The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-11-12
NUMBER I8I.

s4r Axrtss Al = & tt4f
by their presence and example, the iniou:ty
practiced within those gilded walls
Robert Wilson shuddered as be entered the
saloon. y ct why should he shudder to shrink
from scene, in which the respectable men OF
the community hestated not to mingle?
Poor, simple, young mani his soul had not
yet come to believe that wealth, station, and
the honors of the world can satisfy sin and hol-
low iniquity. s a5lls -
In an unguarded hour be had been lured fn-
to a den of thieves" by man ofgood stand
ing in society-the importer from whom he
purchases many Of his, goods, and who held
his notes in payment of them 81 eas
he had hazarded a few dollars, though hia
conscience smote him all the while. He won;
he was in the hands Of those who were experi-
enced in the management of unsuspecting
ldupes. He went away with his pockets wall
lined with the fruits of bis unhallowed gains.
Iufated by the ambition to become suddenly
rich, he went again, and again he won. -.
The devil lured him on. With firm reso~
luton to abandon these visits when he should
have added the gains ofone more night to his
previous accumulation, he went a third time.
If he succeeded on this occasion as he had on
the two previous nights, he should be able to
pay the only note he owed The prospect Of
freeing himself entirely from debt, suddenly
and withuot labor, tempted him to engage oncs
more in the exciting game. ma ,1s.s
But the gamblers had permitted hin to run
the whole length ofhis rope. On the third
night he lost--lost all he had before woni so
All his. fine fancies were thus dashed to the
ground. Bnt the hope of freeing himself from
debt, had taken strong hold Of his imagina-
| ton, and he could not so easily resign it.
Againhe went, trusting that the chances Of
fho
again he went, till all his available means
were sacrificed. The gamblers adroitly per-
mitted him to win a few dollars occasionally,
and thus his hopes Were kept buoyant
All were gone, but the passion of gaming
had gained intensity as his worldly goods had
melted away. l..+ 1872 fs.s
Uneasily he strolled among the gambling
tables, now pausing to glance an instant at the
game, and then hurrying neryously on again.
He had two hundred dollars in his pocket
and-humiliatin refectioh:--it had been given
by his wife. He must be careful of it; he could
hope for no more, 'iA
s. As he paced the gaily thronged hall be dis
covered the dark-looking stranger, who had
confronted him at the entrance of the saloon.
alone, at one of the marble tables
g The eye of the dark being suddenly rested
sharply upon him It was a dark, deeply ex-
lpressive blue eye-it seemed not unfamiliar to
him. The glance--he knew not why--rivefed
him to the spot, and he stood tremulously gag
ling at the stranger.
The complexion Of The mysterious person
age was decidedly white. His beard JET black
entirely covered the sides and lower part Of the
face even to the contour of the mouth. It
was very long and urled gracefully down
over the chin. Over his head he wore cap,
from beneath which, long black, glossy curls
foated down. over his coat collar. In stature
he was below the medium size.