Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-09-08

The next morning his mind was absorbed
in the game. Fortune seemed to be against
him. Ina few minutes he had but one hun.
dred dollars left. This he boldly placed on
the queen, and calmly awaited the result
Thus waiting, he leaned the elbow of his
left arm on the chair, and while fresh
pack was being shufiled, hid his face in
the open palm Of his hand .r1s aft
A number of spectators were at the table,
but none had ventured so heavily as Hardie,
and they took their losses or their winnings
with some degree of equanimity. ql
A few seconds of silence followed the
placing of the deck ia the faro box, and
then, amid the silence, might be heard the
noise of the cards as they were drawn there
from and dropped on their separate piles.
Lost ~ said the dealer, in low, smooth
monotonous tone, and ere the sound of his
voice had died away all the bets on the
table were either paid or swept to the other
side of the banker. THE queen WINS he
added, in the same Indifferent tone of voice.
But before the announcement "the queen
WINS" had been made, the boy observed
that his fathers body slightly quivered as
if with suppressed emotion, and then remain
passive as before. Yes Hardie had won.
Fortune had at length smiled upon him.
His bet had been added to by the bankers !;
but he did not attempt to remove it. Was
he about to try his second timea Yes! lie
made no negative movement. .r
Again the cards were dealt from the box,
and again Hartlie's fortune was in the as
cendant. But, to the surprise of the bankers
and spectators, he permitted his winnings
to remain on the fortunate card.
For nine successive deals the queen turned
up favorable to the better. Arrange the
pack as the dealer might, an expert at the
game, the card at each distribution, on which
Hardie had placed his last hundred dollars,
would turn up in his favor The hundreds
increased to thousands of dollars. At
length, so exceedingly heavy had the bets
become, that the entire company in the room
gathered around the table and wondered at
the temerity of the man who would dare so
much--for as all knew, one adverse card and
the bank would again have in its possession
the enormous pile of gold that now, like a
large pyramid, glittered over and completely
obscured the queen.
THAT mans either asleep, drunk, or a
fool,' whispered lookeron, just as the
winning card turned up for the eighth time,
"O- he wouldn't risk as much"
"Father, father" whispered the boy as
lie saw with nervous excitement the wealth
which was each minute increasing on his
fathers side, at the same time dreading with
those around him its sudden loss.
Again, and for the last time, the queen
turned up, and to the utter amazement of
the spectators, on the side of the better.
For moment the bankers and dealers
consulted together, and then the latter said
in calm, but not altogether steady voice:
"The bank will receive no more bets to-
night 1t is closed 7"
The announcement that the bank had
been broken, seemed to release the tongues
Of the spectators, who instantly set up
cheer at the unwonted event.
"Father, father" cried the lad, "thc bank
is broken. All this is yours. Won't you
Gomez"
There was no movement.
A stranger took hold of the hand Hardie
had placed on the table, and with an oath
declared that he believed the man was stu
pidly drunk and didn't know what he was
about. AS he attempted to remove the hand
he started suddenly back, but before he
could open his lips to express his astonish-
ment, Hardie's head fell heavily forward
and struck the table. -..
A slight examination told the tale The
poor gambler was dead
Subsequent inquiry proved that he had
died of disease of the heart, brought about
by undue excitement. ..t
The bankers, not forgetting their interests,
set up claim for the money they had lost,
but this was Overruled. 1t was given to the
boy, who, without unnecessary delay, re-
turned with it to the States. What became
of him afterwards never found out.
The body of the Dead Gambler lies a lit
tie ways out of Sacramento. No tombstone
marks the spot where the infatuated man
sleeps his last sleep. a1