. - - vss-- r it. L. JOIIXSTOX, Editor. IIK IS A FREEMAN WHOM TUB TRUTH MAKES FREE, AXD ALL ARE ILAVES BH1IDE, II. A. M'PIILE, I'ubllfcber VOLUME 2. EBENSBURG, PA., THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1868. NUMBER 10. The Cambria Freeman , , WILL BE PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY MORNING, At Ebeaebnrg, Cambria Co., Fa. At Ifn followinf rates, payable tcilhin three months from die of subscribing : One opy, one year, - - - - - $2 00 One copy, six months, - - - - 1 00 One copy, three months, - - - - 60 . Those who ftiil to pay their subscriptions unlit after the expiration ol six months will lw charged at the rate of $2.50 per year, and those who fali to pay until after the ex piration of twelvo mouths will be charged at the rate of $3.00 per year. Twelvo numbers constitute a qnarter ; tnventy five, six months; aud fifty numbers, tine year. KATIE'S OP ADVERTISING. Ono square. 12 lines, one insertion, $1 00 Ruh subsequent insertion, 25 .Auditor's Notices, each, 2 00 A'tmluistratnr.' Notices, each, 2 50 Executors' Notices, each, 2 t0 Tfbtray Notices, each, 1 60 .1 moa. 6 mos. 1 yr. 1 r.qnare, 12 lines, 2 squares, 21 lines. $ 2 60 $ 4 00 $ 5 00 5 00 8 00 12 00 S squares, W Unow, 7 00 10 00 Quarter column, 9 60 14 00 Third column, 1 1 00 1G 00 ILill' column. 14 00 25 00 One ti-lumn. 25 00 35 00 Prufesi nal or Business Cards, not e.v!'.'cJin 8 line, with papfr, 15 00 25 GO 28 00 35 CO 00 00 G 00 t Mutuary Notice, uver six Hues, ten cents 'cv line. riL'ttoiii! aud business Notices ciht rents )pVr line fir first insertion, and four cents for euh subsequent innrrtic-n. Resolutions of S-.ities, or communica t!i!i t a ersoiil catuic wast be paid for advertisements. job ratxTixa. We have made arrangements by which Ns n d vr Lave d-jno all kinds "f plain iind cy Jb Priming, such as Rooks, l'rnpheta. Show Card. Bill and Lettci i?i.-aJs, 'Handbill. Circulars, &'c, in ti.e !esf stvlvi of tho art tvud at the must moderate jtLo. Alto. all kinds of Ruling, fclank 'jks, Book Rinding, tc, e xecuted toordc-r ("Tt as ir lest and as cheap as the ; NOTLLl-Ji NEW WllrNXLE ! BOOTS ATsTd SHOES FOR ALL AG LS AXD BO I II SEXES. In addition to his largo stock of Die best ' Eastern made SHES, BUSKINS, GAITERS, &c, Fur Ladle1 and Children s Hear, tke subscriber his jiut added to his ai-sort mcnt a full a.ud complete invoice of Boots and Shoes for Men and Youths, vrhich Ite ujil out nly wiirrant to be supe rior to any juods of liko cl'aractt-r now being rflj-red In this maiket, but vastly better in every respect than the slop-shop woik with whJth the country is flooded. Remember tht I oiler no article for sale which I do i;t gnwixutee to be regular custom made, of t Wo best matuiial and superior ntiieb. aud M bile I do not pietend to compile in prices vith the dtwleru in auction goods, I know that Lean furuish ROOTS, SHUES, &c. tbt will give more xtr vice for Itss money than any other dealer in this community, and 1 pledu myn'lf to repair, free of charge, any aittcle that n-.ay give way after a reasonable time And reasonable usae. Rverybudy is rwpeclfuily invited to call and examine my tock and learn my priees. T'e biibscriber is als'o prepare! to manu facture to order any and all work in hii line, oi the very best material and workmanship, and at prices as reasonable as like work can b obtained anywhere. Fiench Calf, Com mon. Calf, Morocco and ail ether kinds of Leather constantly on hand. C7 Store on Main street, uext door to Grawfwrd'd Hotel. JOHN D. THOMAS. Ebensburg. Sept. 2B, 1867. ECUKE THE SHADOW EltE THE SULSTAXCE FADES. - PICTURES F0RJ8E MILLION. Haying located in Ebenburg, I would re pttfully inform the public that I am pre plld to execute PIIOTOORArilS in every u le of the att, from the smallest card Pic ture to the largest sized for framing. Ric turs taker, in any kind of weather. PHOTOGRAPHS PAINTED IN OIL, INDIA JXK OR WATER COLORS. Every attention piven to the taking of Qdldren's picturvs.but in clear weather only. Special attention is invited to my stoek of large PICTURE FRAMES and VIIQTO UttAPil ALHUMS, which I will sell cheap er than they can Ix. bought elsewhere in town. Copying and Eidarffing done on rea sonable terms. I ask ccmparison an1 defy competition. Thankful far pa.