Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-08-27

The youth did not answer IN wotd
+ but by actions. He instantly seated
himself at the table, and placed a
his elbow heavy purse of gold ant
a large pocket book stuffed foil Q
bank notes; and then, for the frs
time, the game commenced inearnest
In u brief space, the three confed
crates discovered 10 their cost thai
they had committed serious mis-.
take in. assuming that their adver.
sary was novice. He held his
own against all Of them united, and
at lasi took the lead, and kept it fol
hours. The bets were, occasionally,
.enormous.but Alfred Greenleaf could
neither be frightened nor conquered
by any phase in the evolulions Of
chance or skill. He appeared to
read the.intentions of his opponents,
by looking into their eyes, with. the
infallibili,y Of a natural instinct.
But still he did not speak. He rap
ped bis knuekles on the board as the
only token when be wished to ''pass
on a pc or hand, and he made all bis
wagers by laying down the amount
in actual cash. p
I must confess that although all
the other bystanders were greatly
excited by the changes of the game,
and evinced the most intense pleas
ure at the modification so yisibly
painted on the faces Of the proies-
sional sharks, my own glance WAS
chiefly turned towards a different
object. 1 observed that the sister of
the youth manifested a painful snx-
iety in reference to the dangerous
amusement in which he vas engaged.
At times her mournful features we're
bathed in tears. and then she
would rise up and move in a
little circuit rou nd the parlor, wiring
ing her hands as if in agony, and dis
playing every symptom Of grief and
gloomy apprehension. Finally, she
entered the gentlemen's cabin, and
with slow and faltering steps advan-
ced in the direction Of the card table.
She looked like one walking in a
dream, and appeared'not to be guided
by sight, but rather by the loud ring
ing Of the coin which the gamblers
were almost necessarily throwing
down upon the table. / was staDding,at
the moment, about ten feet from the
players, and dense circle of specta-
tors intervened betwixt myself and
them. The young lady approached
in right line, the point which |
occupied, and her sad blue eyes, with
a vacant expression, as i fanc;ed,
were fixed on face. She paused, ,bow-
ever, when in one step of my position,
and stretching out her hand, touched
my arm. Her lips parted, and she
murmured in tones of such low,
sweet, indescribable music, that l
thought she was going to sing
"Pardon me, sir: lam seeking for my
brother"
He is engaged at tie card-table,
I Ireplied, wondering imneasurably at
ber strange behavior.
"Alas! knew that" she said,
with profound sigh; "but my eyes
cannot distinguish him from the
others. / am blindr' She uttered
the accents SO unspeakably mourn
ful, that feltas If ] could weep like
a child. The whole truth flashed
upon me at once, like a burst Of SUM-
shine from behind a passing clound.
All the siDgularity Of her previous
conduct was accounted for. Yes,
those eyes, SO blue, so beautiful, SO
like the tinss of a summer sky, could
not see, had never seen the rich
world Of colors which is ubore than
half the sensible universe! For her,
there had never been green on the
grass, or glory in the flowers, or
splendor in the light Of the sun.
In her moonless memory there we're
no diamond dawns, no radiant red
evenings, no cleaning rainbows, no
golden stars. She had been doomed
from her very cradle to liDger through
life in everlasting darkness!
Arousing myself, With an effort,
from such unpleasant reflections, |
Inquired in kind voice-"Shall ]
tell your brother that you desire to
speak with him?' ).
s.You cannot tell him anything,
she answered, with tears. "He is
destitute Of hearing, rs ! am OF see
ing"
+ This information explained the
tEs1I ~o..xo~