl'ar grit" can bo found at the present time in tho Old Dominion. Tho parents of Mrs Lane belonged to tho raoneyocracy ; and families of that stamp, proud, arrogant, and conceited, may be found in every one-horse town and village, as well as every dense- ly populated city in the world ; consequently no one need bo surprised that they resolutely shut their doors in her face for having the audacity to marry a gambler, and a jroor one at that ; a rich gambler might havo'been tolerated, but to tiirow herself away on a poor one was impardonable. Lane and his wife, after an absence ot . )out a year, during which time they had lived in Richmond, returned to Wheeling, in the hopes that her parents would relent and take them un- der their fostering wing. But as well might the young Alexis Petrowich have tried to move the icy heart of his father, Peter tho Great, when he had decoyed him from Naples to Moscow, in order to put him to death. Lane, finding that his wife's parents still continued obdurate, was for disposing of what property he had there and returning to Richmo; 1 ; but his wife, who had inherited some of the stubborn nature of her parents, having learned that her presence in the place was an eye-sore to them, and they desired nothing so much as her absence, like an unduti- ful child, she refused to budge an inch, thereby keeping her hus- band in a place where it was impossible for him to make a living by the exercise of his profession. By renting the lower part of their house for a store, it being situated on a main business street, they eked out a kind of a respectable living. When I was introduced to Mr. Lane he was about thirty years of age, remarkably handsome, both in face and figure. He con- versed with ease and fluency, was witty and intelligent, and had the manners and habits of a gentleman, besides being a tender husband and devoted to his children, of whom he had two, a boy and a girl. He possessed both energy and ability, and was ca- pable of making ftiends wherever he went; but fashionable society could not countenance him, because ho was tainted with tho damned spot of the professional gambler. Mrs. Lane was a sti ha Di m.' ou hi.^ aci wa wL ere ] cci rie pn an th( bo' hoi pis th( we int plti an an; tre coi ing tin ed tal nig lar th€ by ace bai sig ad( flic first familiea of 1 to bilntr back its tho veins of ordl- poasihlo that not resent time in tlio iono5'ocracy ; and onccitcd, may be ell as every dense- no one need be s in her face for poor one at that ; to tiirow herself ut a year, during ned to Wheeling, d take them un- tbo young Alexis his father, Peter )les to Moscow, in his wife's parents ivhat property he lis wife, who had : parents, having eye-sore to them, ce, like an unduti- j keeping her hus- n to make a living the lower part of dn business street, about thirty years I figure. He con- telligent, and had 3S being a tender ho had two, a boy ility, and was ca- ; but fashionable 3 was tainted with Mrs. Lane was a WnKELINO. n strong, healtliy woman, and if nature had denied her beauty, it had endowed her with nobler gifts— choerfulnpsa and intelligence. During the few days I was in hiding at her houao. she tried to make my situation as easy and conifortablo as possible, with- out once trying to pry into tlio circinnatances of the ease, or my history— a thing many pcMson'. might have presumed on doing, on account of my youth. That I was tho protege of Slajor Jenks was sufficient for herself and I-- 'nnd; and 1 was confident that while under their roof ' ,mg to fear from being treach- erously given up to tho ...icers of tho law. Lane's presence in Wheeling was barely tolerated by tho offi- cers of the !;iw,who were of tho puritanical order, and who car- ried out their policy with tho seeming intention of making the present generation, if not tho next one, remember their intoler- ant spirit. The Maine liquor law became an established fact in tho place, billiard and bagatelle tables were prohibited, and also bowling-alleys. Such individuals as indulged in their leisure hours at cock-fights, dog-fights, or bull-baits, or any other dis- plaj of the manly art, were mulcted in heavy fines. Whenever tho patrons of these sports desired to amuso themselves they were obliged to seek the fields of some adjoining county, or cross into the more liberal State of Ohio. Faro-dealers had given the place a wide berth within the last few years, previous to our arrival in tho place, and well might they, if they had gathered any wisdom from tho way in which the fraternity had been treated there. Several had from time to time the temerity to come within the sacred precincts of the city, and, after prospect- ing it, to open their banks. They were allowed to proceed for a time, to give them confidence, when they were suddenh pounc- ed upon by the officers of the law, and with all their players taken to the lock-up. The latter were usually released the same night, or next morning, on payment of a fine of twonty-five dol- lars, besides having the felicity of seeing their names in full in the newspapers among the " list of gamblers captured last night by our ' Argus-eyed ' police." The owners