`Yes, yes!' gasped the voice in the chimney.

`Very well,' rejoined the tormentor, `but just wait a bit; I must
have a voucher. I'll just cut off the bottom of your breeches by
way of voucher.' So saying he pulled out his knife and
suited the action to the words.

`Now get down,' he said, `and out with the money;' which was
paid, when the above-named voucher was returned to the chimney-
groper.

The town of Vicksburg, on the Mississippi, was formerly notorious
as the rendezvous of all sorts of desperadoes. It was a city of
men; you saw no women, except at night; and never any children.
Vicksburg was a sink of iniquity; and there gambling raged with
unrestricted fury. It was always after touching at Vicksburg
that the Mississippi boats became the well-known scene of
gambling--some of the Vicksburghers invariably getting on board
to ply their profession.

On one occasion, one of these came on board, and soon induced
some of the passengers to proceed to the upper promenade-deck for
gambling. Soon the stakes increased and a heap of gold was on
the table, when a dispute arose, in the midst of which one of the
players placed his hand on the stake. Thereupon the Vicksburg
gambler drew his knife and plunged it into the hand of the
former, with a terrible imprecation.

Throughout the Southern States, as before observed, gambling
prevailed to a very great extent, and its results were often