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SAY ANN AH DAILY HE R ALD. VOUYUAtIU I.) ]Si>( 27* ) i|ab3mt»fj j|stilg||eral& 18 rCHLISHED EVERY EVENING, SUNDAYS EXCEPTED, BY * *3. W. MASON «fc CO. 4 At 111 Bay Street,. Savannah, Geoegta. terms: Per Copy live Cents. Per Hundred $3 &0. Per Year 1...510 00. advertising: A limited number of Advertisements will be re c tved at the rate of Twenty Cents per Line for first insertion, and Fifteen Cents per Line for each subsequen insertion ; invariably in advance. Ad vertisements should be handed m bjfore noon of each day. JOB PRINTING In every style, neatly and promptly done. THE GAME OP CAIJDS. A MISSISSIPPI STORY. “The darkies are mine,’l said the gamester, striking his fist upon the table, “show ’em up, and let’s see yliat they look like. 1 ' The young planter who had lost, sent one of the boat servants below* for John and Helen, The passenger availed the appearaace of the servants in silence for a long time ; but they came lot. The servant had informed them of the change of owners. They were attached to the young planter and wife, and did not like to leave them ; besides, they tojid child ren of their own at home, and what was to become of them ? The winner began to wax impatient at the delay, and exclaimed: “ Come Dantou, hurry up the niggers, they must move quicker than this when I send for them, or they'll nefer know what hurt them.” The young planter's aristocratic face flushed crimson at this brutal exclama tion, but he made no reply. IHe was aboat to send another servant for John and Helen when his purpose was stayed by the appearance of Mrs. Danton. Iler husband had been gambling, and she had been weeping ever since the boat left Cincinnati; and we were now far down the Mississippi. No wonder then that she was pale and wan, and that her eyes looked as though they had been nearly wiped away; but she was made exquis itely lovely nevertheless. . Although many years have passed since that evening, I can see the sorrow stricken young wife now, as she glided up to the table and looked her husband ♦lh the face, lie had lost all their money, and in a fit of desperation had also staked* and lost the two last slaves. Lay ing her lithe hand on his arm, she said:” “Is it true, Charles, that you have lost Join and Helen ?” Her husband made no reply ; he could no* even look up. The passengers were fast gathering round, and the scene was growing pain ful. My father (who had heen North to fetch me from school and was taking the longest way home), was holding me by the hand, and I knew, by the tightning of his grasp, that he was becoming much excited. As Danton did not seem inclined to answer his wife’s question, the gamester roughly said. “Yes, ma’am, John and Helen are mine; and I want to see ’em, quick. . Hanton sprang to his feet, aud stoop ing across the table, hissed in the teeth of the gamester: “Viliam! dou’t you presume to speak to my wife again.” The look with which the menace was accompanied with perfectly blasting,and made tne swarthy and pitted face ot the gamester fairly turn white. How inconsistent is man ! That ac - complished and high-born husband could deliberately jeopardize the proper ty and corrode the happiness of his SAVANNAH, GA., FRIDAY EVENING, FEB. 10, 1865. wife, hour after hour, day after day; and year after year, but he could not bear that the man whom he had chosen for a companion should even as much as speak to her. “Yes, Mary, John and Helen are lost,” he said at last, as he let the game ster pass from under his gaze, “they are lost, and it can t be helped now; so don’t lei us‘have a scene about it.” “I shall not let them go,” said Mary, firmly, and I shall have a scene about it. I did not say a word about the money; but now that you have played them away—oh Charlie !” and she leaned her head on her husband’s breast. “All! here they come,” said the game ster, as John and Helen approached. John was a powerful and fine looking mulatto; his face indicating unusual in telligence and kind-heartedness. Helen was much whiter than her husband, and remarkably handsome. The gamester’s evil eyes gleamed as he surveyed her, and turning to a savage looking man near him, he said • “I’ll sell you John in the morning,Ham mond, but Helen I shall keep—at least a few days.” “I’m agreeable,’ said the slave-trader, for so lie was ; ‘but I’d like the gale as soon as possible.” A look of indignation ran round the group at this brutual colloquy. My father’s grasp grew tighter still; and en couraged thereby, I whispered to him to buy John and "Helen himself; but he shook liis head, and motioned me to keep silent. “I tell you I shall not let them go,” re peated Mis. Danton, addressing the stranger. “They were brought up in-my, mother’s family ; besides, they have chil dren at home, from whom it would be cruel to separate them.” The gamester and slave-dealer ex changed glances at Mrs. Danton’s rea sons for not letting the slaves go, and her husband said ; “It can’t be helped now, Mary ; let us go to our room.” “Oh, Missus, don’t goandleab me wid dat man,” shrieked Helen ; “I shall die, or jump overboard. Oh, don’t leab your own true Helen, who sabed your life when you fell in de byoo.” “I shall not leave you, Helen. Do not be alarmed, I ” “Bress de Lord for dat,” interrupted Helen ; “I know we’re safe now, kasyou allers does just what you say you will. ” “I think it is about time this nonsense was stopped, ” said the gamester, rising from the table. “You acknowledge, Danton, that these negroes are my pro perty; consequently they are mine, and 1 have a right to do what I please with them; no bill ol sale is necessary be tween two gentlemen ; and now, you niggers, come along with me, and don’t make a fuss, or I'll have you flogged and put in irons.” The scene now became exceedingly ex citing. John called Helen to his side, and clenched his teeth and . fist, while their young mistrsss stood close in front, as if with her feeble arm she would pro tect them from the clutches of the game ster. I was wild with excitement, and begged my father to buy the slaves or shoot the gamester, I did not much care which. A bloody fight seemed inevita ble, when a young New Englander, who had been very quiet during the whole trip, elbowed his way to the table, and asked tiie gamester at what sum he val ued his slaves. “Two thousand dollars,” said he; do you want to buy ?” I have only a thousand dollars, “ the young man answered: “I will give you that for them*” l “No, sir, but I‘ll stake them against a thousand dollars, and play you a game of. poker for the pile.” . ; , “I don’t understand the game,” said , the New Englander; “I have played a fdw gdmes at all-tour3, but I never gam bled for ft cent of money in my life.” ‘.'Well, I’ll play you a game of all-four s, then, if you like, and stake the niggers against your thousand dollars.” To the surprise of every one present, the young man accepted the challenge, called lor anew pack of cards, staked his thousand dollars, and the game com menced—the gamester having the first deal. As the company drew more closely around the table, it seemed as though a watchmaker’s shop were in our midst, so distinctly we heard the tick of the watch es. The first hand the New Englander made three to the gamester's one, at which* a buzz of pleasure ran round the group. The second hand the gamester made three to his opponent’s nothing; the third hand fhiey each made two, which _ made the Ndw Englander two to go, while the gamester had but one to make,and it was then Ills turn to beg. This was a great advantage, and everybody seemed to give up the'thousand dollars as lost. The: New Englander dealt out the cards with a steady hand, however, and turned Up the jack of hearts, which placed, him even with his antagonist, but when fie raised his cards, I saw that he had not a single trump in his hand, and his adversary to ‘stand’ or ‘beg;’ if the former, the game was his to a certainty; if the latter, there would be another chance for the slaves. After drumming on the.back of his cards for a short time, he looked at the New Englander, to see if he could determine by his man ner what it was best to do, but young - Tbrnktufelill met his gaze without flinch ing, and they sat for a long time gazing into each other’s eyes. ‘Run the cards,’ said the gamester, at last. I could have hugged him for his mis take. Bunker Hill again dealt, and the queen of spades turned up. Every heart stood still, as the cards were for the last time-lifted. ‘They are mine!’ shouted the New Englander ; or rather, they are yours, said he, in a milder tone, to Mrs. Danton, as he threw down the ace of spades. The beautiful and impetuous Southron threw her arms around the winnner’s neck, and three deafening cheers (in which even the slaveholders joined) were given to the satisfaction of the audience. Many years after I met the New 7 En glander in Mississippi, and claimed his acquaintance, on the score of having* been one of. his enthusiastic partisans on the night of his well-remembered tri umph. He had prospered in business, and become rich. He was making his