Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-04-08

yeu will soon have the amount. Are you
coming up to the house to nigat?"
should be most happy to do so, sir"
replied FRANCHISE, /" bat I have an a
ment to make, which cannot be DELAYED"
Well, business before pleasure good
night" and the old man pursued his home
ward way, where a comfortable dinner
awaited him.
In a far different place did Francisco
eat his dinner. The Club" furnished it
free of expense.
Soon he was seated at the faro table.
and was betting more heavily than at the
previous sitting. For a time fortune
seemed to favor him, as it had done be.
fore; but then a sharp corner was turned
and the money flowed the other way
The excitement was plainly visible on his
as he saw the t~.eacherous
cards turn against him: his eyes were
fixed On the box that held the tables of
his fate. Slowly did he lay bis last hun
dred on the ace, and as slowly lost. lie
rose from the table, and stepped to tho
writing desk. He had not a cent he
could call his own.
Will you accept BruHnell & Co.'S
draft for q thousand dollars?" whispered
he in the dealers ear.
Certainly" answered he, as he shut
fed the cards.
Here it is, then" said FRANCHISE.
The dealer gave him back the cores.
ponding amount of chips, and threw the
draft into the drawer.
FRANCHISE played on, but fortune smiled
not on his efforts. Again he forged his
employers name to a check much larger
in amount than the first, and still he lost.
His excitement was intense. Perspira-
ton stood in large drops on his forehead;
his eyes were glaring, apparently ready
to start from their sockets: his teeth were
twirtnTng Of MS fingers foId the dealer
that he was stalking his all upon the re-
suit of the game. At length, the amount
of forged paper in the hands of the dealer
was over one hundred thousand dollars.
and he refused to cash any more.
"You viii not do it?" said Henry.
clutching his arm.
"No, sir" answered the dealer, "even
Brunnell & Co. can't stand such PLAYING"
"Then am ruined, indeedl" exclaimed
FRANCHISE, sinking into a chair, and cov-
ering his face with his hands.
Ruined, are you? Well, what's that
to me, only don't be ~snivelling away here
if you please" cruelty exclaimed the deal
or.
sob, GodI what shall I do?"
Go hsme to your mother" said the
dealer tauntingly as he dealt the cards.
That werd seemed to arouse FRANCHISE.
He jumped from his seat, rushed on the
dealer, he grasped him by the throat, and
drew his revolver.
Let not her blessed name e'er pass
year tainted lips. She is thank God. in
Heaven"
"Let nae gol" yelled the dealer. "Do
you want to kill me2"
Yes, you double dyed villain, return
my drafts" said FRANCHISE, cecking his
revolver.
Die then yourself" said the dealer,
giving FRANCHISE a well-directsd blow
with a knife to his heart; take that for
your palms."
FRANCHISE loosed bis hold and fell on
the table, the life-blood flowing from his
heart in a swift, heavy stream. He spoke
not. but his eyes glared on his murderer
with a demons fire, until at length they
were glazed over with the film of DEATH
you see gentlemen said the dealer,
" it was done in eIf defsnee!"
"Of course" answered all who remained
in the room, for the greater portion of the
gamblers, not liking to be called On as
witnesses, had rushed from the house.
90 Mall vhok uha1l NO 10 -skk he an~.
eass2s
Put it in the dead hole!" answered
one.
"A plank from the floor was taken up,
and the body of FRANCHISE Belvart drop
ped int the river running beneath. Thus
persisted one Of the noblest and best of
men, by the cruel avarice Of woman
The affair was hushed up, for no one
liked to have it said that they we're pres
ent. The forged drafts were never pre-.
sented for payment, and Alice BrunaelI
nor her father ever knew the fate of him
whom she had hurried on to ruin and
death. She married shortly after a man
whose only recommendation was that he
had money.
Whatever become of his sister, the wri-
ter of the sketch does not know; bat the
following paragraph taken from one Of
the California papers may have some ref
erence to her:
FouNp DRowNED-A young female Of proposes
sing appearance has been wandering around the
city in search of a brother, from whom she has not
heard in q year or more. She came from the East
in quest of him. This morning her body was found
floating in the bay. Who she is no one knows
R@-" Wen't that boa-constrictor bite
me ? said a little boy to . Snowman.
"Oh, no, boy, he neeer bites-he sFal.