The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1831-12-27

How he contrived to pass ,he day he never
knew but about FIVE o'clock he retired to his
dressing room TO prepare for dnner.t Ills
ugits'ion had reached such a height, that of.
ter several Intellectual attempts TO shave him.
self, he was compelled to send for some one
to perform that operation for him. When
the duties Of the dressing room were CON.
pleted. he returned to his sitting room, took
from his escrutore the doomed bank notes for
50OOl, and placed them in his pocket book
A dense him hoated before his eyes, when he
attempted TO look over the respective amounts
Of the bills, 10 see that oil was correct. He
then seized pack Of cards, and tried over
and over again TO test the accuracy Of his
cslculstions. He laid them aside, when he
had satisfied himself--locke ked his door, open. !.
ed his desk and took out pen and paper. lie
then with bis penknife picked the point of
ono Of his fingers, filed the pen with his
blood issuing from it, end wrole in letters of
blood solemn oath, that il he were but sue.
cessful that evening in swimming back his
own" he would forsake cards and dice for
ever, and never sgsin be found in the ore
cincts OF gaming house to the latest hour of
his life. ! have seen that singular and az
fes ting document. The letters, especiolly
those forming the signature, are more like
the tremulous handwriting Of a man ofeighty,
than OF one but twenty one! Perceiyinp
that he was late, he hurriedly affixed a black
seal to his signsture-- -once more ran hIs eve
over the doomed 5000 pounds sterling, and
sallied out to dinner.
When he reached Mr.. Apsley's he found
oil the company assembled apparently in high
spirits, and oil eager for dinner. You would
not have thought 0fthe black hearts that beat
benes'h such gay end pleasing exte,iors ss
were collected round Apsley's table Z Not
syllable Of allusIon was made during dinner
time 10 the subject which filed every ones
shoughts--psy. As il by mutual consent,
that seemed the only interdict topic but ,s
soon as dinner and desssrt, both ofthem &, ct
rate, were over. perfectly understood pause
took place and Beauchamp, who, with the
aid OF frequent draughts of champagne. had
WORKED himself up to the proper pitch, was
Ine nfst 10 propose, with cagerness, the fatal
sdJournment 10 the gaming table Every
one rose in an instant from his seat, ss if by
appointed signal, and IN less than FIVE min
utes' time they were oil, with closed doors,
seated round the table.
"Here piles Of cards, and there the damned
dice"
They opened with hazard. Beauchsmp
was tho first who threw, and he lost; but as
the stake was ascomparstiveIy trifiing. he Meth.
or was, nor appeared TO be annoyed. He
was saving himselffor Rouge ct Noir The
rest OF the company proceeded with the game.
and got gradually into deeper play, till at
iehgtn heavy betting was begun n. Beau
champ who declined joining them, sat watch.
ing with peculiar feelings Of mingled sympa.
thy and contempt the poor fellow whom the
gang were 'pigeoning.' How painfully it
reminded him Of bis own initiation! A shrong
OF bitter recollections crowded irresistibly
through bis mind, ss he safe for while with
leisure for contemplation. The silence that
was msintained was broken,only by the rat
ting Of the dice box, and an OCCASIONAL whis.
per when the dice were thrown.
Continued on the Cd page