Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-05-07
LOVE OF GAMBLING CURED.

MONSIEUR X. was some descendant Of GER
tain Marshal of France, and inherited from
him handsome fortune of some five hundred
thousand francs. This is quite enough to live
on pleasantly in Paris, or for that matter, any
whore else.
OF course, Monsieur X. was mark for such
mammas as had marrageable daughters; and
as the French mothers always manage these
aifdirs themselves, and are, besides, very
thoroughly schooled in the ways of the world,
Monsieur X. stood very poor chance of es-
cape. In fact, he did not escape, but was
marred, one fine morning, to very pretty
mademoiselle, who had tho credit of possess
ing rare virtues, and whom our hero, (Mon-
sieur Ky for a wonder, did really and truly
| love. We mention it, as even greater rarity
on the other side of the water than on this.
They lived happily through the honeymoon,
and, much to the surprise of his friends, for a
| year or two atterward. But at length it was
observed that ho wore very long faces, and
| dined frequently by himself at the Cafe de Par
is, and did not smile at even at the broadcas
Of Grassot's comic acting. As ho was known
| to be young nfan ofyery correct habits, thu
inference was, (not always "A just one by tht
| way,) that tho wiio was in fault. The truth
| was, that with disposition naturally amiablt
and yielding, she had been seduced by tlHse
1 married friends who knew of her husbands re-
sources, into an intense love of cards. As O
natural consequence, she became over eager
for play, morose in her habit, and petulant OF
manner. The husband bore all this very
| quietly, revolving in his own mind what could
be done, and paying his wife's drafts upon him
without murmur.. Meanwhile, days and
weeks passed by, and the change wore griev
ously upon his spirits. At length he chose his
course, and pursued it after this manner:-He
entered with apparent gayety into his wife's
amusements, and introduced her, through the
interposition of a friend, into one of the most
famous gambling saloons of Paris. As usual,
she took her seat at the table where the stakes
were largest. Her antagonist at the play was
stout old gentleman, who wore careless
manner, but who after the first round or two,
played with remarkable success. When mad
ame's losses had amounted to considerable
snm, he proposed sc double or quits" Mad
anne accepted and lost. The gentleman pro-
posed the same game madame accepted, and
lost!
The gentleman proposed the same trial a
third and fourth time and madame, suppos-
ing him to be an eccentric old gentleman, who
was willing to furnish her the opportunity of
winning again the money, accepted each time
the proposal, and unitOrmly-lost. Still the
play went on, until madame's losses amounted
to the sum of four hundred Thousand francs,
when the old gentleman pleaded an engage
ment, and retired.
Madame X. in an agony of trepidation,
gained her home, and, throwing herself at her
husbands feet, confessed the folly which had
ruined them. The husband was naturally as
founded. st But" said he, controlling his
emotion, &c the losses must be met. There will
remain some seventy thousand francs of my
estate, and with that we can live comfortably
in the country. For myself, do not at all Ie
gret this, but, my dear, r,''-for his old affection
lingered-ssl fear that You will sink under the
pryations you must encounter" His good
ness Oyarcame her; she avowed her willing
ness, but her great joy, in becoming the COM
panion Of his exile.
1t was in an old town of Brittany that they
lived quietly and cozily together, in d messy
old chateau. Their table was trugally served,
and their servants were of the neighboring
peasantry; in place ofthe old joyous rides in
the Bois de Bouiogne, they now took strols to-
| gether under the wood that shaded the chateau
I 'r,sa-.f-s sai keaIq -ttomihS mp each others
affections, rej@icjng in the loss which had won
them to real enjoyment OF iiss, ,>-.-.is-r A.,I,
others love.
:" It was, indeed, happy loss," said she.
| sc 1t was none at all }" said the husband, and
with II caress, he handed her the certificates
for some five hundred thousand francs, in the
most available French Funds.
Your antagonist" said he, " was sure
winner, but his services We're purchased by
your husband and now that he has won you
to his love, and to n sense of your own dig
nifty, he malos over to you this recovered for
tune"