Mississippi Mose; or, A Strong Man's Sacrifice

Mississippi Mose; or, A Strong Man's Sacrifice This installment from the Beadle & Adams weekly (April 13, 1881) presents the opening chapters of Edward Willett's adventure serial *Mississippi Mose; or, A Strong Man's Sacrifice: A Tale of Love, Intrigue and Adventure in the Southwest*. The story introduces Preston Mosher—actually Moses Corson, a professional gambler traveling incognito aboard the riverboat *Star of the West* between Louisville and New Orleans. He wears a false black beard and operates under an assumed name. A persistent, inquisitive passenger named Benjamin Sharpless, himself a detective formerly employed as a thief, repeatedly attempts to interrogate Mosher, suspecting his true identity. After an encounter where Sharpless bothers a young woman on deck, Mosher intervenes. During their brief struggle, Mosher's false beard is torn away, revealing his identity to Sharpless as "Mississippi Mose." Mosher then throws Sharpless overboard. The woman proves to be Juliet Mellen Lavanne, who bears striking resemblance to her deceased mother—someone Mosher knew. She carries a letter from her mother entrusting her to Mosher's care, suggesting a deeper connection to his mysterious past.