The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-07-29

Bile crowded around me; aud stared a
my stakes with hungry, superstition
eyes, and whispered to one another thai
the English stranger was going to break
the bauk. 1856 -
The gamo was Rouge ct Noir. had
played at it in every city in Europe
without, however, the care or the wish
to study the Theory of Ghanoes-t al
philosophers stone of all gamblers
: And gambler, in the strict sense of the
word, I had never bee 1 was heart
whole from the corroding passion for
play. My gaming was a mere idle
amuse ment.u L never resorted to it by
necessity, because never knew what it
was to want money. 1 never practised
it SO incessantly as to lose more than
could afford, or to gain more than !
could coolly pocket, without being
thrown off my balance by my good luck.
In short, / had hitherto frequented
gambling tables just as 1 frequented
ball rooms and pera-houses, because
they amused me, and because I had
nothing better to do with my leisure
hours. FR zEzE
But, on this occasion, it was very
different-Dow, for the first time in my
life, felt what the passion for play
really was. My success first bewildered,
and then, in the most literal meaning of
the word, intoxicated me. Incredible
as it may appear, it is nevertheless true,
that only lost when / attempted to
estimate chances, and played according
to previous calculation. If 1 left every
thing to luck, and staked without any
cire or consideration, I was sure to win
Ito win in the face of every recognized
probability in favor of the bank. AT
first, some of the men present ventured
their money safely enough on my color;
but I speedily increased my stakes to
sums which they dared not risk. O..e
after another they left off playing, and
breathlessly looked on at my game
Still time after time, I staked higher
and higner;; and still won. le
The excitement in The room rose to
fover pitch. The silence was interrupt
ed by deep, muttered chorus of oatbs
and cxc!amatious in different languages,
every time the gold was shovelcd across
to my side of the table-even the i'm
perturbable croupier dashes his rake on
the floor in (French) fury of astonlsh-
ment at my success. But one man pre-
sent preserved his self-possession aud
that man was my friend He came to
my side, ard whispering in English,
begged me to leave the place, satisfied
with whatI had already gained must
do him the justice to say, that he re-
peated his warnings and entreaties sew
eral times aud only left me and went
away, after 1 had rejected his advice Il
2asto allintents aud purposes gambling
drunk) in terms which rendered it in-
possible for him to address me again that
night.
Shortly after he had gone, hoarse
voice behind me cried: Permit me,
my dear sir permit me to restore to
their proper place two Napoleous which
you have. dropped Wonderful luck,
>sir!-f-pledge you my word of honor
as an old soldier, in the course of my
long experience in this sort of thing
1 never saw such luck rs yours, never
G. on, sir, sacye Mile 6om5esl Go on
boldly, and break the bank I''
l turned round and saw, nodding and
smiling at me with inyeterate eivility,
tall man, dressed in frogged and braid
ed surtout. If l had been in my SEN
ses, should have considered him, per-
sonally. as being rather suspicious
specimen of an old soldier. He had
goggling, bloodshot eyes, NANCY mus
taches, and broken nose. His voice
betrayed a barrack room intonation of
the worst order, aud he had the dirtiest
pair of hands I ever saw-e1en in
France. These little personal pecu-
liarities exercised, however, no repelling
! Influence on me. In the mad excite
ment, the reckless triumph of tbat-no-
ment, 1 was ready to 'fraternise" with
any body who encouraged me in my
game 1 accepted the old soldiers Of
fered pinch of snuff; clapped him on
the back, and swore he was the most
honest fellow in the world-the most
glorious relic of the Grand Army / had
ever met with. $50 on |" cried my
military friend, swapping his iugers in
ecstacy-''Go ON, and win ! Break the
bapk-lNille ton meryesl my gallant
English comrade, break the bank!'
And I did go on-went on at such
rate that in another quarter of an hour
the croupier called out: I" Gentlemen,
the bank bas discontinued for tonight"
All the notes, and all the gold in that
bark" now lay in a heap under my
hands; the whole floating capital of the
gambling house was waiting to pour in
to my ockets.
;'Tie up the money in your pocket
handkerchief, my worthy sir" said the
old soldier, as 1 wildly plunged ms