The hydraulic press., 1860-07-21
CHE 9yafa,tlie gress.
Thrilling Gambling Adventure.

Thrilling Gambling Adventure.
The Marquis Angelo Foscarini was the last
of his name and title-onc of the oldest
families in Naples. He had been travelling
for his health, accompanied by his daughter,
a woman of rare beauty, and stopped at Di-
eppe, to which place he had been recon-
| mended by his physicians.
Although the Marquis had been married
four times, Olympia was his only child. He
despised her because she was a woman, and
consequently incapable of transmitting the
family name of his house. He gambled and
drank deeply, seeming willing at any desper-
ate price, to drown some fearful recollection
of the past. His daughters feelings were
| little respected in these moments of fury
and gloom. He cursed her mother for not
| having brought forth son, and amidst the
| tears and lamentations OF his child, steeled
his finty heart against her eloquent cntreat-
les. And yet he loved her ie some sort. Not
as father should have done, but as crea-
| ture belonging to hi.nself-a beautiful type
of her sex, over whom he had the exclusive
right to exercise brutal control. He had
| refused her hand in marriage to the wealthiest
| mobiles of Austria and Italy.
"Stay with me" said he, "I want you to
be always near me. You can marry when |
am Dead"
When his feverish nights of excitement
had passed, broken down and trembling from
a gambling debauch, he was in the habit of
going to the baths, or seeking in the ware a
renewal of vigor, to pursue an existence des-
| tructive of health. This kind of excitement
was necessary to him, and he made no effort
to resist it.
One day while bathing in the sea, his
strength became exhausted, and he was
drowning, when young man who beheld his
critical situation, plunged in, swan to his
relief, and saved him. When Foscarini
opened his eyes ON shore and beheld his de-
liverer, he was confused and annoyed--it
was an officer whom he had met at the baths
of Pyrmont aud Vienna, whose assiduities
toward Olympia had occasioned him much
uneasincss.
A few words of cold thanks and kindness
were exchanged, and the young German ask
ed permission to call sometimes at the hotel
of the Marquis. He was frigidly informed
that he might do so.
At the end of the month, this young Off
Ger, whose name was Stephen, and the Mar
quis Foscarini had become inseparable.
Madly in love with Olympia, the former
was too clever this time to manifest his pas
sion SO openly as he did at Pyrmont. He
had made it his study to convince Foscarini
that he was entirely cured of that weakness.
He could approach and address Olympia like
one who felt Indifferent to her charms.
Olympia was confiding to her secret lover,
as her father had also become, and the three
thus spent great deal of time in each 9TH
ers society-moments which were full of
bliss to Olympia and Stephen, and not altos
gethcr uninteresting to the Marquis.
During this period, Stephen, impelled for
ward by the pernicious example of the Mar
quis, gambled desperately. He lost all the
money he possessed, and all that he could
borrow.
The Marquis had passion for sort of
loo called bouilotte, which Stephen affected
to like equally as we'll. 1t had already cost
him ten thousand louis, when one evening
he arrived at the hotel of the Marquis half
an hour earlier than usual, with the last fifty
louis he could command in the world, and
firmly resolved that if he lost them, he would
no longer carry on the fearful game he had
been playing, but throw off the mask of by
pocracy, and demanding Olympia in marri-
age from her father, endeavor by other means
to conquer his love for gaming.
The game proceeded. Foscarini and Ste
phen were seated opposite each other. At
their loo table there was Parisian banker,
an English naval officer, and two planters
from Havana. Stakes were immense. Ste
phen commenced by bet of ten louis, then
ten more, and then twenty. He lost. Fos-
carini laughed at the smallness of his stakes.
With hand which seemed instinctively to
draw back, he placed his last ten louis on a
venture. He held three dneces. They won
hundred louis from the banker His good
fortune continued. Foscarini was the greatest
loser. By five o'clock in the morning he was
ruined man. His palaces at Naples and
Florence were gone-his villas, gold, dia-
monds, horses-alll
Daylight dawned upon the scene. a fee
BILE light broke through the easement OF
the SIX intrepid players, four of them looked
pale as marble statues. The immense losses
of their host had petriied them. He was
as yet calm, cool and determined. Stephens
lucky star was in the ascendant. Foscarini
was searching in his pockets for stake
They were empty, and blank, surprised ex-
preston overloaded his face. This was
succeeded by bitter scowl, from eyes now
flashing vengeful fire.
Monsieur" said the Marquis, with voice
grown husky and tremulous, advancing his
| lips to Stephens ear "Monsieur, all that ]
possessed is yours. You have won. The luck
of these other gentlemen, compared with
your gains, is trifiing. At this present mo-
ment you might say to me, odd man, leave
my housep" = -.
| marquis !" exclaimed Stephen.
'sLet me continue" said Foscarini. awe
met at Pyrmont-at the casino of Naples
also. AT both places informed you thai