The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-09-07
HENRE LAwsON;Or, the LAST GAME.
BY HORACE @. WOOD.
CHAPTER FIRST.

| Di AOtAASE ". hOODs
CHAPTER FIRST.
In one of those princely mansions SO nu
merous upon Regent street, in the metrop
oils of England, upon the evening of Jul,
7th, 1852, sat young lady of uncommon
personal beauty, evidently awaiting the ar
rival of some one who was unusually dila
tory; for every now and then she woulC
anxiouslylook at the house-clock that wa
ticking in the corner, and then turning hel
gaze into the street, would hurriedly ex
claim,
why don't he Gomez
AT length the clock struck eleven.
He will be here soon,' said she, as the
last vibrating sound died away, 'he certain
ty will not stay longer But the pool
woman was destined to disappointment
The clock struck twelve, and still he wa,
away. What can this mean?' said she
auxiously. Perhaps some mischief has
befallen him.
And as she ceased speaking, she buried
her face in her snowy hands and sat fol
several moments wrspt in deep thought
At length strange suspicion seemed to
cross her mind, and her face lit up with a
singular expression as she arose from the
richly caprisoned sofa upon which she had
been reclining, and opened secret drawer
of her secretary.
yes, yes, he has gone to the gaming
house. o, merciful Heaven! why was !
permitted to live until now, to know, to
feel my husbands disgrace" said she, as
she laid into the drawer roll of bank bills
which she had just been counting, at the
same time sinking back upon the sofa and
bursting into violent fit of weeping.
The agonized woman wept long and bit
terly underline tumult of emotions that
were raging in her breast. The clock
struck one, and before its last echo had
receded, the parlor door opened, and Hen
ry Lawson, the dilatory husband, entered
the room.
His eyes beamed with wild expression
as they fell upon his wife, who, pale and
weeping. still sat upon the sofa awaiting
his arrival. Hurriedly approaching her
in husky voice, quite unusual to him, he
said,
ELLEN, why are you here?'
Il was waiting for you,' said she. as she
turned her eyes imploringly to his. i
could not sleep when you were away so un-
commonly late. Where have you been?'
Henry, who never concealed anything
from his wife, frankly answered,
'At BarEer's card saloon.'
'O Henry exclaimed the agonized
woman, can it be! Why did you &c
there?'
For gold' answered he, in an excited
voice, at the same time bringing his clench-
ed hand forcibly upon'the table.
Think of the disgrace, Henry said Ell
len, startled at the strange manner of heI
husband.
Disgrace! Why is it a disgrace to gain
money from all individual who consents tc
stake it upon a game at cards, more than
in the ordinary run Of trade? Is not the
world gambling shop, and are not al
who are in it gamblers?'
Henry said his wife, alarmed at the
philosophy which he had so recently adop-
ted, you look upon this matter in its
wrong light. Gambling, in and of ITSELF
may not be a sim; but it is certainly a mon
Strous evil, and involves the most horrid
results. Think of the families that ar(
impoverished, tho thousands that are al
most daily ruined by its fascinating charms
Led along its gilded labyrinths has many
a noble man step by step gone down TO the
dark abyss of destruction; whereas, had they
avoided the fatal spell, aud been content t..
accumulate by honest industry, they NIGH
have liuedhappily, and diedc contentedly, ,mid
mid wealth and ease, blessing themselves
aud society. o! Henry, who knows bu
that you'--
Here the poor wife paused. She could
not find voice to utter the words that lay In
her mind, but leaning her head upon hel
husbands bosom, she wept long and loud
The guilty husband sat for some moments
in silence. At length he said,
Come, Ellen, we will retire. saying
which, he arose, and, followed by his wife
left the parlor.
Let us here pause, and for momen
take a glance at Henry lawson private
history.
Henry Lawson was the only son of a maj
of wealth and influence, in London. A
an early period of his life he exhibited ex
traordinary talents, and was placed unde
the tuition of the best teachers in England
by his idolatrous father. Having receiv
ed all the honors of Oxford, he was placed
at the Law, and at the period when W.
find him was in the midst of lucrativ,
practice. His father watched his progres
with anxiety, and looked proudly forward
to the time when he should be at the heat
the bar.
When he commenced the practice Of hi
profession he was married to Ellen Hayden
a young lady of amiable disposition ant
brilliant mind, and all who knew them de
clared that it was the finest match In al
England. Alasl how little did they dream
how soon the even tenor of Henry's lif
was to be interrupted by the strange infat
uation of gambling. How often do W
gaze with pride and admiration upon SOM
rising genius that soon sets behind the darl
clouds of disgrace.