Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-02-10

cot heht and returned when sight met her
ewes, such as ever, she, who was accustomed to
misery. had never seen. The odor of the room
in the first place WAS almost insupportable; piles
of rotten vegetables and old bones lay promiscu-
ouslv strewn about the floor, and in one corner
on bank of damp straw, lay an old woman
groaning in pain. The child went to her and
spoke to her, whereupon the old hag started as if
she had been bitten, but imncdiately V turned her
face to the wall again. The little girl thinking
she was very i'll, lef the room and went herself
for doctor; he came, and disgustcd with the
appearance of the room and odor, declared he
could do nothing until the patient was removed
to better place; but the old woman swore she
would die where she was, and all remonstrances
were in vain. The doctor, therefore, prescribed
as we'll as he could, but the next day the old wo-
man died; but before her death she qucs-
toned the little girl about her former life,
and, finally revealed to her, that she was
and that she had amasscd a small sum Of money,
which her daughter would find in the straw. Alter
the old woman's body was taken from the house.
accordingly, the young girl searched, and found
an old petticoat; in which was found no less
sum than 5000 francs, in gold and silver. All
this the old woman had got by begging and by
picking and searching in the streets Her daugh-
ter, upon finding herself possessor of such for
tune placed the greater portion fit in the sa-
wings bank, and then placed hersclfi in 4 good
boarding school, where her intelligence soon de-
vcloped itself, and at seventeen Years of age she
was the most accomplished, and by far the most
beautiful girl in the school.
Ii had always been her intention, when she
but had finished her education, to 60 OH the stage,
at soiree given by the mistress Of the school, a
young gentleman the son of Il General of the en-
pire, who had left him the title of baron and a
large fortune. saw our heroine, fell in love with
her, and soon after married her. For the first
two or three years nothing occurred to disturb
their union; but suddenly the yorng wife, who
had hitherto shown herself am!able, tender and
devoted. changed entirely. Her spirits became
unequal and size no longer seemed satisfied with
the quiet happiness Of her home. Arrived at
that stage of her youth, at the age when all the
forces developed themselves, her unsettled and
ardent nature struggled greatly against her good
instinct. She showed an inclination for coquct-
ting. and the passion for gambling seized upon
her with uncomf ,rtable violence. Her husband
suffered and tremblcd in silence. With that
weakness very common to tender hearts, he had
become secondary parsonage in his house, and
could not now reigan the power he had so quiet
" given up. Madamc---llad already lost
large sums at cards, and had secretly sold her
diamonds and replaced them by false stones.
Tho poor husband regretted not having au-
thortv enough to bring about a reform, and stop
the desperate course of his wife. lie would have
given great deal to lead peaceful cXiStcnc" in
the COUNTY, but he knew that at the first words
any >u"l proposition would have been firmly OBJ
jectcd to. His pcrplcyity was very great wllell
4 good idea came into his head.
Among the saloons of the elegant world where
gambling was allowed, there WAS one more dan
.rrous than the Others because the worse sort
Of gambling was permitted and very mixed
society received Mr. " consented to allow him
self and his wife presented to the gentleman Of
this house, and he marched rcsolutcly into the
abyss. Madame soon placed herself at Il card
table, and Immediately middle-agel gentleman
came and placed himself opposite her. They
PLAYED, and at the first round the gentleman won
hundred louis. and soon the losses of the bcau-
tu game stress amounted to twenty thousand
francs.
"Shall We double" asked her partner
'lcS." she answered, trying to preserve her
calnncSs.
She lost again, and her adversary asked:
'Shall we doublc!"
This continued question, and the unuckv is
sue of the game w;l> repeated several tmcS.-
Frightened at first, Madame " thought at last
that her partner was very gallant man, who
wanted to lead her Oh to acJuit her debt at Il sin
gle blow by playing until the luck should change.
But when the debt amounted to hundred thou
sand crowns the gentleman arose, excused him
self, and said
I'VE will stop now, Madame if YOU please;
YOU owe me three hundred thousand francs"
This announcement callscd Il great excitement
in the saloon, and Madame ~ retired with de-
spair in her heart. For the first time she wlS
afraid of her husband. However. the terrible con-
tession must be made to him: she made it, pale,
trembling, and on her knees.
"RiSc, my love-" said her husband, in Il sad
but atf;ctionatc tone. at is amisfortune which
cannot now be helped. We must pay the debt.
We shall be nearly ruined, but your honor will
be saved"
The creditor arrived soon afterwards and Mr..
y. went with him to his notary. On his return
he said to his wife
"All that remains to lis now is my little do
main in Avcrgnc. am we'll content myself
Il