on his wife for the package, who
returned the same to me at Cincinnati, in 1833. I found every thing as I
had left it, excepting the blank parchments. They were gone. Here was a
mystery I could not solve. How should a part be missing and not the
whole? I never gained any satisfactory information until last summer.
While travelling through the state of New York, I had occasion to visit
the state's prison, where I met with a certain convict who passed by the
name of Wyatt, but whose real name was Robert H. North. He gave me
information about a certain "FLASH," or comprehensive language used
among professional gamblers and blacklegs. Many of the phrases were
familiar, but I never could ascertain their origin. He was soon
convinced of my ignorance, and then informed me of the society whence
they originated. He likewise explained the reason why I was so
persecuted by the notorious Goodrich. "It is known," said he, "wherever
the fraternity exist, that you obtained the package; but they are
satisfied you destroyed the same, and it is well you did, or else you
would have been put out of the way long before this."

I told him I had taken the package, but there was nothing in it save
letters and a few blank parchments.

He laughed and said:

"If you had WARMED those parchments, they would have presented an
exhibition worthy of your attention."

This information made me restless with excitement and anxiety to peruse
those letters and notes which I still had in my possession. I may here
remark, the letters were, for the most part, unintelligible to a common
reader, because of the secret language in which they were written. I had
examined them again and again, without much satisfaction. I knew they
were penned for the purpose of clandestinely carrying on a wholesale
plunder--a deliberate imposition upon public and private rights. By
frequent perusal I had become familiar with many of the terms which were
often explained to me by those who were acquainted with their use,
though they are used by thousands, without any knowledge of their
origin.

After I commenced an exposure of the vice of gambling, I was often
attacked by certain low, vulgar editors in a manner that indicated
deep-seated malice. I could not account for their abuse. They would
admit that society should be rid of the evil in question, but at the
same time exhibited the most bitter hostility to me as one who had dared
to expose the abominations of gaming. I was co