The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-09-28
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THE ONLY
THE LAST THROW OF THE DICE
A STORY OF LOVE AND PRIDE.
lCoNcLUDED.I

NIGIIr, came aud the mornings play
was child's sport in comparison with wha,
now came on. The other guests. after To-
sing great portion Of their previous win.
ningS, remained simply as spectators, the
Marquis AMI Stephen Utercv alone CON
anulnG to play. IL would be lircsome To
trace the gradual aud heavy losses Of the
MTqus. First went all his ready money,
tim followed his ancestral palace at Gc-
noa, his Fiorentine casino, his Roman Vii
Ia, his estates in Austria, his pictares. his
hereditary jewels. AIl-all were staked
and lost. Yethe played on until the dav
dawncd, and awoke him to sense of the.
utter ruin he had made. The pale light
ot the morning struck into the room and
P'tyel upon the wall in striking contrast,
t. T., 'he dim glare of the expiring tapers.-
The Marquis looked more like a statue.
tmn human, living being. The gold
WAS piled in heaps bonds, contracts and
pa,chncuts lay beside them.
Fe,rfuliy appalling was the expression
of the old mans countenauce. He found
hlnSeifstripped Of everything. Fixing hi,
bI"odshot eyes upon Stephen Utercliv, he
said, in n tone which sounded like the me.
nsciug NUT er;ngs OF "A thunder storm:
'Sir, all have lost is yours ,tu.i
that | shall lind YOU most gentle credit
Itor The other players, who had the.
prudence to withdraw early. have won "a
very triile; but you--hous,s. lands, Jew
els, pictures, gold--all, even To the very
watch which tells me the hour, are passed
away. At this moment YOU may say
perhaps you will say :-'old man, that YOU
can break your fast to-day, will be wholly
owing to my bounty, for you have nothing
Of your own"
"But allow me"
"Allow me, sir, to speak. | have lost
my wealth-all: but perhaps my wears
AMI these gray hairs may entitIc M. to he
hearl. Perhaps you would command INV
absence 2 Perhaps you are ANXIOUS TO
count the sum Of your new wcalth-you
IN y"
Indeed, sir"
Again. say, let me speak think
we met at Vienna. think, young man,
that then / gave you to understand, that
your attentions to my daughter, were not
acceptable 10 met"
INV dear sir"
"You loved my daughter, then De-
ny II not. ] heard you swear ON bcnded
j. Knees, to love her always had the pow
esNileu to say-and did say--'love her
not /! But you did love her, did you not I"
"Yes."
81 thought so. Do you still love her
Speak with your lips what the changing
hues Of your face have already told me
+. Young man do you still love my daugh-
ter"
''As love my life."
"lt IS WE'LL lam not wholly beggared
had forgotten one jewel the richest:
have one stake left | WILL PLAY you
FoR Ny DAUGHTER !"
AT this strange proposal, made with ali
the measured calinness Of dispair. all the
rest OF the party started on their feet in
utter astonishment; and it was evident,
from their looks, that they did not wish
stephen to accept it. The young mans
face lighted up with a most joyous express
sion. He could have thrown himself into
the arms Of the Marquis; but nothing could
surpasS the Aauteur with which he WAS re.
pulsed. Still, not pcrceiying that his late
opponent had become bitter enemy
Stephen Utercliv drew himself up TO his
full height, and said, in q grave and dio.
nifed manner
'Sir, IL you will have me for a son.in.
law, here, Mt this moment, humbly Aay.
IN the presence Of these gentlemen, take
back all that Chance has robbed you off,
] fear, from your looks, that do entrest {
IN vain - : ~ ~
Indeed you dor exclaimed the Mar
gais. passionateiy.
There was silence for some minutes.
nWei, then.- said Stephen, 81 accept
yonr proposall Twill stake whatever YOU
may think fit sn name r.
The bystanders uttered q marmur Of
horror. Foscalini gIansoa atthsm with