, 1864-01-23
Major sprett ana his Tortoise
shell Spectacles.

"aJor opIVtb was an lnVeLerate gumestcr.
The highest stakes were powerless to make
him finch. There were public gaming
tables at Aix-la- -Chapelle, and the Major
looked in for two or three hours every after
noon at Kurrsaal. As rule, although a
careless player, he won largely; one night
he carried away 5000 Napoleons; on an
other he broke the bank, which was limited
to 5000. But it was observed that he
never approached the roulette table, addict
ing himself always to the rouge ct noir or
trente ct quarente, game which, as you
should know, is played with cards, and in
no way depends upon the treacherous revo-
lutions Of an ivory ball.
Itwas in private that Major Sprott made
his largest gains. At lansquenet, at pi-
quet, at escarte, at whist, at ving-et-un, he
was unconquerable. He always won; and
that, too, by seemingly the most Indifferent
sums. It was impossible to bring against
him the slightest accusation Of foul play ;
but at last the granddukes and the ambassa-
dors, whose pockets he emptied, began TO
look with some uneasiness upon the terrible
American. He didn't play on . system; he
scarcely looked at his cards; and yet he
always won. g
There was at this time at AK dashing
adventurer Of Irish extraction, whose real
name is believed to have been OKelly, but
who called himself the Baron de Kolli. He
had been mixed up in the mysterious and
disreputable intrigue by means Of which
the British Government endeavored, but
unsuccessfully, to liberate Ferdinand Of
Spain (the Virgins petticoat embroiderer)
from the clutches of Napoleon at Bayonne.
The Baron de Kolli had come to AK on the
chance Of something turning up in the way
Of adventure or Of swindlng, and lived
from hand TO mouth like high mettled
gamester as he was. He could not gain ad-
mission to the patrician society in which
Major Sprott was q welcome guest, but 10
the Kursaal, and to the trente ct quarente
table the Baron de Kolli came afternoon
after afternoon, playing 4 little when the
odds were favorable, but occupying himself
much more with watching the game Of the
man with the tortoise-shell spectacles.
It CHANGED one day that, as Major SprQtt
was bending across the green baize to sake
q handful Of Napoleons on the rouge, one
Of the strings which, besides the tortoise
shell, confined the spectacles to his head,
became loosened, and those sppendages slid
of his nose and fell on the floor. He
stopped rapidly to pick them up; but the
Baron de Kohl had been beforehand with
him. He had placed the heel of one Of
his Hessian boots on the glasses, and
crunched them into hundred fragments.
Major Sprott Che had won the stake, by
the way,) looked extremely disconnected,
and turned toward the Irishman as IL for
an apology; but the latter cOOlly' whis-
pered:
al did il on purpose. You may pick up
the pieces, and put them in your pocket, #
you like. ! think I've spOilt your little
game, my darlint."
Major EprOtt angrily shrugged his shoul-
deEs, mutisred somothing about an, 4, aWk-
ward boor," and, pocketing his winnings,
turned to leave the room, whom the Baron
de Kolh laid his hand on his wrist.
"You'll just go on playing, my jewel"
he whispered, " just for one little halfhour.
Iwant to see how you'll get on without those
cats back barnacles Of yours. Hyou don't
/ declare that I'll pick quarrel with you,
and blow your brains out before sunrise to-
morrow"
The Baron de Kolli looked as though be
could be as good as his word, and Major
Sprott went on playing without his tortoise
shell spectacles. He staked low, till the
Baron whispered to him that unless he put
on the Napoleons little faster, he should
be compelled to carry out his promise. At
the end Of half an hour, Major Sprott had
lost 800 Napoleons.
aAnd now" he said, familiarly taking
the Majors arm: "we'll just stroll to the
roulette room, and see what there's doing
there"
"Tush I don't want to be ruined"
quoth Major Sprott. aI play to win, and
not to lose, Baron. Here, come this way;
and well settle this little matter outside
Thcy walked into the garden Of the Kur-
saal, andwhen they had reached apecluded
nook, the American said |;
~" ] suppose you are not overburdened
with worldly wealth, Baron 7"
,.g" I am as poor as JOB, or . gentleman
could we'll be-"
al thought 90; well, you have broken
my spectacles, and spoilt, as you say, my lit
tie game and besides, you have killed the
goose that laid the golden eggs. I could
easily leave you bafied and uncertain but
I like neace and uuiekness and would rather