Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-03-03

civility. A conversation having been
once entered into, though not without
Interruptions by an occasional soli-
loquy, his Grace asked what he was a.
bout? " l am at play" he replied. ".At
play, said the prelate," sand with whom!
you are all alone" 81 own SIR" said
he, "you do not perceive any antagon-
list, but l am playing with God. ""Play-
ing with Cod" (his lordship thinking
the man out of his mind)"t this is
very extraordinary party; and pray at
what game, sir, are you playing"
At chess, sir" The archbishop
smiled; but the man seeming peace
able, he was willing to amuse himself
with few more questions. And
do you play for any thing, sir ?"-"Cer-
tainly. -" You cannot have any great
chance, as your adversary must be so
superior to you !" "He does not take
any Advantage, but plays merely like
man. y" Pray sir, when you win or
lose, now do you settle your accounts"
every exactly and punctually,l promise
you."-" Indeed pray how stands
your game !" The stranger after NUT
tering something to himself, said,
h" l have Just lost it."-"And how much
have you lost ?''-"Fifty guineas.
That is great sum; how do you in
tend paying it; does God take your
money p" No; the poor are his
treasurers: ne always sends some wor-
thy person TO receiv the debt, and you
are at present the purse-bearer." Say.
ing this he pulled out his purse, and
reckoning fifty guineas, put them into
his grace's hand, and retired, saying,
she should play no more that day."
The prelate was quite fascinated
he did not know what to make OF this
extraordinary adventure; he viewed Il e
money, and found all the guineas good,
recalled all that had passed, and began
to think there must be something IN
this man more than he had discovered.
However, he continued his journey,
| and applied the money to the use Of
the poor, as had been directed.
Upon his return, he stopped at the
same inn, and preceiving the same per-
son again in the wood, in his former
situation, he resolved to have a little
further conversation with him, and
went alone to the spot where ne was.
The stranger was comely man, and
the prelate could not help viewing him
with religious veneration, thinking, by
| this time, that he was inspired to do
| good in this uncommon manner. The
prelate accosted him as an old &C
quaintance, and familiarly asked him
how the chance stood since they had
last met. "Sometimes for me, and
sometimes against me; l have both
lost and won" >" And are you at play
| now -" Yes, sir, we have played
several games to day" And who
wins ?"-"Why, sir, at present the
advantage is on my side, the game is
lust over, l have fine stroke; check
mate, there it is -" And pray, sir,
how much have you won ~" Five
hundred guineas. =" That is hand
some sum; but how are you to be
paid ?"-"I pay and receive in the like
manner {: he always sends me some good
rich man when l win, and you, my
lord, are the person. God is remark
able punctual upon these occasions"
The archbishop had received very
| considerable sum on that day !; the
| stranger knew it, and producing a
| pistol by way of receipt, the prelate
found hims self under the necessity OF
delivering up his cash; and by this
time discovered the divine inspired
| gamester to be neither more nor less
| than thief. His lordship had, in the
course of his journey, related the first
part of this adventure but the latter
part he prudently took great pains to
conceal.
SHORT STORY.
My friend and myself, when in De-
vonshire, were visiting an acquaint-
| ance, who had daughter not remark
able either for her wit, beauty, or &C
complishments. She had passed the
grand climacteric, and was certainly
on the wane; but her heart had lost
none of its susceptibility to la grand
passion. She had for ten years been
conspicuous for her dress, airs, beau
| catchers; : but alas, she had toiled all
night at balls, routes, levees, and had
caueht no beau. Being as vain as she
was simple, we thought her fair game
for quiz. "Miss Lucreha Elvire,"
said l, "have you heard of the late act
of parliament, by which allladies with
small mouths shall be allowed to mar
ry two husbands J" %, sir" said she,
(screwing up her mouth into pucker)
"what a curis law !" "You are wrong,
Edward" said my friend to me; "those
ladies with large mouths are to be al.
lowed two husbands" claw me"
exclaimed she, (opening her mouth as
big as bucket "what curisus law!