Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-05-29
THE DAILY TIMES.
A GAMBLERS DEATH.
From the Paris Sketch Book.

he was the most dashing lad in the place, with
more, money in his pocket than belonged to
the whole fifth form in which we were compan-
lens.
When he was about fifteen, Jack suddenly re-
treated from G. and presently we heard that
he had commission in cavalry regiment, and
was to have great fortune from his father, when
that old gentleman should die. Jack himself
came to confirm these stories a few months al
ter, and paid visit to his old school chuirs. He
bad laid aside his little school jacket, and inky
corduroys, and now appeared in such splendid
military suit as the respect of all of us. His
hair was dripping with oil, his hands were cover
ed with rings, he had dusky down over his
upper lip, which locked not unlike mustachio,
and multiplicity of frogs and braiding on his
surtout which would have sufficed to lace field
marshal. When old Swishtail, the usher, pass
ed, in his seedy black coat and CATERS Jack gave
him such look of contempt as set us all a.
laughing in fact, it was his turn to laugh now;
for he used to roar very stoutly some months
before, when Swishtail was in the custom OF be-
labourng him with his great cane.
Jacks talk was all about the regiment and the
fine fellows in it how he had ridden steeple
chase with Captain Boldero, and licked him at the
last hedge; and how he had very nearly fought
duel with Sir George Orig, about dancing with
with Lady Mary Slamken at ball. 81 soon
made the baronet know what it was to deal with
d
when I logged out my bankers, and talked of
fighting across the mess-room table, Orig turned
as pale as a sheet, or as -"
ssOr as you used to do, Atwood, when Swish
tail hauled you up piped out little Hicks, the
foundation-boy.
1t was beneath jack dignity to thrash any
body, now, but a grown-up baronet; SO he let OIL
little Hicks, and passed over the general litter
which was raised at his expense. However, he
entertained US with his histories about lords
and ladies', and so-and-so ttof ours" until we
thought him one of the greatest men IN his Ma
iesty's service, and until the school-bell rung,
| when, with heavy-heart, we got our books
| together and marched in to be whacked by old
| Swishtail. [ promise you he revenged himself on
us for Jacks contempt of him | got, that day
at least twenty cuts to my share, which ought to
| have belonged to Cornet Atwood, of the nth
dragons.
When we came to think more coolly over our
quondam schoolfellows staggering talk and
manner we were not quite so impressed by his
merits as at his first appearance among us. we
| recolected how he used, in former times, to tell
us great stories, which were so monstrousy i'm.
probable that the smallest boy in the school
would scout at them; how often we caught him
tripping in facts, and how unblushingly he adj
mitted his little in the score of veracity-
He and I, though never great friends, had beer
close companions was Jack S form-fellow 1--WE
fought with amazing emulation for the last place
in the class, but still | was rather
hurt at the GOODNESS of my old comrade, who hae
! rgotten all our former intimacy, IN his steeple
chases with Captain Boldero, and his duel witt
Sir George Orig.
Nothing more was heard of Atwood for SOM
years; tailor one day came down to C., WIT
had made clothes for Jack in his school-days ant
| furnished him with egimentals: he produced I
long bill for one hundred and twenty pounds ant
/ 1,1.1k Loh oC
| of his customer. Jack was in India, with his re
ment, shooting tigers and jackalls, no doubt. DC
casionally, from that distant country, some mag
nificent rumor would reach us of his proceed
ings. Once heard that he had been called tt
a court-martial for unbecoming conduct; another
time, that he kept twenty horses and won thu
gold plate at the Calcutta races. Presently
however, as the recollection OF the fifth form
| wore away, Jacks image disappeared likewise
and ceased to ask or to think about my colleg
chum.
A year since, as l was smoking my cigar IL
the s.Estaminet du Grand Balcon,' an excellen
smokng-shop, where the tobacco is unexception
able, and the Hollands of singular merit, a dark
looking, thck-set man, in a wellc coat, with
shabby hat, cooked on one side of his dirty face
took the place opposite to me, at the little marbl
table, and called for brandy. did not much ad
mire the impudence or the appearance of m
friend, nor the fixed stare with which he chos
to examine me. At last, he thrust a grea
greasy hand across the table, and said, ''Ti
marsh, do you forget your old friend Att
wood?"
Iconfess my recognition of him was not SO JOY
full as on the day ten years earlier, when he ha
come, bedizened with lace and gold rngs,to Sc
US at c. school: man in the tenth part OF
century learns deal of worldly WISDOM and hi
hand, which goes naturally forward to seize tn
gloved finger of millionaire, or a Milford, draw
instinctively back from dirty fist encompass
by ragged wristband and tattered cuff Bu
Atwood was in nowise so backward; and tn
iron squeeze with which he shook my passiv
paw, proved that he was either very atfectonat
or very poor. ''You, my dear sir, who are real
ing this history, know very we'll the great art
shaking hands, recollect how you shook Lor
Dash's hand the other day, and how you shoe
off poor Blank, when he came to borrow fv
pounds of you.'
: However, the genial influence of the Holland
speedily dissipated anything like GOODNESS be
tween us and, in the course of an hours CONVEX
sation, we became almost as intimate as when W
were suffering together under the ferule OF Oh
Swishtail. Jack told me that he had quilted tn
army in disgust; and that his father, who was t
leave him a. fortune, had died 10000 pounds il
debt: he did not touch upon his own clrcum
Stances but [ could read them in his elbows
which were peeping through his old frock. II
talked great deal, however, of runs of luck
good and bad; and related to me an infallibl
plan for breaking all the playbanks in Europe
!, great nnmber of old tricks and vast quaint
ty of gin-punch was consumed on the occasion
so long, in fact, did our conversation continue
that, | confess it with shame, the sentiment, 0
something stronger quite got the better of me
and l have, to this day, no sort of notion hoy
our paaver concluded.-Only on the next morn
ing, did not possess certain five..pound note
which, on the previous evening, was in my sketch
0 book (by far the prettiest drawing by the way
TIE collection;) but there, instead was strip
paper thus inscribed
f l.. @. U.