of tho bank were accommodated with private lodgings in the brick jail, from the barred windows of which they could solace themselves with a sight of the beautiful foliage of the papaw bushes, which adorned the hill back of their prison, and meditate on tho con- flictmg opinions of mankind, and the arrogant pride of some ot i i^: Pi WANDERINGS OF A VAGABOND. that Bpecles In foroiiiK tlio result of thoir opinions upon whoever had tlio inisfortiino to (li.Hnjfrro witli tlicm, while "drossert in a llitlf brief iuithoiity." Alter a few days' incarceration they wore rolea.scd, hut not until they were leeched out of their last dollar, and then c()ini)elle(l to leave the city within a few hours. Should they refuse to accept their lilien . on Kuch hard tenns, ihoy nuist either procure bail, or remain in jail till the court sat, which was once In six months, when certain conviction, with a $1,000 fine and imprisonment for one year in the county jail would bo their doom. Of the two evils the former was the least, and such faro- doalcrs m were arrested in the place chose it, and gave to the offlcors their last dollar to escape their clutches. Thisjilun- dor was divided between the Mayor of the city, the Marshal, and the District Attorney. Over every foot of soil belonging to the State of Virginia the punishment for dealing a banking game of faro was a flno of$l,(X)0 and imprisonment for one year In the county jail ; but the law had fallen into disuse except in Wheeling, where it was enforced by a few rascally officials, for the benefit of their own pockets. Lane was the only person who had over had the hardihood not to bo fleeced of his money, when arrested for dealing faro. Be- ing a citizen, and having many influential friendsin the place, he Imagined that if ho opened a faro-bank ho would be exempt both from prosecution and persecution, so ho tried it on. This happened about eighteen months before our arrival. Lane was allowed to proceed for a time, and then was suddenly arrested, with all his players. He furnished the necessary bail, stood his trial, was convicted, and, according to statute, sentenced to pay a fine of one thousand dollars, and be imprisoned for one year. Through the influence of his friends in Richmond, however, he was pardoned by the Governor, about two weeks after the pass- ing of his sentence, to tho immense disgust of the prritans of Wheeling. He never again tempted fortune by opening a faro- bank there, although he told ns tho present M-vrshal was friend- ly to him, and had said he might open ono if he wished, provided he conducted it very quietly. On the second day, the anxiously expected letter from Giles arrived, and, to my unbounded joy, Clarke was not dead, "nor is ho going to make a dio of it," wrote Giles. "But that lick you gave him over the eye with the deahng-box has branded ^m sv. lions upftn whnevor liilo " (Iro.sserl in a rccratinn thej'woro of their last dollar, few hours. Should •d tirniH, ihoyiiuist ourt sat, which was with a $1,000 flno jail would ho their sast, and such faro- t, and gave to tho itches. This jilun- city, tho Marshal, if soil belonging to np a banking game nt for one year in > disuse except in iscally officials, for 1 tho hardihood not dealing faro. Be- ulsin tho place, he would bo exempt 5 tried it on. This arrival. Lane was suddenly arrested, 3ary bail, stood his , sentenced to pay a aned for one year, mond, however, he seks after tho pass- of tho prritans of by opening a faro- klirshal was friend- 10 wished, provided I letter from Giles fas not dead, "nor s. "But that lick j-box has branded ^a^ .W^ V^^ ci^, \^^Y^.% IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I la Ki 122 m lit It 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 : 6" ► V <^ /^ o e). ^ >v V^- c>1 Photographic Sciences Corporation '. '<>!% CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques WHEELING. 93 him with ttie raarlc of the tiger, and he'll carry it to his grave with him." He then went on to state that nearly all of those •who were in the room, when the row occurred, left town that night or tho next morning, being afraid they might, if they staid, be brought up as witnesses; but it was unnecessary, for the whole afliiir had been kept so silent that the saints in power had received no inkling of it, up to the time of his writing. He further stated that Clarke advised his friends to keep tho whole affair under cover, but that he threatened to kill mc when he re- covered. Giles therefore advised us not to return to Marietta until he could come to some friendly understanding with him. His admonition was entirely unnecessary. Nothing but force would have induced tho Major to return, and as for myself, with more than five thcjusand dollars in my pocket, and an anxiety to see strange climes and faces, I certainly was not likely to do 80, all things considered. Clarke's threat would have withheld me, if nothing else ; not that I feared him especially, and I was certainly overjoyed to know I had not killed him, but it would have been foolish for me to have returned where my presence was certain to bring perplexity and trouble to those who loved mc. On the