The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-01-12
From the New York weekly.
THE DEAD GAMBLER.
by JAMES REYNOLDS.

] ~ "
landed In Sacramento in the summer of tile
year 1Si9. on their way TO the plncers on
the South, Middle and North forks of the
American river, WAS Il prepossessing look
ing gentleman by the name of Harflie. His
only companion was his son, lad of four
teen years, but who, notwithstanding his
extreme youth, was sharp shrewd anu IN
telliEent Mr. Hardie was what might be
called, ms the fashionable phrase goes, a
reticent man." He had once been wealthy |
but his passion for gaming had ruined him.
lie was not professional Indeed, he |
looked with contempt upon all who kept
games of chance, but his personal dislike |
for such characters did not prevent him |
from risking his money upon the turn of a |
card or the cast of the dice. His son, fully |
aware of his fathers only failing, sought
by every possible peans to keep him from
the table In the l6pe, vain though IL was,
that the passion would loose its hold upon
him, and that eventually he would be thor
onghly weaned from cards.
Hardie landed n Sacramento with about
one hundred dollars in money, the last of
his once ample fortune. and, without an
hours delay, pushed for the mines which
had Just been discovered to the eastward of
ColOma (formerly Suttersvills), where it
was rumored very rich veins had been dis
covered.
BY fortunate chance, Hardie and his son
made the acquaintance on the road OF two
honest hearted adventurous sailors, and to-
gether they determined to prospect the
country.
On the fourth day from their leaving
Sacramento, the little company entered a
gulch which subsequently became famous
as the 'SOregon," and there succeeded in
securing a claim that amply repaid the ad-
yenturers for their time and labor. At the
| expiration of four months the company
| had realized twenty thousand dollars. This
was equally divided, one-haf being handed
to HaFdie and his son, while the other
moiety was retained by their co-laborers.
| When the division had been satisfactorily
made, Hardie became suddenly restless.
He intimated desire to return 10 Sacra-.
mento, there to engage In some mercantile
| pursuit for which his early education had
| fitted him; and he offered to sell his own
| and his sons interest to the sailors. These
men were reluctant 10 part with him. The
1 lad was also averse to the proposltlon, Dut
Hardie persisted in his resolution, and
finally disposed of his claim for twenty
five hundred dollars. ....,,.. .....
On returning to Sacramento, father and
| son, as the reader perceives, had the snug
| little capital of upwards of twelve thousand
dollars to begin with. Had Hnrdie, as he
| honestly intended when at Oregon canon,
at once embarked in trade, he could have
in few months trebled IL not quadrupled
! his capital, and perhaps in the course OF a
couple of years returned to the Atlantic
States with a fortune quite rs large rs nc
was master OF before the mania for gam
bling came upon him. .sH.
Unfortunately for him, however, before
he had fully arranged his mercantile pro-
jects, he renewed his acquaintance with n
f gentleman, who like himself had been
4 addicted TO gambling, and was by him in-
( duced to visit the Empire Saloon, at that
4 time the leading ''helln Of the town, where
faro, monte, rouge ct noir, and other games
; of chance, were openly played-a "hell, u
where miners, after months of exposure,
D perhaps sickness, and always hard labor,
u would lose their hundreds or thousands OF
dollars in single night, and then be CON-
/ PEELED to return 10 the diggings with sad
5 dened hearts TO win from the rivers and
hills those smiles which fortune had denied
4 them at the tables of the gamblers.
Hardie had barely entered the saloor
\ when his thirst returned to him; and ever
before he was fully conscious of his actions
he found himself seated at faro table
Unfortunately again for IIardie, he rOs'
from il the winner of a thousand dollars.
The passion for gaming once aroused II
: the man and he could no more RESTRAIN
i himself from lndulging in II than broker
! down thirsty topper can keep his lips iron
: tasting the fiery potation that stimulate
q and pOisOns. ....
!, The next night and the next, Hardie wa
at the table now, however, accompanies
If by his sOn-whO, with tears in his eyes
4 stood by the chair in which his father sal
!. and trembling saw their little capital grad
70 ually passing into the hands of the "bank
r crs" of the game. He poor boy, had en-
% treated his parent not 10 indulge in tn
n wild intoxication; TO save his money, and
If he would not engage In legitimate busi