-t favors, I solicit a con nance of the same. Gallery on Julian street, wo duois south of Town Hall. T. T. SPENCK. Photographer. Kbcnsbnrg, Nov, 14, 1867. ?BENS3URG MARBLE WORKS. ALa Llavuig purchased the Marble Works High street, one door cast of T. W. Wil !iam&) Hardward Store, and supplied myself with an extensive etock of TO MUST ONES, I am now prepared to furnish all work in ray lino at the lowest city prices, and feel confident that I can render entire sat'u-fac-tbu to all who favor mo with their orders. Parties desiring to purcbape Tombstones are rcjtctfally invited to call and examine spe cimens on exhibition at my shop. . Orders from a distance will be promptly attended t. and work delivered where desired. Jmi- 30. 1868. OTTINGER REKD. -A NY PERSON intending to build a IIoiMe or Barn, can buy Nails and hardware cheap by paving cash at Feb. 38. Gt.:o. HUNTLEY'S. jTAHGALNS can Iks had by buying -8 your goods for cash sit Feb. 28. GEO.lirjNTLEX'S. From the St. Louis (Mo.) Republican. EARLY LIFE OF IL P LE CONNER BT 1113 CNCLE. Note by the Editor This interest ing history was originally written for the New York Ledger, "but that paper having made arrangements to publish the early life of Gen. Grant, written by bis father, would not receive this one at any price. Struck with the similarity of the life of Mie subject of this history to that of the rJgrrs, we have arranged to print it. Ncnmx Riixje, Kr , January, 18C8. In writing the early life of my nephew I labor under great difficulty in committing my thoughts to paper. When very young I acquired some facility in the use of the pen. For many years I was made Sec retary of every corn-shucking which I attended, and thi, with the experience I had in killiig hog?, made the pen' my favorite instrument. Of late I have prac ticed very little, and am not very ready at writing. As my subject was brought up by me, whatever I write of him may be relied upon. I voted for Gen. Jackson nine times three times at each election at which he w?s a candidate. I also frequently vote for him now. At une of the elections I put in thiee votes for his opponent. In reply to your request for my photo graph, 1 adopt a response which 1 recently made to a similar application from a commiltoeof old women in Cheyenne, who aked for my own and Hans Patrick's. Ladies, my kind and gentle friends, As you icquest, your servant sen Ja A salt-and pepper photegraph Of 11. P. L. (J. to make jou l.tvgh. The picture's good, the subject true. Which (pk-afc stud i r.ce by return mail) I give to you ; I also st n I yon s me of mine. Nit quite correct, but genuine; Tliio was tnkcu forty yeais ago. Before my head got bald, you know. And now to you may look quite queer, But righr to those who love their br ; My best Tes-ptcts 1 herewith send, (Provided you've a stamp to lend) ; And tay to both, if anything you want. That ergs is eggs, but tvo from one you ciu't. The measure of this poetry is a little out of joint, but fully equal in every particular, I think, to that of the father cf the great Ulysses. 1 never had much money in tny life, and g'.i'l have. For this reason I have .iven the bulk of my fortune to my two sons, thereby rendering them paupers. My nephew declined to accept anything, saying be thought be could get a situation on a street car, at a dollar and a half a day, which would place him beyond immediate want. Hans Patrick Le Connor was born a long time ago, between p. m. in the evening anil a. m. in the morning, and at the same hour every succeeding day for a week. The house in which he was born is still standing but the ground upon which it was built has been removed. " It is popularly believed to have been carried off in pots, by a small band of Fenians, to till up the Dutch Gap. The infant' Hans Patrick received his mammarial balm in the usual way, and not through the instrumentality of a patent bottle. One of his caprices when yet a child, was to scream with all the force of his little lungs, when be was severely chastised by his parents. This singular habit was but a foreshadowing of that genius which has rendered him so eminent in his maturity. The early training of Hans Patriek was unexceptionably moral. I remember on one occasion, he was desired by a party of rude companions to go into a field and steal a watermelon. He refused, and said he had been taught that it was wrong to take other people's melons. The boys first coaxed, and then threatened him, but he held out stoutly to the end. I have heard it intimated that he knew there was a man concealed in the field with a double barred shot-gun and a