Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1855-07-10
Tbe BrOthcrs.

J sic to lessen ttle lSuiOuS LpHiS Nt tiitts
winter, and 10 drown the noise OF jingllue
gold and silver, and the cursing CALCULATIONS
I of the rarnesters. Many q std scene has
taken place within these saloofs, that chilled
the blood of the belloIders, aud is reinenl{ar-
ed with horror.
was once carelesaly- saunteriug through
one of these places My attention was attract
ed towards person who had large piles .ot
gold before him; the starting eyeballs. t1e
swollen veins upon his forehead the ciilG
sweat On his face and clenched hands, told OF
heavy losses; mingled exclamations of horo:
and contempt would escape him, and he seen!
ed unconscious Of all else going on around
him; his gazo bent upon the cards as it
his ife's blood was the stake of the issue :;
and in this case his last dollar was put within
the dealers bank, when, With the frenzy OF "a
maniac, he drew long dirk-knife and plun{s-
ed it ur to the Tilt in his own body, and sank
corpse upon the tabie. a few rude jee:S
followed The act the body was removed, ard
The g5trtiv went on as though nothing had hap
rened-as though another Yictimllad not been
| added to the page Of the gamblers darlning
record. or another soul had not gone to its f.
nal account
l learned this much of his history; he
started with large stock of goods, given lin
fathers Fortune depended upon q sure return
Of the money invested; but as usual witt
vounr men, he in the full liberty of uubridled
license and while the ship stopped at one Of
the South American ports, he engeudered the
first seeds of play ; but for awhile nfter his
arrival the excitement of trade and the energy
necessary to accomplish a successful issue kept
his mind busy. One day, by appointment,
he was to meet mercantile friend at his
house, and while waiting for his friend, he
staked few dU!lsFs ypon the turning card$
when the LATENT disease sprung into life, and
it carried him Ieadlong over the rreeiPiee,
and ended in the tragic manner related,
The Mine de Orc was gambling house sit
uated on Washington street, OPPOSITE the FL
D6rado, and in 40 it vas TIE principal resort
of tic disbandea soldiers Of the California
ciriert, and also Of tie soldiers who had been
| engaged in the war with Mexico. Behind
one of the largest monte banks in the room
sat man who had Won for Himself honorable
mention, ard dn officers commission was Civ
en- Liin for his bravery 2! the stormiug of
| Monterey; but, pro6errirg the climate of Cal
ifornia and its golden prospects to a northern
home, lie embarked for that country at the
close OF the war with Mexico and upon his
arrival he opened bank for gambling. The
emigrants came it, By thousands, and n few
nights after his arrival, . Young man entered
this saloon; sentel htt:self at the bank, and
stakcd various sums upon the cards, until he
had lost nearly all tho moUey&he possess
ed Excited with tie play, and rhaddened by
his losses, he accused the dealer of cheating ;
the dealer refjlied SHARPLY TO the accusation
the lie passed 7hen the youug man struck
the dealer 2 severe blow upon his face as
quick as thought the sharp report Of pistol fol
lowed; end the gamblers clothing was covered
Will! the young mans blGod-lc Lad shot
iri." tlls.,ugla the tight breast
The roCtr was soon cleared of the spectators
present, the doors closed, and medical attend
iiyice called in aid of the wounded man. The
gas,LIer sat moodily over his bank, running
the small rtorite cards through his fingers, aud
PERHAPS thinking of the deed just perpetrated,
when the wounded man garo moan of az
ony, as the doctors probe reached the bottom
of hia wound. The doctor inquired what
State he was from, and the wounded man re-
Piled
From Vermont
The gambler raised lis head, for it had
been long time since he had seen person
from the home of his childhood, and Vermont
being his native State, the mere mention OF
its name interested him. The doctor rext>in-
quired the name of the place where his pa
rents resided, if he had any. The wotndcd
mar replied
Montpelier
The ealnGler sprang 10 his feet, his limbs
trelnGled, and his face as pale us death,
for Montpelier was the home of his youth,
and perhaps the wounded man might have
been his playmate IN childhood Peihaps
schoolmatc-knew. hi5 parents, lis brother
and sister. lie clung convulsiTely TO The ta-
bic with the contending emotions of rapid
thought, aud the weight Cf the injury he had
inflicted, he corld scarcely keep on bis feet.
\ stimulant was given to the wounded man,
and he was momentari!y relieved from that
weakness the body is subject to after severe
wound-when the doctor inquired if there
Mas any friend in the city he wished sent
for.
Yes he repiiedj My wife--sho is at the
City Hotel, corner OF Clay and kearney
streets Tell her to hasten, for 1 badly
hurt
i man vas sent to bring his wife.
- Doctor said the gambler, save that mans
life, and there is my bank, and $4,000 IN
Burgoyres- shall have it all
The doctor felt the pulse of the man and
probed the wound anew. The gambler r.atch-
ed him with the greatest anxiety until his in
his head in token ofsinpossiEiIity.. Tie gam
bier sat down by the side of the wounded
man and bathcd his head With water, and
stavtnched the flow OF blood from the wound
until the arrival of his rife; she came, ac-
companied by few friends, and as heroic
women bear their I.iisfortunes, she bore hers
Not word of reFroach escaped her-wor,Is
of checrfuIness only came from her lips as the
tears coursed down her checks. To her in
quify as Is the chances Of her husbands re-
coyefF, The doctor assured herthat there was
70 hope; that the wound was tiortal, and
that in few hours he would die She sank
down uron her knees and invoked the mercy
of forgiving God for her dying husband and
his murderer. The gambler asked the EoTgive-
ness Of the wounded man for the wrong he
Lad committed, ana also that of the wife,
which was readily granted.
This saiiI hc, IS for not ol'eying the sa-
cred injunction Of my aged father and moth
or not to gamble. ! have faced death a thou
~ E.-1- q 7 I i IL 1. n.