The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-12-05
CHAPTER III.

With the money in his pocket, which
Angely had procured for him, Robert
wilson hastened down Broadway. At
the corner Of Park Place he paused, and
ctst fur,ive glance around him, evident
ly much agitated. He thought of his
loving wife at home.
He had deceived her, and his conscience
smote him. She was all love and gen.
tleness, and sincerity, and confi ence, and
he had base!y deceived her.
Should he not return, throw himself at
her feet, and beg her forgiveness Such
course WAS certainly the most grateful
to his erring, pentent soul; but he had
made "bad speculation" and while there
was bore Of retrieving himself, the den,en
Of mammon within prompted him to sin
again.
Turning down Park Place, he entered
one Of those gambling hells, which are
the course Of enlightened America. A
gain he paused on the steps Of the mag
nifcent establishment, to silence the uI
braiding OF his conscience. The beautiful
loving expression OF his wife, languishing
away the tedious hours Of absence in lone
y misery, haunted him.
But the usual consolation, the of re-
peated resolution, Of the erring soul ;''On-
ly this time, and then will forever aban-
don the way Of the iransgressor," came
to urge him on.
BY the gas-light in the street, he OBJ
served dark form, closely mufiled in the
ample folds Of Spanish cloak, approach
ing the spot where he stood. The stran-
ger paused by bis side, glanced intently
at him. and then entered the saloon!
He followed him the hall flashed with
brilliant lights, and the gay and fashion.
able OF the metropolis thronged the scene
Men smiled As though the place WAS not
the gate OF he'll itself. The old and re-
sp'ctable Of the bar and forum, and the
exchange, were there, ountenancing, by
their presence and exsmyle, tile iniquity
practised within those gilded walls.
Robert Wilson shudIered as lie enter
cd the saloon. Yet why should lie shrink
from scene, in which the respectable
men Of the community hesited not to min
g.ei .|
Poor, simple, young man his soul had
not vet come 20 believe that wealth, sta
ton, and the houors Of the world can
sane,ify sin and hollow iuiqnity.
In an unguarded hour he had been
lured intoa "dcn Of ofthieves," by msn
Of good standing Ia so;icty-tlio impor-
Der from whom he purcha hased many Of his
goods, and who held his notes 10 payment
Of them.
He bad baxarjed few dollars, though
his conscience smote him all the while.
He won; he was in the hands Of those
who we're experienced In the manage
msnt Of ansuspectiog dupes. He went
away with his pockets we'll lined with the
fruits Of his uuhallowed gsins.
Inflated by the ambition TO become
suddenly rich, be went again, and again
he Won.
The devil lured him on. With Gsn
resolution to abandon these visits when
he should have added the gains Of one
more night 10 bis previous sccumulatioa,
he vents third time. II he succeeded
on ihia occasion ~ he had on the two
previous nights. he shsald Be able 10 pay
the oAly note he owed. The prospect o.
freeing bimself satirely from debt, sudden.
| y and without labor, tempted him 10 en-
lgags once more IN the exciting game.
/ Bat tho gamblers had permitted hin
70 sun che wheis Isagth oshis rope. On
,hs ,hird night he Iest---lost All he bst
| before won
4 All his iine Can zee we're sLus dashed ;.
the ground Bat the hore Of ffesin;
himaalf IRON debt had takss strong heit