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75 Sketches from the Spirit of the Times William T. Porter’s influential newspaper the Spirit of the Times was published in New York from 1831 to 1861. Primarily devoted to sporting pursuits , the Spirit also played a crucible role in the development of southwestern humor, publishing short, vernacular-filled sketches of American life. Though based in the North, it maintained a national appeal throughout the antebellum period; contributors sent in sketches from a wide variety of locations . Comic gambling stories from the Mississippi River—what one correspondent below calls “the great sporting stream”—were a favorite theme, and the Spirit must be considered an important factor in the development of the popular conception of riverboat gambling in the years before the war. Below are a series of characteristic sketches. Where available, author attributions are given. For more information, see Norris W. Yates, William T. Porter and the Spirit of the Times: A Study of the Big Bear School of Humor (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1957). From “Anecdotes of Western Travel” Among the passengers who came aboard at New Orleans was a “split me” young buck from New York, on a tour of pleasure through the Western States. He had never before been far from Broadway, and he regarded the time spent away from that fashionable resort as so much time thrown away; it was a blank in his existence that could never be filled up. He had been but a few weeks absent, and was already becoming disgusted with the country, and longed to return to the gaieties of the city. His peculiarities were new to the backwoodsman, and he was looked upon by them as an original, as belonging to a genus of the race biped of which they had before no conception. He had brought with him from the city all the paraphernalia of the wardrobe and toilet, and among other things, a very beautiful rose-wood dressing case, one of Tiffany’s latest importations. It stood in a conspicuous place in the gent’s cabin, and soon attracted the observations of the backwoodsmen. Their curiosity was raised, and there were numerous speculations as to its use. One thought it a money-box, one a gun-case, and others, and the most knowing ones, that it was a Faro-box. The latter opinion, after a good deal of discussion, prevailed, and they arrived at the unanimous conclusion that the Broadway gent. was a travelling “Leg” in disguise. Blacklegs, Card Sharps, and Confidence Men 76 Thereupon they resolved to give him an invitation to “open,” and collecting together in the forward cabin, they appointed one of their number to intimate to the gentleman that his presence there with the necessary “tools,” would be agreeable to them. The messenger was a double-fisted Mississippian, who soon found the exquisite , and approaching him, with the right side of his face screwed up until the eye on that side closed, (intending it for a sly wink), and beckoning with his finger towards him at the same time, said in a low tone of voice— “It’s all right, my boy; get out your old ‘sody box’ and come along, and give us a ‘turn.’” The dandy looked in perfect amazement as he said—“Ah–ah–ah!—what you mean, fellow?” “I say it’s all OK down there”—pointing with his finger over his left shoulder —“thar’s three or four of us down river boys ready to start the fires with a small pile of ‘chips.’ You understand, now, so come along—come along.” “Dem you, sa, what do you mean? I declare I don’t comprehend you,­ fellar.” “Oh, come along, we’ll put ’er through straight from the mark, and pile on the chips until we bust you, or get bust ourselves; so don’t try to play possum on this child. I say it aint no use.” At this the dandy walked off in a furious passion, considering himself most grossly insulted, saying—“Ah, Captain, I believe—’pon me honor I do—that the savage fellar means to blow up the boat!” The sporting gents could not understand this, and they watched his motions all day, following him from one place to another. Go where he would they were sure to keep him in sight. Having occasion to go to his dressing case before night, they all collected around him, and looked over his shoulder while he was unlocking it. On raising the lid, the...

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