The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1847-08-10

J be more tllan man or friend to me-you vii
be saviour sent from God"
"What must do? am disposed to try i
speak; explain yourself furthcr.'
"You play high, sir, and what with you il
J only amusement is madness with Coun
K. He will sacrifice anything tc
this passion, and in the end it will be his ru
in. Get him 10 play with you for small es
tate he owns on the banks of the Wolga--it il
a village consisting of fifty roofs, its com
merce is the manufacturing Of nails. HI
: will not sell this estate at any price, an
sure of that, else should have bought i
} long ago. Blu, in the feverish excitemen
Of play he may risk t-he may lose it.
Those words sey all that have TO ask you
was born in this village, my fatLer was bOrr
there, the rest of the laniily live there; e
the estate once be mine, and we are all free
You are now master of my secret, and my
fate-say if you will assist me? your WORD
is sufficient, and from that moment play az
high as you please, double your stakes, quad
ruple them, win at any price. You shall
have unlimited credi, at my bankers'-draw
on them without reserve. Whatever your
chance may be-shonld it be obstinatcly bad
should it even ruin mel shall still ever
feel grateful TO you for having listened to my
prayer, and tried to make me happy and
fee.'
Mr.. Bally promised everything, and they
parted.
And now began the warfare of cards and
dice. Bailly commenced his operations.
like one determined TO succeed. He only
sought for opportunities to engage the Count
in play, and like skilful manonverer, allow
ed himself to be a repeated loser. lnioxi-
Gated by success, his adversary became lit
orally his shadow; he followed him every
where-at the ball, the theatre, the promen-
ade, the cluL-he was never absent from his
side. No courtier was ever more exact at
the rising and setting of Royalty than the
Count in his attendance on the Englishman.
Phare was at that time the most fashiona-
bic game at Moscow, it was also that in which
the two antagonists the oftenest engaged
The Count held the bank the sum lost by
Mr. Bailly was already nearly fifty thousand
roubles. The Russian still continued the
game; at last the Englshman took his turn,
chance a, last favored him.
One afternoon, fortune so favored Mr..
Baillv that he gained all the Count ks
loose reubles, paper money, even 10 the Or
naments, and holy images, richly chased in
gold and silver, and fine stones 10 which
Russian attaches an nestimable value-he
gained all and when day appeared, this heap
of wealth was piled round the table at which
the gamblers sat. The Count, enraged at
his losses, proposed to continue the game,
but only sargent blanc," which means by
figures traced upon the table with chalk,
and which is equal to note Of hand. Mr..
Bailly feigned wish to retire, and rang for
his servants to carry his winnings into the
carriage. The Count redoubled his entrea-
ties, and talked so much Of having his ro-
vanche, that Mr.. Baily thought the time was
come TO fulfil his promise 10 the young serf.
He replaced the gold, the jewelry, and the
bank-notes upon the table-"Count," said
he, ssyou know that Iplay we'll. Now have
a fancy for being Muscovite landowner, if
it were only for the whim of the thing. You
have little property on the Wolga, If You
consent will play for it against this"
The power Of gaming is so great over the
man whom it enthrals, that had Lucifer at
at that moment offered 10 play the Counts
soul against ducat, he would probably have
consented. The Count went TO his secre-
tare, took thence the titlc-deeds of the prop
erty, and threw them upon the gold which
covered the table. Chance favored Mr..
Bailly-n quarter of an hour he had won
the promised land Selling the deeds which
rendered him pessessor of it, and the fifty
rubles he had previously lost
"Count," said he, rising, "quitte ou double
pour Ia reste." The Count named the right
colour. "Take it," said the Englishman,
''my night is we'll paid"
They parted the best of friends; the Rus
sian delighted at what he considered disn-
erested conduct i'll the Englshman in thus
giving him so speedy revenge; and Mr..
Bailly full of gladness at the idea ofthe hap
oiness he could now give to his new friend.
He wrote the same day to Feodore, send
ng him fifty thousand roubles, and telling
lim that the deeds of the estate ON the Wolga
we're at his disposal. A few hours after he
Jaw him arrive al his hotel, leading young
md handsome woman, fresh and fair, as are
Ill the northern maidens; he presented her
o him. 1t was Eudoxie his betrothed; the
woman who had loved him well enough to
70 serf for his sake, had he wished it,
They fell at the feet of the fortunate game
ter. "You are our master and father," said
hey; "bless US, and finish your sbulime
work."
Mr.. Bailly raised them and embraced
hem as father would his children. He
vas himself surprised at the tears {
which glstened in his eyes. "Let him owe