dred dollars in his pocket, started for Patterson's.

He proceeded to "buck the tiger," and soon lost nearly all of it. To see
if his luck would not change, he gave up the game, and started at
"roulette." Here he steadily won, and soon had over seven hundred
dollars in his possession. He was now all excitement, and jumped with
many a "whoop-la" around the table, to the great amusement of the
spectators. He was about to give up play, but they urged him on, saying
he had a run of luck, and should not give up till he broke the bank.
Thus encouraged, he played for heavy stakes, and was soon completely
"cleaned out," and left Patterson's without a cent.

He went to a friend and borrowed twenty-five dollars to help him out of
town. He was considered good for a small short loan; and going to his
hotel, he paid his bill, and mounting his dilapidated steed, started for
his home, forty miles distant, at as great a speed as he could get out
of his poor "Rosinante." In the South, men, women and children, always
make short journeys on horseback. Simon travelled for two hours, when he
reached the Coosa river, about fifteen miles from Montgomery. At this
point lived a wealthy widow, with whom he was well acquainted, and here
he determined to pass the night. He was joyfully welcomed by the widow,
who ordered one of her negroes to put up his horse and conducted him
into the house. She had a good supper prepared, Simon ate a hearty meal,
spent a few delightful hours in the widow's company, and was then shown
to his room. He was soon in the arms of Morpheus, and arose in the
morning as gay as a lark. Throwing open the casement, he let in the
fresh morning breeze and took in at a glance the rich Southern
landscape. Immediately below him, and sloping in well kept terraces to
the banks of the Coosa, was a trim garden, filled with flowers, among
which, in fine bloom, were numerous varieties of the rose. The sluggish
waters of the Coosa flowed without a ripple between its well wooded
banks, the trees on opposite sides often interlocking their branches.
Beyond the river was a wilderness of forest; the slaves were going to
their labor in the cotton fields, singing and chatting gaily like a
party of children. It was indeed a beautiful scene, and who could more
thoroughly appreciate the beautiful than Simon? Hurriedly dressing
himself, he went to the breakfast room, where he found waiting for him
the buxom widow, dressed in a loose morning robe, a