bull dog. Hence his melancholy objecttion to entering. This statement may or may not be true, or both. I cannot say. Almost as soon as he could go alone, the sulject of my sketch manifested the strongest kind of friendship for mules. The fust time he ever iedo a mule by himself he was about six ycar3 old. I had left home to be gone all day, when he saddled the critter and rode fourteen miles to a camp-meeting and back again. He wax so small he bad to stand on his head to put his feet in the stirrups. Then he would turn a half-handspring and mount. He used to break all the mules in the country, and sometimes broke their necks. I have known him to harness a mule colt when he had to climb a ladder to put the bridle on. He hadn't much taste for horses ; they were too tall for him. Occasionally ho would ride one. His method of saddling and mounting the animal displayed a wonderful ingenuity for one so young. Hu would -elect a borse from the pasture, drive him under a shed, climb on top, with a saddle and bridle on his arm, and then drop down on the horse's back with the saddle underhiin. Ho would then crawl out on the horse's neck and put the bridle on. He would often get upon horses in this way when he was preparing to break them. If ever a circus came to town, with a pair of comic mules to umuse the public, Hans Patrick was the first boy in the whole community to rip a hole in the canvas and slide in. This was doubly gratifying to him, as it enabled him to see the mules and appeased his appetite for ripping up canvas. If there was an elephant along, he would get ten cents from home to buy apples for him. Usually, however, he would eat the apples himself and persuade other boys to feed the ele phant. This fact gave rise to a remark able saying, which is now very generally quoted, to wit : Charity begins at a circus. I must not overlook one other event in the history of our young hero, which I regard as having exercised an important influence on his whole life. I was build ing a log lit,use in Green county. The logs were to be hewn a foot square and fifteen feet long. These had to be hauled about two miles to the place where the house was being erected. I generally worked a .very large pair of mules, and Hans Patrick told me one day, if I would buy him a new knife (of about the size suitable for ripping open circus tents), he would haul logs one day by himself and save the expense of a hired hand. He was then twelve years of age, and small of his size. I told him it was impossible for him to load the logs by himself, but he insisted he could do it wiih perfect ease, and I told him be might make the trial. I then sent the hired man secretly to watch him and see that no accident should happen. In about two hours the wagon appeared, bringing a huge load of logs. "flow in the world did you manage to to load V I ioquiredj for 1 considered it utterly impossible for him to have accom-pli.-hei the feat alone. "Oh," said he, "the mules and I load ed." "The mules and you ! What do you rneaa !" He then explained how he had mnnaaed. By hitching the horses to the side of the wngon, he had contrived to upsot it over a pile of logs. Ry means of a log chain they were firmly fastened, the mules re hitched and the wagon pulled right side up again, when, of course, it was loaded. The remainder of ny logs were hauled in this manner. I bought him three new knives the next day, and the next circus that came that way went out of town with a mammoth rent in the canvas. While liing with me Hans Patrick used to take my stock to water. It was no uncommon thing for him to stand upon a barebacked mule three feet high and ride a mile at a time without falling off. He began to practico this sort of eques trianism by standing upon the back of an ox, that furnishing a broader and safer foundation than the mule's. Once he was accompanied by a companion, who at tem tvd to stand upon another ox. The attempt was too much for him. He slipped up and fell ofT, slid down a hill several hundred feet into a barrel of ice water, and was drowned. My hero was very fond of planting small grain. For many years he was in the habit of sowing all my oats. He would stay in the field and toil all day, and if at night he had any oats left he would go and sow them in the Woods. These be facetiously termed "wild oats." He acquired such a passion for this kind of sport that he sometimes practices it even now, merely to remind