Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-12-25
COLU NIB U S :
WNednesdaly, -siI0FiIilas,, 5ssDe.as IS, 1882.
The Queen of Spades.


being aware of it, and it was five o'clock in the
morning when supper was announced The win
ners sat down to 1t with excellent appetite, while
the losers gazed vacanty upon their empty plates.
by degrees, however, and the champagne lend
ing us ald, conversation flowed, and became gen
eral
what have you done to night, Sourine " in
CURED the master OF the house OF one of his friends
Lost, as usual was the reply. 4 haven't the
slightest chance always back the color, and
always lose
what haven't you put down once on the red
thls evening well your hrmness surprises me-
'How are you, Hermann, after all this . asked
another, addressing young officer of engineers
You haven't touched a card, or put down a sim
gle stake, and yet you have remained looking on
till five in the morning.
The game interests me- said Hermann coldly
but feel no desire to risk the necessary in order
to win the superAuous
Hermann is a German-he is close: that's the
whole secret cried Prince Paul Tomski; but |
can tell YOU person more extraordinary than he
and that is my grandmother the Countess Anna
Fedotovua.'
what about her ? demanded his friends
Have you never remarked replied Tomsk
that she never plays "
y woman said NaroumoF, who is upwards
of eighty years Of age, and doesn't play, is GER
You don't know the reason ?
NO. has she any reason :!
You shall hear. About sixty wears AFRO nv
grandmother went to Paris where She WAS all the
race. Every one crowded to see the Muscoyitc
Venus, as she was called. The Duke de Richie
lieu was violently in love with her, and my grand
mother says that her severity nearly made him
blow out his brains In those DAYS all the women.
PLAYED at faro. One evening. at court She lost
large sum upon honor to the Duke of Orleans
When she came home, my grandmother took off
her patches and her hoop, and III this tragic cos
tune went on my grandmother, to tell him of her
misfortune and ask for the money to put it right.
Nv grandfather was a sort Of steward to his wife,
and stood generally in awe of her; but the sum
she named frightened him from his propriety.-
lie flew into passion, began at once to reckon,
and prove to my grandmother that in course of six
months she had spent half million of roubles.--
lie told her plainly that his villages and govern
ments of Moscow and SaratoH were not at Paris;
that the money was not to be had; and finally,
that she must do Without it. Her indignation was
excessive: she replied by box on the ear; and
from that night forward they had separate rooms.
Next day she returned to the charge. For the
first time in her life she condescended to reason
and explain; but it was in vain that she attempted
to show her husband that there are two sorts OF
debts-aDd that prince cannot be treated like a
coachmaker Her eloquence was all thrown away:
my grandfather was inhexbe, and my grand
mother was at her Wits end to know what to do
Luckily she remembered that she knew man who
at that time was very celebrated. This was the
Comte de st. German, of whom many marvel
lous stories were told; who gave himself out for a
kind of Wandering Jew-the possessor of the
Elixir of Life and the Philosophers Stone BY
some he was looked upon as a charatan, while
others set him down for spy, but whatever he
was, notwithstanding his mysterious mode of life
he mixed in society, and was in reality very ami
able man. To this day my grandmother preserve:
strong affection for him, and her temper is al
ways rufled when he is not spoken of with respect
1t struck her that he might have it in his power tC
advance her the money OF which she stood in want
and she despatched note asking him to call upor
her. st. German Immediately came to her hotel
where he found her in despair. In two words shC
explained her case to him, relating her misfortune
and her husbands cruelty, and adding that sh'
had no hope left save in his friendship and kind
ness.
after few moments reflection, the count said
II could easily advance you the money you re
quire, but know that you would never be cas-.
until you had paid me, and do not wish that yo'
should extncate yourself from one embarrassment