Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1857-02-11

4 Vi Nh A1keeys u - fDoo0rs-0t4oSIf 1NnDQ4 NJ Il
sesained astsst Wilssa = ~ yssag - =.
'essd vie.
sRssnedi Why. Rebsrs. vha. can have hap.
'snsds shossbs Jon vsrs dsiss = ssli 10 |
leur business returned the vile, With the deep
~ anxiety depicted upon her features.
ssAnd % am, nv love; but 10 IN unsucky
moment embarked 10 = speculation, which has
proved unfsstanass, and every dollar ! posaess u
.why hise yoa mot told mo Of this before,
Robeu?s
Il sished not to pain you, lore"
Il feat you have been imprsdent; nsy, ! VII
not reproseh you"
II have hoped, until nor. 70 b. sbls 70 redeem
myself. By riskinx fey hundred dollars more.
! feel confident that couid retrieve my losses,
and Gene out bright sgain; but alasi have
not another do.i4r In the world.
And the young husband looked snziously al
his wife.
.wba. Kind Of speculation was II, Rober.sr
asked bis wife, a. slight misgiving creased her
confding heart.
20, il vas strictly business transaction, rath.
Or complicated in is details, and don't think
you would understand II if 1 explained II, re.
Piled Robert.
II am no. 20 dull Of comprehension that can
not understand an ordinary business transac-
ton"
sNo, my dear, know you would understand
Il better than ladies' generally would; but it is
very intricsse--very.'
II will not insist, Robert, upon knowing any.
thing you desire 70 conceal" said Mrs. Wilson,
with gentle reproach in her tone; "but ne.
thinks wife ought 10 know the occasion of he's
husbands sosrowa'
Forgive me, Angely,' replied the husband,
imprinting kiss on her lips; "forgive the and
will tell you all"
"Nay, love, ask |, not; am satisded now.
And IL there no hopeT
.If l had two hundred dollars, feel perfectly
confident that should redeem myself
els there no risk, RobertY'
Il will be candid, Angeiy; there 10 some
risk"
II win get you the money, Robcrtt'
"My own true wifel'
This conversation occurred ct the house Of I
young New York sbopkeeper. He had beer
married TO young, gentle hearted girl only .
year before, during which period they had lived
In uninterrupted happiness
The Young wife had no suspicion that the
clouds of adversely we're lowering over their joy
Gus home, until her husband had communicated
the fact. For seine weeks, however, she had
noticed that Robert was more than usually dull
Once or twice week he had absented himsel
from her side in the evening, alleging that h
had business demanding his attention.
Angelina Wilson, At the time of her marriage
was the possessor OF small sum Of money, be
aueathed to her by her father. 1t had beer
settled UPON her SO that her husband could not
control il, and could spend no portion Of il
without her sanction.
The young shopkeepefs business had pros
pered beyond his most sauguine expectations
so that his devoted wife would have willingl,
placed her little fortune in his hands, saw no oc
casion 10 withdraw it IRON her uncle, il whose
hands IL was not only deemed to be safely in
vested, butwas producing handsome interest
Robert Wilson was a whole-souled young man
without u selfish thought in his compositions
He had married Angelina tor herself alone, ant
had badly bestoweda thought upon her por
tion.
But the shad speculation" had worried hiu
exceedingly. All the ready money he coult
command had been exhausted, and il his extreni
ity the thought had occurred to him that hi
wife could supply his wants.
The idea OF asking her for relief was, to q maj
this high strung temperament, so highly repug
nant, that he only had the courage to hint ut tho
services she might render him.
With the money in his pocket which AngeIy
had procured for him, Robert Wilson fastened
down Broadway. At the corner OF Park Place
he paused and cast a furtive glance around him
evidently much agitated. He thought of hi,
loving wife at home he had deceived her, anC
his conscience smote him. She was all love anc
gen,lcness, nd sincerity aud confidence, and he
had basely deceived her. Should he not return
throw himself at her feet, and beg her forgive
messy Such a course was certainly the most
grateful TO MS errlng, penitent soul; but he hat
IA md ~ orr tya
hope OF retrieving himself, the demon OF nam
mon within pro.npted him to sin again.
Turning down Park Pace, he entered one OF
those gambling hells, which are The curse oil en-
ligtened America. Again he paused on the
steps of the magnificent establishment, to silence
the upbraidings of his conscience. The beauti-
full. loving expression OF his wife, languishing
away the tedious hours of his absence in lonely
misery haunted him. But the usual consola-
ton, the ot-repeated resolution of the erring
soul :-"Only this time and then will forever
abandon tile way of the trangressor.' came to
urge him on.
BY the gas.light in the street he observed q
dark form, closely muffled in the ample folds Of
Spanish cloak, approaching the spot where he
stood. The stranger paused by his side, glanc-
ed intently at him, and then entered the saloon.
He followed him. The hall flashed with bril-
liant lights, aud the gay and fashionable of the
metropolis thronged the scene Men smiled as
though the place not the gate OF hell itself.
The old and respectable OF the bar and forum,
and the exchange, were there, c0untenancing by
their presence and example, the inlqulty prac.
tised within those glldea wallis
Robert Wilson shuadered as he entered the
saloon. Yet why should he shrink from the
scene in which the respectable men OF the com
n,unity hesi,ated not to mingleg Poor, simple
young mani his soul had not yet come to believe
that wealth, station, and the honors of the world
can satisfy sin aud hollow in,quity. In an un-
guarded hour he had been lured into "den Of
thieves by man of good standing in society
the Importer from whom he purchased many Of
his goods, aud who held his notes in payment
of Them He had hazarded few dollars
though his conscience smole him all the while.
He won. he was in the hands OF those who were
experienced in the management of unsuspecting
dupes. He went away with his pockets well In
ed with the fruits OF his unhallowed gains. In
fated by the ambition TO become suddenly rich,
he went again-and the devil lured HIM on.-
With firm resolution to abandon these visits
when he should have added the gains of one
more night to his previous accumulation he went
a third time. Ii be succeeded on this occasion
as hu had OH the two previous nights, he should
be able to pay the only note he owed. The
prospect Of freeing himself from debt, suddenly
and without labor, tempted him to engage once
more in the exciting game, But the gamblers
had permitted him to run the whole length OF
his rope. The third night he lost-lost all he
had won before! All his fancies were thus
dashed to the ground. But the hope of freeing
himself from debt had taken strong hold on his
Imagination, aud he could not so easily resign
1t. Again he went, trusting that the chances
of the game would again favor him-again and
again he went, until all his available means were
sacrificed. The gamblers adroitly permitted han
10 win a few dollars occasionally, and thus his
hopes were kept buoyant. All were now gone,
bat the passion Of gaming had gained intensity
as his worldly goods had melted away.
uneasily ne strolled among the gambling Ia
b!es, now pausing to glance an instant ut the
game, and then hurrying nervously on again
he had two hundred dollars in pocket, and
hainihatng refecton!-it had been given him
by his wife. he mus, be careful OF it; he could
hope for no more.
As he paced the gaily thronged hall, he dis
covered the dark looking stranger who had con-
fronted him at the entrance of the saloon, alone,
al Que ot the marble tables The eye OF the
dark being suddenly rested sharply upon him.
1t Was a dark deeply expresslve blue eye; 1t