him of his boy-hood, I suppose. Yours, occ , no. n. Note Some surprise has been ex pressed that these sketches have not ema nated from the father of Hans Patrick Le Connor, as he must have been more fa miliar with the early life of his son than any one else. In' the first place, it is not positively known that Hana Patrick ever had a father, or that he ever had any use for one. Great men arc seldom encum bered with such annoyances. Who ever heard of Napoleon Bonaparte's father, or Julius C;esar's, or Oliver Cromwell's? If Bonaparte's father had attempted the early life of his son he would have been thrown into the Bastilc quicker than he could have said Jack Robinson -particularly as that name is somewhat difficult to pro nounce ia the French language. The subject of this history has therefore chosen to ignore the existence of a paternal pro genitor and entrust bis life in the hands of his revered uncle. NuniiiN Ridge, Ky., Jan. 20, 18G8. Editor Republican I think my ne phew's early passion for mnles diverted his attention from the common pastimes of boys of his age. He whs upwards of four years old before no could play chess, dominoes, seven-up, &c. I never knew him to .dance in his early hie, except when he was flogged by the schoolmaster. The following anecdote is told of him : He made a bet of six marbles, (alley-tors, or alley-ga-tors, I have forgotten which,) with a small boy whom he knew he could take the marbles away from if he lost, that he could jump thirty-five feet at one jump, he to select the ground. He ascend ed a bluif near by and leaped from the top of it into the mud at its base, sinking . .t TT into ine sou earm up 10 ins ears. lie has since cot out. For a long time this circumstance caused him to be known by the appellation of "Stick-in-the-mud," u term that baa now become quite comrn jn. He never seemed anxious to put himself forward nor to put himself back ; his fa vorite method in an emergency was to shove out sideways. He never distrusted himself nor anybody else, and never had any misgivings as to his ability or inabil ity to do anything. His talents for indif ference and repose were about equal. His self-possession was also remarkable. He not only possessed himself, but was fre quently ambitious to possess other people. An example of it occurred when he was about twelve years of age. He was sent to convey two j-oung ladies in a buggy a distance f several miles to their father's house. On the way, in passing through a broad, deep slough, the horses became stalled, and could not proceed an inch further. The ladies begged Hans Pat rick to wade out of the slough and go for assistance. Sitting quietly between the two he replied : "Not if 1 know mj'self. I've got as good a thing as I want, and I mean to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer." And '.here he eat, until the father of the young ladies came and res cued the party. He &till retains in his possession the sole of one of the old man's boots, which he captured on that interest ing occasion. The first phrenologist that ever came to our part of the country examined Hans Patrick's head through a microscope. There were many persons present, all eager to hear what the man would say, aud the boy, for fear that be would crush the two dozen bird-eggs concealed in his trowsers' pockets, remained perfectly quiet while the examination was going on. The phrenologists muttered to himself, as he proceeded : "This is no common head ; it is a huge head, a tremendous head a saphead. ' I asked Hans Patrick would thing. He teplisi : hvm if he thought ever coree to any "From the devel- opment of a particular organ here (diges tive), I think he will come to his meals three times a day as long as he lives, or as long as he has the meals to come to."' This gratified me very much, for tliere is no surer sign of future greatness than a crool nrnti'e. Jn the afternoon, the t it , phrenologist and I were walking near a pond where Hans Patrick had been skat- iig. He bad fallen upon the ice, and the Professor discovered the indentation made by his head. "Marvellous head," he .