Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-05-19

ooRO a. u ~ UotbJ CAfh w ! II
wine was poured out, healths was pledged
and Henry Cleveland drank. With tina
draught he seemed to lose his very reas
on. The blood mounted 10 his forehead
with the rapidity of lightning, and flush
ed his burning cheeks with its hot Grim
son-his e. es sparkled strangely. and hi.
very hands trembled in the eagerness 0
his excitement.
Nov. Harry, for a little playl' tht
tempter exclaimed. The moment fol
action had arrived, and he approached
his prey with serpent-like cunning.
"Of course, we won't gamble; well
play for a trifing stake-just enough te
make the game interesting. hi do you
say ?"
"Anytbing-anything for sport |" the
young man deliriously replied. "Show
ne the "life" you were talking about
dull!"
All right, my boy-this way. Here
are the tools now we can amuse our.
selves in our own war"
The two seated themselves at a vacant
table near at hand, aud, in a brief time
bo1h had fully entered into the excitement
OF the game. This was, as we have init.
mated, Henry Cleyeland's6 essay in
gaming ; but his peculiar state of mind
caused him to enter into it with aa eager
zest, which his companion remarked with
secret pleasure. For a time the stakes
were trifing, and the gains and losses
consequently small when Cleveland sud
denly exclaimed:
"A Zig for such child's play as this
let US do something worth our while +
Here is a Fifty dollar note j; cover it, Mon.
roe, if You dare J"
With a quiet smile Of satisfaction, Ed
gar Monroe laid several gold pieces upon
the table, aaG the-saT-N&: 8a.S .Tke
cards were shuff1ed and dealt, the game
played, and Henry Cleveland was the
winner.
Let US double the stakes Y he cried
his fury increasing with the exultatiou
aroused by his success. Il will play fol
a hundred dollars or nothing y
With a cool. calculating smile, Monroe
bowed assent. The game was PLAYED
and the second time Henry Cleveland
was winner.
"Luck is with me to night beware
Monroe, or you will play to your ruin /
he exu'tingly exclaimed. See here
are five hundred dollars ; will you dare
to risk so much 2"
With that same unrufled, %unaccounta
Bile smile, Edgar Monroe deposited a sim
liar amount and for still a third time
was Henry Cleveland a winner.
One thousand doAarsi" he exclaimed
with q vehement eagerness that attracted
several persons to the ta6gc at which he
sat. 4 will stake a thousand dollars I
Here are two hundred more than
thousand" Monroe calmly replied.
Cleveland started !; that cool, unska
ken voice seemed to waken him gu o.
the delirum of his trance, and he stared
wildly upon the faces of those about him.
In a moment, however, replaced the sum
named upon the table.
Twelve h~undred-and three hundred
more make fifteen Will you raise the
stakes high as this 2"
A painful perspiration covered the
brow OF Henry Cleveland the basilisk
eyes OF the tempter were fixed upon a
face pale as death. There was a moment
OF painful, ~wavering indecision but the
temptation was too strong to be conquer
ed. Drawing from his breast a package
OF bank notes, he laid them upon the ia
BILE.
Higher, if you wish,n Monroe re.
marked, offering to iaskhe stakes.
Mono MORE" Cleveland replied, in
q voice SINK almost to q whisper. There
is everything that | possess in this world
aye, more, for | am trllipg with the money
Of othersl If | lose l am a ruined man
Play, for Heavens sake PLAY!"
There was no installing the sardonic
smile which now curledthe lips oil Edgar
Monroe, Those who knew him quickly
interpreted it, and ~shuddered for the vic.
tim With the result of that game. Ed
gar Monroe became the final winner, and
Henry Cleveland a GEOGRAPHICALLY pen.
%niless, and soon to be ~disgraced There
was a rigid look of despair upon the
white face Of the victim, as he turned
away I; and the next instant the crowded
saloon was startled by the vivid blaze
and a sharp ring of a pistol. There was
a groan, a heavy fall-and Henry Cleye.
land had seen the last of earth!
Shot himself, has be p the unscrupu.
lous winner remarked, glaacing toward
the terrified crowd which had collected
around the victim. Let US go, Aylmar
I'll admit there's no more money TO be
made from him to night"
Laughing at his indecent jest, Monrot
linked his arm in that of his companion
and quilted the saloon. The bleeding
body of Henry Cleveland lay plainly il
view, and oyer it was now bending il
wild despair, o youth whose feature
strangely resembled those of the dead
but the terrible spectacle had not tn
power to move one muscle of the face o
Edgar Monroe.
Truth is stranger than fiction ;" an
we are induced to repeat this oft prove