day following the reception of Giles' letter. Lane told the Major and myself that he had had an interview with the City Marshal, and that he was willing to permit us to open and conduct a faro-bank in the place, provided we gave to him one hundred dollars, and five per cent, of whatever we won. In consideration of which wo should not be molested by him, and in case any complaint was made against us, or any movements of any kind that would endanger our safety on foot, that he would give us timely warning. Lane advised us to accept tho terms, promising, if we did so, to bring to us a valuable moneyed play, and wouid also furnish the money to take a third interest in t^ game. The Major was pleased with the proposal, "because," said he, "after taking our money he won't betray us, and the prospect of making more will induce him to protect us." So we agreed to try our fortune in Wheeling, and lost no time in look- ing out for a suitable place to set up our l)ank. "My room at the hotel is just the thing," said the Major, bringing down his open palm smartly upon his knee. "That's so,"returned Lane, "and old Griffiths, the landlord, is 94 WANDERINGS OF A VAGABOND. just the man vre want to do ousiness witb ; he'd walk a mile of a rainy night, any time, to get a chance to play against faro; be- sides, he'll bring every one with him that's worth having, so I'll go down and sound the old cock." Mr. Griffiths, the proprietor of the "United States Hotel," was a good-natured, jovia' kind of soul ; ho was fond of his tod- dies, always ready to attend a cocli-fight or a horse-race, or to play a stack of white checks against a faro-bank, or even to amuse himself at a small game of poker. But to allow a faro- bank to be conducted in his own house, the fine for such a httlo delinquency being five hundred dollars, was more than the old gentleman could stomach. "But don't I tell you I've got the Marshal all right? " argued Lane, in plea of his suit. "Have you, though?" exclaimed mine host of the "United States;" "and I tell you Iknow Jerry Clemmens, the Alarshal, as you call him, a damn sight better than you do. He's a thief, Mr Lane, and all them fellers connected with him are a set of thieves, the whole kit and bilin' of 'era, as you'll find out to your sorrow, if you tru.st any on 'em! " Facing the upper end of the steamboat lauding, and built against the steep bank of the river, was a-small three-story brick house. The ground floor of this building was occupied as a grocery store. The second story, which was unoccupied, had in front a wooden balustrade, from which a ricketty stairway descended to the street. The top story was entered by a single door, from the back street, which wound from the landing to the top of the hill, against which the house was built, and soon after lost itself in the main street of the city. When seen from the rear, it seemed merely a one-story brick house. This top room was occupied by a drunken tailor, by the name of Morse, who was, at one time, owner of the best tailoring establishment in Wheeling; but love of liquor had brought him so low that his former patrons dared not trust him with cloth sufficient to make a pair of pantaloons, for fear he would sell it for whiskey. He managed to live by working during the day at any stray jobs of mending old clothes, and from what he could collect from small poker parties, who met by stealth in his room at mght. He would generally keep sober until he had accumulated twenty or thirty dollars, when he would start on a spree, and keep it up aa long as he had a cent or could run his face for a dram. 3ND. he'd walk a mile of lay against faro ; be- ivorth having, bo I'll nited States Hotel," was fond of his tod- ir a horse-race, or to ro-hank, or even to But to allow a faro- I fine for such a little IS more than the old al all right? "argued host of the "United mens, the Alarshal, as Oil do. He's a thief, vith him are a set of Aou'U find out to your it lauding, and built a •small three -story ding was occupied as was unoccupied, had I a ricketty stairway IS entered by a single •om the landing to the s built, and soon after When seen from the louse. This top room 3 name of Morse, who )ring establishment in it him so low that his loth sufficient to make II it for whiskey. He ly at any stray jobs of )uld collect from small s room at night. He iccumulated twenty or spree, and keep it up 'ace for a dram. WHEELIXQ. 