-a'd to me, "it is hard as cooper." ILnce the term Copperhead, sometimes applied to men whose heads are too hard to be affected by the slippery surface of fanatical opinion. All the phrenologists who came to our place for ten years pre dict! that Hans Patrick would become President. They predicted the same thing of all the other boys in the neighbor hood. None of these prophecies have come true as yet, but you may look for a perfeet whirlwind of Presidents from Nubbin Ridge one of these days. In re.pect to looks, Hans Patrick was a most beautiful child. He was the love liest little creature I ever saw. His com plexion was white as alabaster and his eyes glowed with a prisnaatic glory that astonished the natives. We used to let him out by contract to families, when they had a child to christen. Thev would take him to be christened and leave their own at home, thus exhibiting to their friends what a beautiful babe they had. Ladies used to come miles and miles to kiss him. Frequently there were so many of them on a pilgrimage of this kind at a time that half of them had to sleep in the barn and do their own cooking. I do not think he grew up to be as hand some a man as the rest of the children. Ladie3 would not go far to kiss him now ; they would probably go farther to avoid it. My nephew's passion for hard labor was never sufficiently strong to damage his health. Most of the work we had to do was chopping wood, and he was al waysjvery awk'ward at it. I have known him to break half a dozen axes in a sin gle day. It cost so much to buy axes that I used to let him go a fishing in pre ference to chopping wood. One day, however, we were short of hands, before short-hand men came in fashion. I told him he must go into the woods and chop. lie said he was willing to assist me until he could get money enough to run away with, and then ho intended to leave. I told him I did not want him to chop against his will, and asked him what trade he would choose whether he would be a rope-maker, a soap-boiler or a prin ter. Subsequently he chose the latter. He made a capital printer, but while an apprentice, he was always averse to dis tributing "pi." When he chanced to knock down a line of type, he would slip it in his pocket, and at night, on his way home, he would throw it in somebody's well. He broke up two or three printing offices before he learned his trade. Many persons regard the name of Hans Patrick Le Conner as a very curious and sigttiliecant one. It ia not the name he was christened by, but was tacked on to him by accident. One day he was at a log rolling, when the men consisted of Germans, Irish and French. They were divided up in clans, and each clan had a great deal of cider to driuk, of which ber- erage my nephew wag always very fond. He first went among the tcrmans ; and, seeing a fine lad in their middt one of them asked his name. He replied "Hans." They then gave him all the cider he want ed, thinking he was a German. When he went among the Irish clan, be told them his name was Patrick, and they also gave him c-.der. By and by he came t a party consisting about equally of French and Irish. When tliey inquired his name, he replied "Lc ConnoV Here he was again treated to cider. In the evening tley all geathered together for a jollifica tion, -when Borne of them addressed the boy as Hans, pome as Patrick, and some Le Conner. Contradictions followed, and there was about to ba a riot, when he rtepf d forward and said : "Gentlemen, you Vre all right and you are all wrong. My r.amo i9 Hans Patrick Le Conner." By that name he ha3 been known from that day to this. Yours, ccc, JOSU HILLISGSISItIS. It strancs a man's philosophee the wust kind tew laff when he gits beat. Awl ov us kom plain ov the shortness ov life, yet wc awl waste more time than we uze. Don't mistak arroganse for wisdum. Menny peple hav thought tha wur wize when tha wus onla windy. The man who kant git ahed without pullin others back, is a limited cuss. The principal difference between a lux ury and a necessary, is the price. Whenever the soul ia in grief, it is tak ing root, and when it is in smiles, it is taxing wing. "Give the devil la3 due," but be care ful there ain't much due him. After a man has rode fast onst, he never wants to go slow agin. Faith that is founded on an amest and a truthful convicksun, is beautiful to be hold; but faith that is fo indI simpla on courage, ain't ennything more thau good D Evra sorrow IiA3 its twin joy ; tho fun cv ?crutchin almost pnys for having the er.ch. -jj Those familys who are really fust class never are afraid thit they shall zit cheat ed out of their re?pecktability, while the codfish familys ar always nervous lest tha mite. It w-on't do to stir up a man when he is thinking, enny more