Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1850-08-30

! spanning pdulHage. lie saw IN me a
fresh, rich prey, and his eager spirit revelled
by anticipation in the victory which he
nothing doubted to obtain over my sex
eellent intentions and wife pledged virtue"
About half past twelve O'Clock he proposed
to adjourn. This was eagerly assented to
by Mr.. Merton, who had for some time
exhibited unmistakable symptoms of i'm
! patience and unrest.
g You will accompany US, Waters ?"
SAID Sandiord, as we rose TO depart
g. There is, ! suppose, no vow registered
IN the matrimonial archives against looking
on at game played by others 20
oh no but don't ask NE to plav."
" Certainly not;'' and dcvilish sneer
curled his lip. Your virtue shall suffer
no temptation, be assured
We soon arrived before the door Of
/ quiet, respectable looking house, in one of
the streets leading from the Strand low.
! peculiar knock, given by Sandford, was
! promptly answered; then password which
| did not catch, was whispered by him
through the key-hole, and we passed in.
We proceeded up stairs to the first floor,
the shutters of which were carefully closed.
/ so that no intimation of what was going on
could possibly reach the street. The apart
ment was brilliantly lighted a roulette
/ table and dice and cards were in full ac-
uvity wine and liquors Of all varieties
were profnscly paraded. There were
about half dozen persons present, | soon
discovered, besides the gang. and that com
prised eleven or twelve well dressed des-
pcradoes, whose sinister aspects induced
momentary qualm lest one or more of
the pleasant party might suspect or recog-
nize my vocation. This, however, I re-
tiected, was scarcely possible. Ny beat,
during the short period had been in the
force, was far distant from the usual haunts
of such gentry, and was otherwise un-
known In London. Still questioning glances
were eagerly directed towards nv intro
ducer; and one big burly fellow, foreigner
--the rascals were the scum of various
countrles-was very unpleasantly inquisi-
torlal. " Zen reponds," heard Sandlord
say IN answer TO his iterated queries and
he added something in a whisper which
brought sardonic smile TO the fellows
I lips. and induced total change in his de-
meanor towards myself This was reas-
surlng; for though provided with pistols,
should, felt, have little chance with such
utterly reckless rufiians as those bv whom
| was surrounded. Play was proposed:
and though at first stoutly refusing, feigned
to be gradually overcome BY irresistible
+ temptation, and sat down TO blind hazard
with my foreign friend for moderate stakes.
| was graciously allowed to win and in
the end found myself richer in devils
money by about ten pounds. Mr. Merton
was soon absorbed in the chances Of the
dice, and lost large sums, for which, when
the money he had brought with him was
exhausted, he gave written acknowledge
ments The cheating practised upon him
was really audacious and any one but 4
tyro must have repeatedly detected it. He.
. however, appeared not to entertain the
slightest suspicion OF the +" fair-play'' of
his opponents, guiding himself entirely by
the advice of his friend and counsellor.
Sandiord, who did not himself play. The
amIable asscmblage broke up about six in
the morning, each person retiring singlv
by the back way, receiving, as he departed,
new password for the next evening.
A few hours afterward waited on the
commissioner to report the state of affairs.
lie was delighted with the fortunate debut
had made, but still strictly enioined pa
tlencc and caution. 1t would have been
easy, as | was in possession of the pass
word, 10 have surprised the confederacv ia
the act Of gaming that very evening; but
this would only have accomplished a part
of the object aimed at Several of the
raternity-Sardford among the number
were suspected of offering forged foreign
bank notes, and it was essential 10 watch
narroyl y for legal evidence to insure their
conviction. twas also desirable to restore,
if possible, the property and securities of
which Mr.. Merton had been pilaged,
Nothing of especial importance occurred
for seven or eight days. Gaming went on
as usual every evening, and Mr. Merton
became, OF course, more and more involved:
even his sisters iewels-which he had
surrephtiously obtained, to such depth of
degradation will this frightful vice plunge
men otherwise honora6le-had been staked
and lost and he was, by the advice of
Sandford, about to conclude a heavy mort
gage on his estate, in order not only to clear
off his enormous debt of henor,' but TO
acquire fresh means OF " winning back
the ignis fatuus Of ali gambers-his tre-
mendous losses A new preliminary
g dodge" was, ! observed, now brought
into action. Mr.. Merton esteemed him self
a knowing hand at 50 ecarte - ii was in
troduced; and he was permitted TO win
every game he played much 10 the appa-
rent annoyance and discontinue of the
losers. As this was precisely the snare
into which had myself fallen, | of course
the more readily detected it, and felt quite
satisfied that "grand COUP was medta-
ted. In the mean time had not been idle.
SandIord was confdcntially" informed