an invitation to call; but as I was acquainted with
her friends, the same old dread came upon me, so I declined, with
the excuse that I was compelled to leave the city the same evening
on the steamer _Judge McLean_. We met again on board a steamer.
She had been told my business, but she treated me more kindly than
ever before. She begged me to quit gambling, and settle down. I
partly agreed to do as she wished. We spent a very pleasant time
together (for I would not attend to business while she was on the
same boat).

Before she left the steamer she took off a large single-stone
diamond ring, and said to me, "Wear this until we meet again." I
tried to refuse it, but she insisted; so I at last accepted the
token. I bade her good-by at the stage-plank, and went up on deck.
She remained on the levee waving her handkerchief (and I returned
the compliment) until we were out of sight. I talked to the clerk
until I felt that I was myself again, and then I started out to
find a sucker; for I had enjoyed the pleasure before business.

It was about three months before I saw my lady love again. I was
glad to see her, and she appeared to be pleased at meeting me.
Before we parted I put the ring back on her finger, but she said
she did not want it; and I believe she meant what she said. I
received another invitation to visit her at her plantation, which
I have neglected to this day, and that has been over thirty years
ago. I have often thought what a different man I might have been
if I had accepted that last invitation. There is one thing that
I am sure of, and that is, if I had married my "first love," I
would not now be writing "Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi."

THE BOYS FROM TEXAS.

I got on the steamer _B. L. Hodge_ at Baton Rouge, bound for New
Orleans. It was on a New Year's eve; everybody was feeling jolly,
and I felt somewhat that way myself. There were five tables of
poker going at one time, so I opened up the good old game of monte
for the benefit of a lot of Texas boys that didn't play poker.
They all got around the table and watched me throw. In a short
time my capper came up and wanted me to show him how to play the
game. I showed him, and he wanted to bet a dollar. I told him if
that was all the money he had, he had better keep it. He got as
mad as a wet hen, and told me he had just as much money as I had.
He pulled out a big roll and slashed down $1,000, saying, "I will
bet you I ca