than it will a pan uv miik when the cream is raising. It is easy enuff to raise the devil, but he's a hard crop to reap. The onla sure resipee lew govern man kind with, ia the rod ; you may festoon it w ith flowers and case it with velvet, if you pleze, but it is the rod after awl that duz the biziness. We are told that a contented man is happy, and we might hav bin told at the same time that a mud turtle could fly if it onla had wings. The Ku-Klcx-Klan. The advent of the 'K. K. K." iuto this city has created great extitement amongst a portion of oar citizens. The "head centre" of this organization is a skeleton, nine feet high. Night before last, at twenty minutes before 12 o'clock, he went into a lot in the upper part of the city to get a drink of water from the hydrant. He drank nine horse buckets full. An old negro woman, who ITIlf stepped out at the time to get a bucket of water saw him drinking, and counted the number of buckets-full drank by him. She asked, "For God's sake what makes you drink so much water ?" The head centre replied in a hoarse, sepulchral tone, "If you had been in h 11 as long as 1 have you'd drink double as much." He naa a long now in nis nana ana a quiver full of long arrow s on his back. He is fid to make nighlty raids on the houses of quiet and sleeping citizens, to enter through the key-holes of their doors, and when in their houses to cut the most "fan tastic capers.' Many "little folks" won't go on the street for lear of meeting him having heard such wonderful talcs of his ferocity, but we can tell all good little folks" that his letters of introduction assure the public that he means than no harm. It is 6aid he is having forty five hundred horses shod with felt, and that a parade of his brigade will come off some eight next week, between the hours of midnight and daybreak. Persons wishing to see it can assemble on the corner of Main ind Fifteenth street and wait until it comes along ! Ilic'imond Examiner. Mori.DKD Hats. A new American invention for making light water-proof summer hats from Manilla paper pulp is mentioned among the recent patents. Straw hat?) ef the desired dimensions and shape, are first made in the usnal way, and after being sized, to protect them from injury, are coated with blnck leadbronze powder is suggested as better than the lead) and copper wires passed around in various directions, to serve as conductors. The whole is then immersed ia a bnth of sulphate of copper, and connected with a battery. A thin film of pure copper is first deposited on the straw and the wires then removed ; after which the film is al lowed to become sufficiently thick to resist the pressure of moulding. The copper cast is then cleaned, dried, and the straw burned out. The prepared paper pulp is pressed into the mould and allowed to dry there ; the bat thus formed bhrinking sufficiently to admit of its being; readily withdraw. The process i equally appli cable to the fabrication of bonnet.-, cap, etc, and it is believed that elegant design can be furnished at comparatively low prices, much superior to thoJKj in straw, as the paper can be made water-proof. To p.emove stains from the character get rich. THE FATAL CARD. Some years ago the Mississippi river was famous for its floating palaces, as the large steamers plying between New Orleans and the ports above were called. Now the railroads have "driven ne:.r!y all the fine boats off' the river, and left the field to the freight boats, whose ac commodation for passengers are by no means palatial. The former class of steamers were in many respects deliditfu', but they novvr ceased to be the objects of dread to timid people, for if the racing, which on that stream was reduced to a system, did not result in the loss of the boat, there was sure to be one or more encounters between the more lawless por tion of the travelers, in which pistol bullets would fly rather too thick for the comfcrt of steady going people. The cause for such disturbance was generally a quarrel over a gaming table. The regulations of the boats usually required that all such amusements should be conducted in a silom provided for that purpose in the "Texas," "officer's cabin," situated on tne hurricane deck, but the snortin" cen- tlemen were by -no means rareful t. ih. serve this rule, and the gaming was most commonly carried on at the dining table, in the main saloon on the steamer, to the great annoyance of two-thirds