The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-04-20
Gambling and its Results.

Gambling and its Results.
Le Marquis Angelo Foscarini was the las
OF his name and title-one Of the .oldes
families in Naples. He had been travelling
for his health for three years, when hii
physicians recommended Deippe to him, III
oil other places had failed in restoring hi,
strength. This occurred in the month oil
July, some few years since.
His daughter accompanied him the most
beautiful of Italy's daughters, where there
are so many competitors for tho prize OF
loveliness.
Olympia was an only child: yet the mar
quis had been married four times.
Devourcd by ambition and pride, he coult
not even from her conceal his annoyanc,
about her sex; for now his name, which hat
been handed down in the direct line for fou
centuries, would perish with himself. Ii,
would freely have given his immense FORTUNE
twice over, his life, his child's life, all, Il
have possessed u son who would hand dowr
his name to posterity.
At sixty he was the widower of two Roman
ladies of high descent, and of u German prin
cess, and oil three died without his wisl
being accomplished. He was old now, ant
worn by the intrigues of place and ambition
He felt himself going; death stood before
him every moment moro visbly, and to try
and conceal the painful act from his view
this last Of the Foscarini cndcavored by
gaietics and pleasures to crown himself with
the semblance of youth.
lie raised around him rampant OF de.
baucheries, orgies, and gambling; he flung
millions away, and when, by accident, O
thought of his child came across hun, it wai
in bitterness of spirit.
"A woman! womann he exclaimed
sThcrc will always remaina sufficient for.
tune for her, child of eighteen? What
would she do with all my palaces? She
would be frightened by, tho heaps Of gold
which had accumulated for son On
on. let us amuse ourselves while we may.
shall, perhaps, die tomorrow
Olympia knew why her father lived thus
He did not spare her the knowledge Of why
he was 80 reckless. Without pity towards
her, not caring for how much he panied hel
heart, he was constantly reproaching her q.
the cause of oil. Cursing her and her dead
mother, he cared not how much she, who Sc
tenderly loved him, beheld the unsightl,
wounds OF his ambitious heart; and when h,
raw her in tears, his only resource was t.
leave her alone, to weep in the bittercst cor
row child might know, arising from q
fathers cruelty. And yet Foscarini loved
his daughter, not us father should have
done,but assomething belonging to himself
rs something beautiful, the most exquisite
of his possessions, u handsamc piece of furni.
ture-his own. This was the reason why
he always kept her with him, made her
travel ever, where he went, and refused her
hand in marriage to the wealthiest mobiles oi
Austria and Italy.
STAY with me, he said. Il want to have
you near me. You can marry when I'm
Dead
When his fcverish nights Of excitement
had passed broken down and trembling from
debauch of wine and gambling, he was in
the habit Of going to the baths, or seeking
In the wave renewal Of vigor to pursue an
cxistance capable Of killing strong man OF
twenty, and yet he was too unhappy to
relinquish the excitement.
One day he endeavored to bathc alone,
without his attendant, when tho tido was
coming in but weaker than usual, he was
carried away, and then flung in ainting
ft upon the beach. The next wave was
taking him away to certain destruction,
when young man, who was bathing, swan
to his senseless form, and boro him to land
in safety.
When Foscarini opened his eyes, he turned
to thank the ono who had saved him, and,
to his annoyance, recognized an officer from
Trabans whom he had met ut the baths ot
Pyrmont and Vienna, and whose asssiduties
towards Olympia had given him much un.
easiness.
A few words of cold thanks and politcness
wero exchanged, and the young German
asked permission to call sometimes at the
marquis hotel.
He was trigidly told that hc might do
30.
At the end ofa month the Marquis and
Stephen had become inseperable.
Still mady in love with Olympia, the latter,
was, however, to clever this time to mani
fest It 80 openly as he had done at Pyrmont.
He allowed Foscarini to think that no was
cured of his passion. He spoke to Olympia
without trembling or turning pale, and with
perfect ease of manner, addressed u few com.
monplacc compliments to her, to which she
replied in the same Indifferent tone.
Quite blinded, the old man, unsuspiciously
Welded himself into the others hand. He
made him his companion and confident, and
raised the curtain before HIM which had con-
cealed all his past life, and revealed the hor-
rors which had been hidden beneath the
splendor and garlands Of his Jetes. Stephen,
however, knew it already; Olympia had
concealed nothing from him. For two whole
years he had followed in tho track Of Fos
carini and his daughter. Thus Stephen
passed almost every night at tho marquis's,
and to meet his tastes, and mt the same time,
if possible. keep him from going among
strangers, he became o seeming gambler, TO
restrain the real one.
During month he played away oil tho
money he possessed about him and all hc
could borrow and tho more he lost. tho better
Foscarini loved him, for tho marquis know
no happiness but in dice, no pleasure but in
winning.
But luck changed.
The marquis had . passion for sort OF loo
called boulotte, which Stephen affected to
like equally we'll. II had already cost him
ten thousand louis: when ono evening he
arrived at the marquis's half an hour earlier
than usual, with the last 6fty louis hc could
command In tho world, and firmly resolved
that II no lost them, he would no longer carry
an tbo fearful esme be had been playing, but