annual pilgrimage to the family hearth stone —a stone which has more potent charms for good than that at which kneel Mahommedan devotees in the city of that prophet. He said he had not touched a card since that memorable game; that the thou sand dollars he then risked was the sum of his savings for many a toilsome year ; but that he staked it, and played the game perfect conviction of suc cess. . u Danton had sought him out, and kept the acquaintance ever since ; and Mrs. Danton could now travel the world over without fear, for he had forsworn gambling from that never-to-be-forgot ten night. We learn from the London Reader that the French Emperor has ordered his Life of Julius Caesar to be translated into En glish, and has undertaken to revise the p oofs hknself. Aud Messrs, Cassell & Cos announce themselves as the English publishers, and state that the first volume will be ready for issue the last of Febru ary. SAYINGS OF .TOSH BILLINGS*. OLD VELVET TOES. , Old Velvet Toes,iz wuth,in Wall streets half a million. If yu sbud ask gentler Charity how T he made his munny, sh£ v wud tell yu (with a low voice and a deep* blush)- ‘honessly.’ In person he waz.elab orately thin, and slightly konkaye. ize intent upon the ground while w alk ing; he mite hav lost sumthing. In former years, he had filled tew* to the beady brim the cup hiz heavenly Father him, and with trembling hands, still keT* in tew hiz skinny lips, and drunk long— life! but deths waiTent waz sarved. ora him and then hiz munny, and hiz vai-toes*, wtue like fat FallstafFs bill ov fair, tec?* mutch sack fur the bread. He waz a?— wus benevolent, giving whole folios e%r good advise tew the poor; and stufikT. hiz prayers with the teinjQcab apjk. spirituel w T ants ov fUil earth* . commoners, and kiaimetl a ballense irv that Angels book, w'hoze duty, and- jTvjr it iz, tew give credit,’ tew the hand tha t sows. Hiz charities ware not the obstru- - siv ones, that bild churches, and had. subskripshuns, with a bold lex hand ; but ratlur those little delicasies, delitefb.il tiir bits, such az well worn shillings, and prattling 3 sent, peaces, sou venders «*:•• the harte. When Velvet Toes waa young, a blue eyed bird, cum tew hir_ cage, and for a time sung sweetly, but: thar wsz no musik in fhis soul, andtbo*. song ceased. A bappee bride bekum-a prudent wife, and' az years rooled* cay ft munny saving matron, at last; they hunted together, a fatal couple. liiz fase waz ploughed, and kross ploughed r with gold .dug. thrrows: a lafi never ffifc - toiWa thu dbld creases, and if a snail * waz seen There it waz but the pul.* ~' % * J a bazspny. that memory 7 half brout bnk, tC w iivili sepulcher. J ° bifcspl - the two that heaven ' alyuns from a cheerless hearth, energys, hating wealth, and awn begets gain in vicwvof a parents avaris. that made, what should have been sl happee hum—a miseiable asylum.— Strange infatuation! Oh! the "horrorg ov such a life! a harte that never waz warm, onla az it panted on the trale ov a shilling; a benevolence, that kottld grow cold, listning tew the agony ov want; a soul full ov bonds, and mort gages, without one throb, without one gift for awa sicle brother, Velvet Toes walked in the broad ile ov religgion - religgion he hived, it waz so cheap. bowed his flinty brow in prayer, and the riot ov his imaginashun, almost sa**; hiz God pineting tew an Elysium,, whare beggars never enter, and whare taxes aint levied. Wlicc is thare, that will pensil tki* mans agny ? W T ho will skare away - vulture that feeds on his soul, as k&.- looks back upon the sound ov revelry a*, the feast that wakes up the stillness her haz left at the reapers, that are at wirrk at hiz golden harvests. Oh ! agny in tense ! Oh hell entifF—unenvied while? he lived, and forgotten when be died.—- No friend smoothed the sod above bim the rank weeds nod their heds together on his grey grave, and the thoughts ovr the livin, on la go thare a cold morei together. Old Velvet Toes haz shaved hi* laste note ;no more will the widders tear glisten on hiz threshold; no mots? will the orphan shuddir az he meets' him,, and no more will the taxgatherer, like & wet ghost, set down befour him. Com awl yee! who onla luv life, for the? gould that iz in it, cum look down rate* the earth hole whare Velvet Toes lies, coffined and still—dug tlu r cum tew j tll in the eddys ov the soft mind, a single,. “God bless him”!—and when the graver diggers have heaped Him with dirt, who* filial hiz epitaflL be ! Don’t kiss a furious woman. Nevsfiß risk a smack in a storm. f PRICE (Five Cents*