of those on board. Many professional gamblers used to make these boats their ltome, traveling back and forth with them, fleecing all w ho were toohs-h and verdtint enough to f dl into their hands. So well, indeed, was the system managed, that the various mem bers seemed to have their different steam ers marked out for them by common con sent, so that o one would trespass upon the uooiiun o: the other. Of course thce men were warm friends of the officers of the boat, who were either too sincere in their friendship to put a stop to the prac tice, or too much afraid of the gamblers to care to provoke a quarrel with them, fur in those days it was a common ail'air for such men to resent any fancied insult with a pistol shot. Oue nf the most remarkable men of this class was named Daniel Stuidivant, a Frenchman, the son of a broken down scion of nobility who had Kittled in New Orleans before the transfer of Louisiana to the United States. Sturdivant had been raised a "gentleman" by his aristo cratic father, but ou coming of age, and finding his fortunes very bad, had taken to cards as a means to better them. His success in tjjis field was so great that he was induced to continue it, until at the time of which I write he was one. of the most notorious gamblers between St. Louis and New Orleans. He was a man of fine personal appearance, and of great physical strength. He was also noted for his per sonal courage. As a gambler he w as most expert and successful. There were dark stoiies of deeds which he had committed while under the influence of play and liqpor, and it was said by some that he had killed half a dozen men in his life time. Yet no one dared to speak of these stories openly, for no enc cared to bring upon himself the anger of such a man. There were few that knew him that really cared to play against him, but they learned that a refusal to do so might involve them in a quarrel with him, and rurely declined his invitation. About fifteen years ago, the time of which I write, he had .attached himself to one of the magnificent steamers plying between New Orleans and Yicksburg, and had publicly announced his determination to shoot any man who encroached upon his scene of operations. Of course tl is left hun in undisputed posses-ion of the field ; and he reaped a golden harvest during the one brief year he conducted hia operations there. It was my lot at that time to be com pelled to make frequent trips between New Orleans and Vicksburg, lieing heavily engaged in cottcn speculations. I preferred the steamer of w hich Sturdivant had taken possession inasmuch as it was not only the moat comfortable, but also the swiftest; and lime was of the utmost importance t'y . l . . w t me. it was Known mat i carried large gums of money, and I was always appre hensive lest Sturdivant should ask me to play. I had made up my mind to refuse him, and if he attempted to draw me into a quarrel, to shoot him without mercy, as I knew that the only chance of my life lay in getting the advantage of him. Strange - to say, he did not make any scch propo sition Jo me, iind I gave him no chance to do so. One night we had started out from Yick?burg,and w ere bending merrily down the river, when Sturdivant came to the group which had gathered around th stove. He had been drinking, and waj smoking a fine cigar as he approached. All made way for him. "Well, gentlemen," said he in an un ?teady tone, "you ?cm to be terribly dull. Who wants to play for twenty dollars ante !" There was no reply. All present seem ed to know the mm, and no one cred to voluntr to place him.lf in his clutches. "Umph !" he exclaimed with an ex pression of contempt, "afraid to try your luck with Daniel Sturdivant, eh ? Or may be you want a eoaxing. Sme of your must play with me ; I can't stand such treatment. Come, let's see who it shall be." He glanced around the crowd as if to select his victim. For the first time I noted the gaze of one of the group fixed steadily upon him. He was a stranger to me, and wus dressed in a plain home-spun, and his face was partially concealed by a broad-brimmed sombrero which was drawn down over it lie was a small hut powerfully made man, and in the decided expression of his well-shaped head I read an unusual firmness aud intensity of pur pose. "Are you Daniel Sturdivant, the gam bler ?" he asked iu a calm tone without rising. Sturdivant flushed darkly, and gave tha stranger a dark glance. '. one