Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-05-14

l. he only had the courage 10 hint ut the serviS
she might render hin.
CHAPTER II.
With the money in hs pocket, which Angel
had procured for him, Rubert Wilson hnsiene
down Broadway. AL,he corner of Park Plac
he paused and cast a furlive glance around him
evidently much agilated. He thought of hi
loving wife at home.
He had deceived her, and his conscience srnot
him. She was all love and genleness. and sin
ceri;y, aud confidence, and he had baseIy de
ceved her.
Should he not return, throw himself ut he
feet, and big her forgiveness? Such cour,
Was certainly the most grateful TO his erring
pentenl soul but he had made " bad sppcu
ia'lOn." and while there vas hope Of retrieving
himself, the demun of malnmon within prompt
I'd him I" sin again.
Turning down Park Place, he entered one o.
those garnbling helIS, which are The curse of en-
lighteued America Again he paused on the
steps ut The magnificent establishment. 10 silence
the upbr"dng OF hi. conscience. The beau,i.
ful, loving expression of his wife, languSIii.,g
away The tedious hours OF his absence in lonely
misery, haunted him.
Bqt The usual consolation, the oft.repcated
resolution Of le erring soul: "OnIy this line,
and ttlep | will forever abandon The way of The
lran>gress9r." CAME IL urge hin on.
By the gas.ligh, in Tie street, he observed n
dark form. closely mufled in the ample folds of
spanish cloak, approaching the spot where he
stood. The stranger paused by his side glanced
iutenlly at him, and then entered the saloon!
He followed him; the hall flashed with bril-
IIrpt ir,yht md ,pI ,k.
metropolis thronged the scene. Men smiled AK
though the place was not the gale of hell itself
The Old aud Respectable Of the bar aud forum,
by their preseme and example, the iniquiy prac-
ti,ed within those giIded walls.
Robert Wilson rhaddered as he entered the
saloon. Yet why should he shrink from scene
in which the Respectable men Of The community
hesilated not to ningle!
Poor, siuiple, young man his soul had not vet
come 10 believe that wealth, stainn. AID The
honor~ OF The world can sauclify sin and hollow
iuiquiiy.
In al unguarded hour he had been Iured into
u den OF thieves" by u man of good standing
in sociely-tTe importer from whom he pur.
chased many OF his goods, and who held his
noes in paymen, Of th.m
conscience snole him all the while He won
lie was in the hands "f lhose who We're expe-
dupes -tiv-weuT Ta'w''as;SSlsmsnt awaS Of unsnspecling
lined with the fruits ut his unia"wed gains
luAated br The ambition to becune suddenly
rich, he went again. and again be won.
The devil lured him Oh. With trm resolu-
lion 10 ab ur,d"n these visits When he should have
added the gaiI> 0f ole more uGht 10 Ills pre-
yious acruuialaii he went a third Tine, II he
surcredrd ou this OCCASION AS he had "n the two
previous, nights. he suvuId be able 10 paw The
only u0le he owed. The PROSPECT of freeing
himself entirely from debt, suddenly and witl,-
out labor. trulplcd him 10 eng 'ge once more III
ltle exciting game.
But the gamblers had permitted him to run
tie whue length at his r"ie On The third
nuhI IL. lnS!--usl aii lie had before won
ALI hi, line ta,lcies We're thus dashed TO the
GROUND But tile nope Of TN cipg him-elf from
debt, had. taken slr"ug hold of hls imagination,
and he c"ud not so easily resign it.
Again ie went, trusting hat the ctances OF
the game would again favor hlm--agaiu and
ayain he Went, ill all his available means We're
sacrificed The gamblers adrolly permitted him
To win few dollars occasionally, and thus his
hopes were kept buoyanl.
All were :tnne, but The passion Of gaming had
gained Intensely his worldly goods had melted
| away.
Uueasilv he strolled among the gambling ia
bes, now pau-ing TO glalce al' Instant al The
game, and then hurryug nervously on again.
He had Two hundred dollars in his pocket snd
Illuminating reflection 1T had been given ny
his wife. h. must be careful Of ii; he could
hope for no more.
A, he paced the gaily thronged hall he dis
covered tile dark-lu"king stranger. who had coll
fron,ed hitn 1T the entranre of IIIe saloon, alone
at one of The marble tables.
The eve of the dark being suddenly rested
sharply upon him. II was dark, deeply, ex-
pres,ive blue eYe-it seemed n"t unfamiliar 10
him. rhe g!arce-h. knew not why--riVeted
him to the spot, and lie stood ,remul"u"iy gazing
ut lbe stranger.
The complexion of the mysterious personage
Was decidedly while. His beard, Jet black, EN-
lir.Iy covered The Sides and lower part of The
face, even 10 The runluur of the mnu'h. Ii was
very lon. aud carrd gracefully down over the
chin. Over his head lie Wore cup. from BE-
meath which. long, black, & l"ssy curl d"ated
down over his coat cvIllr. IN statute lie was
below The medium size.
"play 2" said the stranger, in Il low, gnttura
voice. not uonlingled with softness.
Robert Wilson involunlarily seated himsel
opposite the dark being.
With his glove hand The stranger placed nfly
dollar bill OH the table.
"Highest sins," said he laconcally, as he
, pushed the dice. box over 10 Robert.
This was certainly an irregular game. and nj
irregulnr melhod oi proc.,:ding- bu. it was sim
pie, ana in this respect was preferable to him
50 he placed corresponding amount by tn
side of IT,
Robert shook the dice, and cast them upon
the table.
Twelve" soid The stranger, as he shook u
E the box and made his throw.
"Eighleen," continued he, sweeping stake
from ,he table.
r.. next lhrow Robert won. The sake wa
; dohbed he won pgain. Maddened by excite
mem he placed all il!e aopey he had "n The Ia
J. BILE. The dark.vjsa ged stranger, without NOV
/ ing a muscle of his br"w, envered il.
A, one fell swoop Robert was pennies mil
: again! a..
). Rising from the table in parqXsn Of disaE
y poinlnenr, he was about tn rusl troll the scelit
" Stay!" said the stranger.