The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1860-12-28


| they began 10 think the duty OF officiating as
nurse-tender, irksome in the extreme. and means
were sought to while away the hours which
hung idly and heavily upon their hands. Re-
course was had, as is usual on similar OCCASIONS
of ennui, to cards and dice. Contrary 10 his
usual practice, Robert Baldwin took his part IN
| these games, more 10 oblige his friends than
| from any pleasure he took IN such pastimes.-
| The transition from one extreme to another IS
proverblally rapid, anc, perhaps, Of all bad pro-
| pensities, that OF gambling is most speedily ac
| qured such, at least, proved to oe the fact in
| this cas- 2, for he soon became the highest and
most constant player amongst his young friends;
| and in the course OF short space of time he
abandoned their socletyItor that OF the disrepu-
| table frequenters of the lowest bells of the me-
/ tropolis, where the opportunities for indulging
| in his newly acquired passion, were more ire-
quent.
Like most young hovices, he was, at first,
! successful, and, generally, rose fIom the hazard
| table considerable winner. His leisure hours,
! even his nights, we're given up TO thus absorb
ing passion, and morning was frequently far ad-
vanced ere he could relinquish the dice-box. -
! He was, nevertheless, soon doomed to expert
ence the fckleneSs Of iotnne, and with it, the
| nnumera5le inconvenience Oft dearth of cash,
ger. However proof mans honor and NOR
al worth may be against all other attacks, It is
! rare case, indeed, that he can long remain
| unsullled, when hourly exposed to the perSecu-
| ton ofduns and money jobbers, without pos
sessIng the means of satisfying them. Robert
Baldwin did not prove an exception TO this la
mentally general truism and the exPedients 10
which he was obliged to have recourse, to raise
money, not only lowered him in his own opn-
| ion, but deprived him 0. the esteem of his
| irieuds and acqualntances, who, as is generally
the case, with friends and acquaintance, were
never inclined TO indulge IN charitable observa-
tions on his character and conduct.
! There was one individual from whom Bald
win was desrous of keeping his conduc: a Sc
cret; this was a..Coonpl Prussing,I ,Iwho had long
been on terms of intimate friendship with his
| father, and from whom he had received the
| most generous assistance when in difficulties.
| His manners and appearance wPre anything but
| prepossessng, and his countenance, il, as he
considered, it could lay CLAIM TO any expression,
! had that OF low and Sordd cunning. Robert
| Baldwin both feared and despised him, and any
| intercourse which existed between them, was
limited to short and formal visits. II may,
therefore, be easily imagined, how much he was
annoyed al meeting the Colonel at one of the
low haunts where he now passed the largest
| portion Of his nights. He was so absorbed in
watching the play that he appeared at first un-
| conscious Of Roberts presence, who, however,
| fearful OF the odd Interpretation that he would
not fail to give his conduct, fine had by chance
been perceived by him, were he to leave the
room withou: addressing him, resolved on put
tIng a bold face on the matter. He approached
| him, and with as nonchalant an air as he could
at the moment assume, SAID sit was long time
since he had had the pleasure of meeting him,
and that he supposed he would be surprised at
seeing him where he did,"
"When you nave lived as long in the world
as have" replied the Colonel, in dry and
sarcastic tone of voice, "you will cease to be
surprised at anything"
Tue conversation dropped, and young Bald
win notwithstanding The restraint imposed up
on him by the presence of his fathers friend,
did moi long remain passive observer of the
game, and his purse, as usual, was soon emptied
Of its contents.
While pondering over the difficulties which
| the loss he could so Ill afford, must occasion 10
him, he telt himself gently tapped on the shoul-
der, and turning round, was greeted by the
| tial and familiar tone than he was wont to use
towards him, that he had learned that, during
his recent absence from town, his young friend
had contracted the propensity in which he had
at that moment been sorry TO see him so unsuc-
caSsfuIly indulging. "You are not a Stranger"
he continued, ''to the many obligations am un-
der TO your respected father, and l hope you
will do me the justice TO think, shall eagerly
avail myself of all occasions of lessening the
debt OF gratitude owe him. request, there
/ fore, that whenever run OF i'll luck, should
make it necessary for you to raise funds, you
will not scruple to apply TO me-"
He accompanied this offer of pecuniary assis-
lance, with hearty and affectionate squeeze of
the hand and withdrew. Robert was stagger-
ed and surprised at proposal of such a nature,