The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-08-15
GAMBLERS ANNUITY.

Some men are born 10 greatness, some achieve
IL, others have 1t forced upon them. The case
was otherwise as regards the greatness of Gand-
Ter. Gandler purchased his greatness and got 1t
at bargain. century ago Gambler sold tripe
&C Totte on. He sold good trpe, and cODse-
quently was a famous man In his line and time.
BnL Gambler aspired 10 fame after death-to
worh ostal name in the ear of succeeding genera
n fbats of Tottetonians. Tripe was not calculated
TO give II TO him. Posterity would not be likely
to remember that their ancestors bought good
tripe at the shop OF Gambler
But still the tripe seller of Tottleton
solved that the name of Gambler should be
handed down TO generations yet unborn. This
Is how Gambler did It. He made a will, and
died. The making of the will was a deliberate
affair; but not SO the dying part of the business.
Gandler did not intend TO die when he did; but
he could not help himself In the full vigor of
his manhood he fell victim to hard dboiled eggs.
They opened Gambler, and declared hard-boiled
eggsto be the cause, and then they opened the
will, and found that the eminent tripe- seller of
Totleton, setting aside his relatives, had left all
his worldly wealth to be applied to the purposes
of charity. The reward of conscientious trlpe-
selling bad not been great for the whole of
Gamblers worldly wealth amounted to no more
than two hundred pounds. In his will he
directed that this sum should be placed out at in
terest; and that the annual proceeds should form
an annuity TO be granted by the votes of the
housebolders of Tottleten 70 de ttute but deserv-
ing old men OF that parish. 1t especially
directed that the benevoence should be called
"Gandler's Annuity"
1 was first brought to a knowledge of the name
and fame of Gambler about two years ago, when
went nout to take up my abode at Totteton.
Tottleton is pretty place in the merry month
of July; and the chesnut and laburnum trees
which inc both sides Of the broad white road
which constitutes T0ttlet0ns only street,
most beautiful TO see, especially when they are
in full bloom. But there was another beautiful
feature of Toiteton, which seemed TO do it in
fnitely more credit-its almhouses. 1t appeared
70 me that the private houses bore no sort of
adequate proportion to them, and that the only
boases which did were the public houses. The
way i'm which these two Institutions Tegu-
Larry alternated on both sides OF the road for
taAt haf f1,f
caueesof the other.
It seemed as if the public houses had brought
the whole neighborhoOd to poverty, and con.
signed the entire population to dependence. The
mural inscriptions which met the eye told but O
two thilgs-strong drink, and old men and wOmer
of the parish come TO grief. The Cock and Bottle
appeared 20 be responsible for seven poor old
men the Nag's Head for nine poor old women
and the Bell for fourteen orphan girls. There
was, however, striking diSproportion between
the size of the Iubc-houses and that of the aims
houses. Ghe latter were SO small and compact
and with a large inscription on the front of them
so like neat parcel that they might have been
brought down from somewhere by the carrier
Possibly they might have been left at the COel
and Bottle till called for.
Well; II the sins Of Totileton had been multi
tudinous, Charity had doue her best 10 coye
them
had mentally pointed this moral when Mr.
GUbbne, TuIhiIg out from the Swan, addressed
me. Perhaps I.sRould state that had honOreC
the swan with my patronage, as regards the
family mid ale.
"Beg your pardon, sir, hut III take it as ,
favor II you Fgi give your vote for Parsley"
/ yeDtuud to mqtire who Parsley was, anC
what he was Standing for. Was it the borough
the county, or simply che vestry
Nos Parsley did not aspire so high. lie wa
miTely candidate for 0andler's Annuity. PArs
lev + Quaiihratioa was al right. He was seventy
five ears OF age, d naive ofSthe parish, had paiC
rates and taxes ~ over forty years, was eaten u
with the rheumatics, WAS past work, bore an ex
celenL character, and bada't penny in TIT
world. Gamblers Ahnuit,, aFBoaninR to f9 lbs
70. would make him Happy asd comfortable fo
N IN
PaTs ey's numerous merits 10 the way of age
deetitutOn, and iucapacty was not to he resisted
and ] think should have cried "PIrsley for
ever!" on the spot, only il occurred 10 me, con
sidering Pals ey S ge that Il wouidn't be much
nse. However promised 20 enter an appear
ance on the following evening, and vote FOL
When at the appointed time [ turned ont into
the village, and came in sight OF the swan swing
ing sign, i could see that something was creating
great sensation II was the election for Gand-
ler's Annuity. Could Gambler have looked up
from his grave, he wOnld have had no regrets on
the score OF the hard. boiled eggs. That tata
indigestion had awoke 20 a glorious immortality
The honorsd name Of Gambler was in every
mouth. The boys shouted II in triumph tue
RroWn-up people murmured 1t in grateful adml-
ration; and In the bOw-WindOw Of the Swan Il
was inscribed In large letters hind side foremost
in the innocent idea that an inscription, designed
70 be read from the inside, could be easily deci'
On mingiing with the little crowd that had
collected round the horseblock under the swan
swinging sign, found the merits OF the eand
dates being discussed with great animation.
say candidates; for | now learned for Tie hrs
Ame that Parsley was not the only one. There
Nus enother, and his name was Barrowfeld
would vote for Barrowfeld
.heeoHfong 20 the approximations Of his friend:
.. she horseoioeks Barrowdeld was age ], INDECENT
and afflicted to an unrreee0ented e,tent One
1oia partisan fentpred upon, the assertion that
BaIronneld % nao been present at the coronation OF
George the Third. Another declared tLat how.
ever that might be, he could testify fToIa hi own
knowledge that Barrowfeld had been nresent a,
tne AEnttery taeIce las "Wednesday week and
tlle six. hundrf d FOUNDER. This was addnced n
evidence OF the profound and stony character o
Barfowheld's deafness. II Is mentioned a
further supporting Barrowhelds claim 10 til
bounty OF the immortal Gambler, that even II h
were elected and were provided with yictuals 70
fhe rest Of bis life, Il would not b. of much ad
vantage TO him, as nc hadn't tooth left in hi
had.