Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-11-10

peries OF crimson ana gold: one OF the
easements, faring meretriciously in the
modest eye Of morn. stood wide open.
down to the noor, probably to cool a
heated atmosphere; and when Roger
Acton, with q natural curiosity. went
on tiptoe, looked in, and Just put aside
the curtain for peep, 10 know what
on earth could be the matter. he saw
a vision Of waste and wealth. at which
he stood like ono amazed, for poor
mans mind could never have conceiv-
cd It's equal.
Evidently. he had intruded on the
latter end Of long and luxurious rev.
el. wax.lights. gathering down In
gilded chandeliers. poured their mel
low radiencc round in multiplied pro.
fusion--ior mirrors made them infinite;
crimson and gold were the rich pre-
vailing tinls in that wide and warm
banqueting room; gaily colored pic.
lures, set In frames that Roger fancied
massive gold. hung upon the walls at
intervals; n wagon-load Of silver was
piled upon the sIdeboard; there blazed
In the FURNISHED CRATE such fro Ms
povol ty might imagine on afrozen win.
ter's night, but never can have thawed
It's blood beside: fruits. and wines.
ard costly glass were scattered In prod
igal disordcr on the board--just now
deserted Of its noisy. guests. who had
crowded round q certain green table.
where cards and heaps Of sovereigns
appeared to be mingled In n mass
Roger had never NO much as conceived
Il possible that there could be wealth
like this: IL was fairy.land Of Mann
mon In his eyes: he stood gasping like
n man enchanted: and in the contem-
plation Of these little hills OF gold-in
their covetous longing contemplation,
he forgot the noisy quarrel he had
turned aside 10 see, and thirsted for
that rich store earnestly.
In an instant. rs he looked (nfter
tho comparative lull that must obvi.
ously have succeeded TO the clamors
he had first hesrd) the roar and riot
broke out worse than ever. There
were the stormy jewellers. as the rab-
bic rout Of Comus and his crew. filing
that luxurious room with the sounds
Of noisy oxecration and half-drunken
strife. Young Sir John, n free and
generous fellow. by far the best among
them oil, has collected about him those
whom he thought friends. to celebrate
his wished majority; they had now
kept Il up, night after night. hard upon
a week; and, rs we'll became such
friends-the gambler. the duellist, the
man Of pleasure. and the fool of fash
ion-they never yet had separated fol
their daylight beds, without a climax
to their orgy, something like the pres
ent scene.
Henry Mynton. high in oath and
dashing down bis cards, has charged
Sir Richard Hunt with cheating (i
was sauter Ia coupe or couper le saut
or some such mystery ofiniquity, re-
ally cannot tell which, Sir Richard. 9
stout dark man. the patriarch Of the
party. glossily wigged upon his head
and imperially tusted on his chin, re-
torts with a pungent sarcasm calmly
and coolly uttered; that hot-headet
fool Silliphant, clearly quite intoxica
ted, backs his cousin Mynton's view o
the case by the cogent argument Of ,
dice-box at Sir Richards head-ant
at once all is struggle, strife. and up
roar. The other guests, young fellows
of high fashion. now too much warmed
with wine to remember their accustom
ed Mohican cold-bloodedness-thos,
happy debtors 70 the prowess of 1
Stultz, and walking advertisers of Nu
gee-take eager part with the opposed
belligerents: more than one decantel
is sent Kissing through the air; more
than one bloody coxcomb witnesse.
to the weight of a candlestick and it
hurler's clever aim: uplifted chairs ar,
made the weapons OF the chivalri'
combatants; and along with diyerl
other less distinguished victims in th'
melee, poor Sir John vi lcent rushin;
into the midst, as a well-intenlioneC
host. to quell the drunken brawl, get
knocked down among them all; tn
tables are upset, the bright gold run
about the room in all directions-ha
no one heeds it-no one owns it--on
little piece rolled right up to the win
dow-sill where Roger still looked ol
with all his eyes; it is but TO put hi
haad in-the window is open to III
loor-nay, finger is enough: greed
lily, one undecided moment, did h
gaze upon the gold; he saw the hide
GUS contrast of his own dim hovel an
that radiant chamber-he remembere
the plning faces of his babes, and gen
tie Grace with all her hardships-h
thought upon his poverty and well de
serts-he looked upon wastefulness G
wealth and wsntenDess ofliving-ties
reflections struck him in moment: n
one saw him. no one cared about tn
gold--that little blessed morsel ths
could do him so much good; all wa
opportunity, and who can wonder tht
his fingers closed upon the soverigr
and that he picked itup?
CHAPTER Nv.
The Lost Thef.
Stealthily andquickly "honest Roe
er" crept away. for his conscienc
smote him on the instant: he felt he Ina
done wrong; at any rate. the sovereig
was not his anil once the though
arose In him to run back and put