Grayson Griffith [pp. 605-611]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MiESSENGER.
good bed and a plenty to eat." In half a minute he sat isfied himself that his horse fared well, and he followed
his young acquaintance into one of the stalls, through
which they passed by a blind door into a long, narrow
and dark entry. "Follow me," said the young man.
Presently they entered a large room. Griffith was
struck with the abundance of good things to eat and
drink, which too were all free for visiters. At a table
on one side, sat an old man with a playful countenance.
He rose and said: "Last night a man won $3,600 at
this table." Three thousand six hundred dollars thought
Griffith-and "how much had he to begin with?" said
he to the old gentleman. "Only a ten dollar note,"
was the reply. In another part of the room, Griffith
,saw a young man sitting behind a table, and leaning
against the wall, with his hat drawn down over his
forehead, and wearing a heavy set of features. Before
him on the table lay three heaps of money-one of sil ver-another of gold-a third of paper. Griffith eat
some very fine blanc mange on the table, and drank a
little brandy, after which he concluded he would risk
ten dollars on a card. He did so, and put a ten dollar
bill into his pocket. His next risk was five dollars,
which he lost. Withvarious success he spent an hour,
at the end of which he had tripled his money. He
then retired to his room, and slept until a late hour in
the morning. Then he went to a merchant tailor, and
ordered his new suit, and spent the day in musing —
visiting factories-attending auctions, and laying plans
for the night. "If. I had held on I might have broke
them," said he; "I should have gotten $3,600!" Night
came, and with it a self-confident feeling peculiar to the
young gambler. He returned alone through the stall
into "hell," and there lost all he had but five dollars.
The next night he won $150. The next night, which
was to be his last in the city, he went, and for a time
succeeded. Once he had $700 in pocket, but before
daylight he had lost every cent he had, and making
knowa his situation, two men who had won his money,
:o him each five dollars, and advised him to leave
On at day-light. That was a wretched night to
Griffith. His couch was a "bed of unrest." His very
dreams were startling. At daylight he paid his bill,
and had remaining three dollars and a quarter. He
mounted Decatur, and with a heavy heart journeyed
towards the village of Goodcheer. When he found
himself in sight of home, he felt in his pocket and found
he had seventy-five cents. He also felt for the cancelled bond, but could notfind it. Riding into the woods,
he examined his saddle-bags, and found the bond in a
waistcoat pocket. Seizing it with great joy, he shed a
tear, and mounted again. All the way home he had
thought much of the manner in which he should account for not having the new clothes. At length seeing
no way of escape, from confusion at least, in case his
father should inquire respecting the matter, he cherished the hope that his father would say nothing. So he
paced along, and got home just in time for dinner.
There was an- air of affected cheerfulness in young
Griffith's gait and. manner, that was unusual. He did
the best he could-took care early to deliver the cancelled bond-said he was not much pleased with the
city, and told something of what he had seen. Next
day his father asked if he had gotten the new suit. He
replied that he had concluded not to get it then, and
reddened very much. Mr. Griffith told his wife that
he had fears about Grayson. They both wept, and
agreed to pray for himn more than usual.
In the course of time, young Griffith being twentyone years old, left his father's, with $700 and Decatur,
to seek his fortune in the West. He soon obtained
employment, and in the course of two years was able
to commence business as partner in a new firm. But,
unfortunately, he was not satisfied in the village where
he was, but broke up and went to the town of Badblood, where he opened a store. He was not long here
until a quarrel commenced betwixt him and one of his
neighbors. The occasion of the quarrel was a disagreement as to the beauty of a piece of music. One
declared the other to have a bad taste, and this was regarded as insulting. Of course a challenge was given,
and accepted. The day of combat arrived. At the
first fire no blood was spilt. This was owing to the
great agitation of both the combatants. At the second
fire Griffith wounded his antagonist slightly, but himself received no wound. At the third fire Griffith's
right arm was broken, and his antagonist was wounded
in the thigh. Here the seconds and friends interfered,
and declared they had fought enough. Had it not been
for public opinion, they would have thought that it was
enough to be shot at once a piece. But they were both
content to quit, and even to drink each other's health,'
before they left the ground. In the course of eight or
nine weeks, they were both in their usual health, and
attending to their accustomed duties.
The effect on Mr. Griffith's family on learning that
Grayson was expected to fight, was very distressing.
The day the challenge was given, Griffith wrote to his
father thus:
My very dear Father:-On the morning of the day on
which this shall reach you in due course of mail, I shall
have settled an affair of honor. 1 do not love to fight,
because I neither like the idea of killing or being killed.
If I go on the ground, I shall certainly take life or lose
it. I can't help it. I should be posted as a coward, if
I did not. Mr. B. will write you as soon as it is decided. Love to mother and the children. God bless
you. I can't bear an insult. Your's ever,
G. GRIFFITH.
An entire week was this family in suspense, when at
last, by request of the father, dear Mr. Goodnews, the
minister, was at the office, and got the letter and opened it, and read the account as before given. He immediately went to Mr. Griffith's, and found both the parents in bed with a high fever, and their countenances
covered with wan despair. As he entered the door he
tried to look cheerfully. "Grayson is dead," said the
almost frantic mother. "No, he is'nt," said the minister. "Then he is mortally wounded," said she. " No,
he is not," said he. " Then he is a murderer; he has
killed a man! 0, my first-born Grayson!" "My dear
Mrs. Griffith," said the good minister, "the Lord is
better than all your fears. Grayson and his antagonist
are both wounded indeed, but neither mortally." " O
bless the Lord, bless the Lord," said Mrs. Griffith, and
swooned away. On using proper means she was restored, and became calm and quiet; but it was an hour
before Mr. Goodnews could read the whole letter to
her. Mr. Griffith suffered greatly, but was much occu
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