pe sons call me so behind my back," he said insolently, "but no one would care to apply that term to me before my face." "Neverthlcss," said the stranger, quiet ly, "I want an answer yes or no." "Well, then, I am," said the gambler, angrily, "what of it !" "Simply this," replied the stranger, "I have heard it said that you claim to be the best card player in the southwest. I have come two hundred miles to prove you a liar." Sturdivant strode forward a step or two, and thrust bis hand into his breast, as if to grasp a weapon. "Stop," said the stranger. "If you shoot me you will simply prove yourself afraid f me. Take j'our seat at the table and I wiil make my words good." There was something in the calm, stern manner of the stranger that seemed to render the gambler powerless. He hesi tated a moment, and then said, bullyingly : "I never play with a man whoso face I cannot see." "Never mind my face," said the stran ger, "If you are not afraid of losing you shall see it when I aui done with you." "But how do I know that you have money for such spoil V persisted Sturdi vant. "You look seedy enough, my fine fellow." "There," said the stranger, "I have ten thousand dollars there. If you can win it you shall do so." With on oath Sturdivant placed himself at the table and Lade his challenger to do likewise. Those of us who had listened to this singular dialogue now gathered around the table, expecting to see a scene of more than u-ual interest. The stranger had not raised his hat-brim, and none of us had seen his face ; but we all felt from his general air and manner that Daniel Sturdivant had at last met his match. It did not take long to show us that the stran ger was an unusually good player. For an hour or more the playing went on in silence. The stakes were high and the contest marked with rare skill. Sturdi vant exerted himself as he had never done before, but in spite of all his efforts he lost steadily. By the expiration of ibe time indicated above he had lost over two thous and dollars. I noticed the flush upon his face deepen and a strange light come into hia eyes. At last, with an exclamation of triumph he drew towards him the heap of notes. "That was well done," said the stran ger, "you are an expert in cheating. But go on, 1 can beat you whether you play openly or dishonestly. " Sturdivant said nothing; but dealt tfc cards again. The hand played, anv.' Sturdivant was about to seize the stakes again, when the stranger laid down a card and checked him. The gambler Httcred a sharp cry and sat motionless with hid eyes fixed on the card ; a worn and faded "ace of hearts, with a dark stain acros3 the face. Sturdi vant's face woiked convulsively as be gszed at it, and the spectators g-tthered mora closely around the twoj wondering at the strange scene. "Look at m1?," Sa!d the stranger quietly. As if powerlc?9 to resist, Siurdivuni raised bis eyes to" the speaker. The stranger had raised his bat an) sat looking at the trembling man w'Ub eyes which fairly blazed with, fary. -Sturdivant Uttered a groan and sank back in his chair with his face white and. rigid. The stranger with one sweep gathered the money from the table aud thrust it in his boSum. "Tho ace of hearts is an unlueky card forjyoti, Daniel Stiurdivant," he said eocMy. "You played it once when you thought it to your advantage. Now, God help you, for that play is returned." As lift spoke he raised a pistol which wo had not seen, and before we could stop him rdmed it deliberately at the trembling man and fired. The gambler fell heavily upon ibe table a corprie ; and the bright blood streamed over it, hiding the fatal card from sight, "Gentlemen," said the stranger, rising to his feet as we jtood paralyzed with horror at the dreadful scene ; "that man ruined rny wife and tried to murder me I have been hunting him ten years." 1 Its walked slowly by us down the 3tairw:y to the lower deck. Just then, a the Mwmtr touched at a landing, he sprang ashore and vanished in tho dark woods. I never learned the history of the mys terious ahVir, for the dead gambler wh.- beyond human queftioning ; and I never eaw the stran2r again ; but I shall not soon forget the impression made upon me at the time. New Readixo (by a fashionable wife.) The man who lays his hand upon a woman, without a large income, is a wretch whom it were gross ftattery lo cali a bankrupt. nr if
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