Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-05-19
Jntrestiag Storp,
GAMBLERS C T
THE CARD TABLE AND ALTAR.
TWO SCENES FROM REAL LIFE.
BY JAMES FRANKLIN Fits.

"Let us stop here, Harry. This is {
place where we can pass an hour pleas
antly."
Henry Cleaveland half withdrew his
arm from that of his companion, and as
he looked at the elegant building before
which they had paused, a swift shade oil
doubt crossed his handsome, youthful
face.
Surely, Edgar, you would not have
me enter these doors? he said, striving
to speak as though he really felt the
doubt he expressed. This, l have been
told, is a gambling saloon-a place above
all others, for which | entertain a deep
horror and aversion
Nonsense, Hal-moralizing 80 early
in the week? Wherefore, oh rigid Sab
batarian 2" and he threw all the irony
into his flexible voice, that he was eapa-
Bile Of" wherefore, / say, didst thou at
tend the synagogue thrice yesterday, if
not to lay up a store of morality TO last
thee through the week? But a truce to
this bantering Hal you understand my
meaning in asking you here, as well as |
do myself. This is, as you have just said
a gambling saloon, and your motives in
entering it cannot be misconstrued.-
Your reputation is too we'll established
to suffer from any imputation of visiting
such q place FOR questionable purposes !;
you go simply to look onto see fools
loose their money-to spend q pleasant
hour-to do anything, in short, which
may be done in such a place by a person
of acknowledged character, like yourself.
So come on, my friend, and before you
come into the air again, I'll try to show
you a little of life.
1t was exactly such fallacious yet art
full reasoning that was calculated to
throw o person Ike Cleveland off his
guard. He was a young man of warm
heart and generous impulses, with little
experience in the world, and views oil
right and wrong often firm, but as fire
quently uniformed and yielded. The man
by his side whom he called his friend
Edgar Monroe-was essentially a man oil
the world with a polished, fascinating
exterior, he combined a heart utterly cor
rupt and %deprayed. Unknowingly, Of
course, to Henry Cleveland he had sin
gled out the latter as his victim and
for many weeks. with all the deep craft
and cunning of his nature, he had pursued
his plan of familiarizing him with evil
apologizing for it when necessary, and
smoothing off it's asperities as often as
they became too apparent to be pas
sed over in silence. And it was with
this purpose still liz view, that upon the
evening to which we have referred, the
cool, calculating villain, had conducted
his unsuspecting victim to the splendid
haunt OF vice and temptation, in front oil
which their conversation had occurred.
Half yielding, half resisting, Henry
Cleveland allowed himself to be conduc.
ted through the baizs covered door, into
the vestibule, to and from which a stream
Of people was constantly passing and re
passing. Edgar Monroe was a ~frequeL.
tel, of places like this a simple nod to
the servant at the entrance secured their
admission, and Immediately Henry Cleve
land found himself bewiidered by the IN
anticipated splendors of the scene.
There was a tapestried floor under
foot, a frescoed ceiling overhead, and fur.
niture of the costliest and most unique
description disposed about the grottoes
aud alcoves of the splendid apartment
Scores of flaming gas jets from branch.
ing candelabras flooded the scene with a
brightness like that of MONDAY ]; while
groups of richly dressed men and women
for this was a place which the sex were
licensed by fashion to frequent-promer
naded up aud down the saloon, chatting
gaily, aud sending forth now and then
boisterous peals of laughter while 9th.
ers were seated at card tables here and
there. engaged in the exciting hazard o.
game and TO- and then arose the shril
cry, Make your game, gentlemen |" with
the rattle of the %croupier's ivory rake
among the gold at the roulette table.
All this was new and unique to Henry
Cleveland. The glaring hight of tht
place dazzled him. its careless confession
and hilarious mirth bewildered him ane
he joined the p~romenaders, keeping b,
the side of Monroe, with the feelings o
one who finds himself transported, in /
dream to some place of enchantment.-
The first bewilderment of his situation
wore away in a few moments ; but til,
deep intoxication of the scene still re
NAMED, and the fascinating spell Of th,
associations Of the place held him witt
the power Of a magician.
Monroe proposed a glass Of wine ; tn
bewildered victim consented by silence
wishing the while TO refuse, and yet con
,scioas d, bis inability to do SO, Poo