95 It was from this worthy gentleman, then, that we received permission to set up our game iu his house. Ho was just get- ting off one of his customary sprees, flat broke, and glad of the opportunity to make another raise by renting his room to us for two dollars a night. Lane, to quiet any fears he might en- tertain of being punished for allowing us to deal faro in his room, told him, with a significant wink, that there was no dan- ger to be apprehended from the authorities, as he'd fixed them all riglit. " Clemmens, you mean, I know," said Morse, with a shake of the head. Look out for him, Mr. Lane; he 's as slippery as an eel; I ain't afeard o' his botherin' me, cos he can't make nothin' outer me, but ho won't do, that'-s flat," said Air. Morse, with another ominous shako of his head. " Eec'lect, Mr. Lane," he continued, "your friends here is strangers, an' are got money, an' them there robbers will go for it as quick as a bass will go for a minnow, if you give 'em half a chance." "Don't let that bother your head, old fellow; I've arranged all that," said Laue. " May be," returned Mr. Morse, " but there's no harm, Mr. Lane, in just shutting the gate. Look there," he said, pointing with his finger towards a corner of the floor; "make a trap door, and a pair of stairs down into the room below; there ain't no- body liviu' there, and from them there balcony stairs you can make tracks towards the levee, if them peelers took it into their heads to break in on yo some fine night when there was a lot here a fightin' the tiger." "By the Lord!" exclaimed the Major, jumping to his feet, "you're the only sensible man among us, and your advice, sir, is too good to be thrown away." Lane procured a carpenter on whoso secrecy he could rely ; he made the trap and ratairs at his shop, and fitted them to their place, during the night. This part of our arrangements we kept to ourselves, not deeming it wise to admit our customers into the secret. Lane had a dealing-table, which we transferred from his residence to the room, also during the night, and, with the as- sistance of some chairs, candlesticks, and other requisite articles, we were ready to receive customers. Lane commenced muster- ing his players, but they fought very shy for the first two or three nights. Lane would bring them in and introduce them, 96 WANDERINGS OF A VAGABOND. incl the Major would show his hospitality by shoving before "Itl'ui and glasses, or porter, if they pcife.ed . >. no sooner had they swallowed thoir beverage than tae ^^ould le- r i^^pitatefy, as if they were afraid the cljuvs ot he pohce would seize upon them before they could leach the sticet. lane's repeated assurances that there was nothing to lear, as he had thel^ arshal all right, finally began to have its weight The thh-d evening of our venture, two gentlemen having the ia o' the law less before their eyes than tbcir conn)anu.„3 houaht twenty dollars' worth of checks, and with them tackled SaLeT ' They lost, and almost immediately left the room. They came again on the following evening, and tried their luck, which gave confidence to others. From that night tl.e number TfTurplayers gradually increased; eventhe jovial landlordo the -uTted States" so for overcame his fears as to lend us the light of his countenance, which was a host in our favor, .^^ccause every player in the place, whose custom was worth having, ^'ouW fol- low where old John Griffiths led. Finally our room was filled evlry nigbt, with from fifteen to twenty players, al busmcss men merchants, stage-agents, steamboat-raptaius, and the Ike who'auiad plenty of money, which they bet liberally agains Ihe Jame. The Major and myself dealt, and frequently did not make acquaintance with our beds before daylight. Lane Ltiiced the customers to the game, besides keepmg himself in the good graces of the Marshal, on whom he was careful to make I quiet call, every morning, and report proceedings^ ?very precaution had been taken to keep our business aa secret as possible. Not a light could be seen in our room from the street. Morse was on duty in the street, with a key, that none mi-ht gain admittance but our known customers, and having a suspicion, notwithstanding the Marshal's assurance to Lane, Ta? tie Wheeling authorities might not share Mr. Pitt's opinion, that "the hut of the peasant should be as secure Irom official in- trusion as the palace of the king," we had caused a strong oaken bar, held by two heavy iron staples firmly fastened into the doov- pos s, to be put up. We had also arranged with our worthy sentinel, Morse, that in case a descent was made upon us, he hould give finely warning, in order that we might nmke our es- cape by the tran-door. The signal agreed upon was that he sSld sing out;ioud enough for us to hear, " Whose corn-patch »ND. by shoving before pcrfcncd it, but no tbau they would re- claws of the police ;1 reach the street, lothiug to fear, as ho to have its weight, mtlemcn having the n their coiapanions, [1 with them tackled lately left the room. and tried their luck, lat night the number jovial landlord of the IS to lend us the light favor, because every th having, would fol- f our room was filled players, all business ■aptaius, and the like, bet liberally against t, and frequently did iforo daylight. Lane jsides keeping himself horn he was careful to I report proceedings, keep our business as seen in our room from t, with a key, that none stomers, and having a s assurance to Lane, liaro Mr. Pitt's opinion, secure from official in- 1 caused a strong oaken fastened into the door- anged with our worthy was made upon us, he , we might make oures- reed upon was that he ar, " Whose corn-patch WHEKLINO. 97 Is to be robbed now ? " Tliis luminous idea emanated from the prolific brain of the ifajnr, who contended it was an unusual expression, and less likely to create a misunderstanding than another. For more than two weeks