Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1860-10-06
SeIett Tale.
MY LAST STAKE-A REVELA-
TION OF THE PAST.
By PAUL Du0IR.

By PAUL DUoIR.
1t is o cold, chilly evening in Sacramento
and the northeastern winds that come frou
the snowy tops Of the Sierra Nevada, briD,
with them q wintry feeling Of discomfort L
the denizens of the plains, disagreeable il
proportion to their rarity. The heavy cur
tains Of the parlor in my snug little cottag
are closely drawn, and the bright. flashing
swapping wood FIRE 10 the CRATE gives cheer
full light and heat to the happy home hav'
found after years Of toll and vicssitudes.-
The calm content that now blesses me is I
fitting conclusion to the stormy days thu
have passed. Sitting in my cozy arm cha
gazing at the genial and changing flames, {
host Of unbidden memories come to me from
the past, like dreams more than like thu
bitter realities they we're for we scarcely car
realize, in looking back to early life in Cali
fornia, the Indifference and GOODNESS with
which we met danger and even death-wher
all WAS q state of delrious excitement, 6
feverish manin for gold-seeking actuating all
and proving q worse curse then even at pres
ent,
While indulgng in these thoughts, and
the luxury Of comparing past sufferiugs and
sorrows with present happiness and joys, q
soft little hand had crept into my right hand
a soft cheek rested against my face, and the
inquiring eyes OF my darling little girl, Kitty,
met mine : yet another hand clasped myleft,
and another head was resting against my
heart, whence loviRg looks sought mine from
the liquid depths of my wife's bright eyes
Gazing within them, | could read there the
unchanging love that made my constant hap.
pihess for what more inestimable boon can
fortune bsstow on q man than the love Of o
true woman?
Said voice in my ear "Father, you pro.
missed me story, to.night-a real, true
story tell me one about yourself-when you
! first came here and about gold digging, ami
killing, and those strange things the newsps
pers tell about. sometimes. know you can !;
and, perhaps, you was most killed ip those
horri6 times, yourself-were you ever, papa p"
The child's eager curiosity brought to my
remembrance one of those dark episodes in
my lfe that came and passed so quickly, that
it is with difficulty can always realize was
an actor in it, although at the time viewed
the incidents as not so very rem arkabe. The
child nestled closer to me, and as the thoughts
she had suggested arose, they came from my
lips in words, rather as If l were thinking
aloud than relating o story for her amuse-
ment.
Yes, those we're dark times for me 10 the
latter part of the year 1852. Recovering
from severe and nearly fatal illness. was
totally without means, or any steady EN-.
ployment Educated as o gentleman. and
having passed the greater part Of my life
among books as a scholar. j bad no friends
among those who might have assisted me in
obtaining work and bread. Many more there
were, doubtless, who, like myself preferred
the keen biting pangs Of hunger, TO make q
confession of poverty. or asking aid from the
mocksg lips Of charity. It is true many will
consider it O very reprehensibie degresd Of
q favor from my fellow man. and very near l
came to it that winter Of '52. How many in
like circumstances may have passed away in
death, throughout the length and breadth of
California, and whose sad stories aud fate IN.
known shall never be told In O dismal
garrett, open to the winds Of Heaven, uupro-
tected from the cold. asssiled by the tortur-
ing pangs OF hunger. can never forget those
long, long. weary nights. A dull, hopeless
despair seized upon me, and life and death
were alike Indifferent. In the day time it
was better some little employment could
sometimes be had to keep away the wolf
hunger-that was gnawing at my vitals.-
Yet during all this period, like the Spartan
boy, concealed my sutferings in my bosom,
and none that met me il the daily walks Of
life knew my condition.
had obtained work for few days, and by
this means put few dollars in my pocket
but still it was only q temporary relief and
after the small sum was eked out to its utmost
capacity, for bread, then. as had happened
many times before, another period Of suffer
ing was to come. All this had, combined
with past misfortunes, nearly broken my
spirit, and hope was even departing from the
horizon of my future. was weary Of dis
appointment, almost weary OF life. 10 this
unfortunate state OF mind, reckless as in
different. was one evening walking along
street, San Francisco, which led by
wharf to the waters edge. had balfform.
ed idea in my head that on reaching its termi.
nation should have before me, at least, the
means by which could terminate oil present
As | recollect my feelings at
that time, do not imagine that. for mo.
ment, seriously contemplated suicide, but
rather that there was certain fascination and
pleasure in seeing the way by which mortal
troubles could be left behind. At that time
gambling, 10 all its varieties, was the great
feature of life 10 California, and its hells were
to be seen on every hand, all over the city
but some innate feeling of disgust more than
from reasoning, had never gambled for it
always seemed to me that o dollar obtained
by intelligence Of the mind aud honest labor,
was worth far more than many dollars gained
by mere blind chance. had too much conf.
dence in my abilities and manhood to stoop
to the trckery Of cards or dice for money
ought to have the power to gain by more in-
telligsnt means.
Before reaching the end OF the wharf,
was aroused from my reverie by the confused
din Of many voices aud the sounds Of music.
among which above all others arose the shrll
screams of al i'll played clarinet. Turning
round, found was in front Of one Of the
vlest and most notorious bells in the lower
part OF the city, where rumor said that many
crimes we're committed with impunity for jus.
tice existed but in name in those days, and
rogues did exactly what seemed good to their
own eyes. As l gszed within the large,
crowded room. remembered that an &C.
qusinntance was employed a. q musician in
the orchestra on one side of the room. and
governed by the impulse of the mement.
pushed my way through the mass Of persons
around the table to speak to him. After q
few mopents' conversation with the musician
be turned to me and said 10 . quiet tone of
voice:
"Whenever you come in here. never be
tempted to risk a dollar on any game played,
for not square game is played here aud,