The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-03-19

never play higher than a quarter, and i,
hurts nightly to lose that" They all
laughed and apr cared to be much anus.
ed. Only with Fuller was the laugh nat.
ufal, for he only was not in the secret
After considerable quibbling, we agreed
to play for five dollar. a game. We
llayed OH and on. Sometimes they were
ahead, and sometimes We were. went
frequently to the side toarl, and pretend
e.l to indulge pretty freely. About -
o'clock, the uniritated would have said
was tolerable tipsy. The bet was dou-
b!ed. and l was willing, swore would
have some fun, and hummed "Old Vir.
giny," with little Of MARY Lane, in
terspersed. Fuller woulL look towards
me, and wink at his partner. After a
while we increased the bet to $50 and
then to slQ9, At daylight, we had
$1,000 Of Fulier's money. This was all
he had. but he said he wonlh try US again,
before lie would lose it that way, and
We promised to give him chance.
had been residing in the city Of C.
three years, and now was in love. Kit
ty Black was seventeen and J. believed
her All angel. But what Had Lec0me of
Richard Fuller I had been tor,uring
hirn three years, and bad in my posses
sion ten thousand dollars Of his money.
In three years, TO my certain knowledge,
be had lost thirty thousand dollars. True,
| did not win all of his money at cards.
l did not often play with him for fear Of
exciting his suspicion yet, had hand
in it. was the cause Of his losing that
sum. A recapitulation Of the artifces
that wero resorted to would lie trcsome
TO the reader. had heard him in that
tims curse himself, and curse the mother
who bore him. Once saw him fall into
fl, and he foamed ut tho mouth. We
thought he would ,lie but he got over it.
And l enjoyed It all. You may ask il
my conscience did not reprove me for act
ing thus. 1t did at tines, but I thoncht
| was justiiaLle. He had done me an ir.
rsparabse injury, and I was not at fault
in making him suffer for it. knew he
had squeezed the oil man, until the lat.
ter was getting tired Of it, and I knew old
Fuller had said his son should have no
moro. Ynt ]. must leave item, swhile,
ahl toll what morc particularly had be.
fallen me. As said, was in love; vc.,
| hved Kate Black. Thought sl,e loved
mo in rtturn, but yet feared may be
mistaken. Kate was truly pious girl.
One evening was at Blacks house
"f course ! VAS frequent visitor there;
and Kate was alone. "Can you tell me
Mr.. Ci'rke," said she, "where INV broth
er goes to so often a. nighti | do not
like 10 think he is doing wrong, I hope
be has quit gaming since ho left Kentucky,
but | do not ike his being out all night
IS ho frequently is. | foar, yes fear"-
and she stopped, and ] saw tear gl,sten
j. her eye. Afier pause she continued,
Mr.. Clarke despise n gambler!' /
felt uneasy, the matter was coming lit.
tlc too near home. did not reply di.
rectIy to her interoSatoty, but endexvored
10 evade ii, and believed tby doing NO nrous-
ed her sispicion. She believed l knew
moro than ! chose 20 tell.
While thinking Of marrying, I, ofien
thought IL ! would be justifable in spend.
ing the money I had won from Fuller for
a support. could not reconcile my mind
to such course. I,had never spent any
Of this money, but had il safely deposited
IN Bank. l assisted two book keepers in
the city, and my earnings with what had
Of my own. kept me up. Black had fre-
questIy offered me money, but would
not take IL May ~ well, / thought,
spend what ! win, as to spend what he
wilma. He know my punciilious notions,
and said | was foolish, and thinking NAV
be in want, for I dressed economically.
generously offered mo his purse, but |
never would accept cent.
in about a week after my conversation
with Kate, she was taken sick. Az ono
Privileged--my intimacy warranted til
visited kate while she lay pros,rassd On
bed Of suffering. From day to day she
gre~ worss. Medical aid was called in at
tho tiru6 and all that medical skill could
could Do was done, but i appeared use.
ieaS, and when .Dr. L. informed us there
was no hope. I was sspsechless with, an.
guish. Kate 10 diei No, I, would not
believe Il, ] kaew she was very sick-T.
knew her situption was critical, but l did
not or would not believe. abe would die.
When informed. then by the physician
therc was no hope, ] was strnck with ter
ror. ] did not before know how much I
loved her. wrs miserable and wreSch.