Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-11-01


fortune had denied them at the ia
bles of the gamblers. 3 1gs 4s<
i Hardie had barely entered th'
saloon when his thirst returned tt
r him, and even before he was fully
(, conscious of his actions, he fount
3 himself seated at the faro table
: Unfortunately yagainfor Hardie, HI
: rose from it the winner of ont
thousand dollars. rsH. 5a.l
: 10 The passion for gaming once
aroused in the man and he coulc
no more restrain himself from in
: dulging in it than broken-down
thirsty topper can keep his lips
from tasting the fiery potation that
J stimulates and poisons. aa
The next night and the next,
Hardie was at the table; now,
however, accompanied by his son
who, with tears IN his eyes,
stood by the chair on which his
father sat, and trembling saw their
little capital pass into the hands
of the bankers of the game. s-'
He, poor boy, had entreated his
parent not to indulge in the wild
intoxication, to save his money,
and, If he would not engage in
the legitimate business, either to
return to the mines or to his home
in the far off East. He might as
well have attempted to persuade
the hardened wretches who were
swindling his father, to return to
the path of rectitude-of honest
dealing. afra..s-.,.
On the third night, Hardie found
himself the owner of about five
hundred dollars. His thousands
had already passed out of his
hands. lt.. -
l. 81 will win all back or lose the
remainder before l rise," he NUT
tered. "Poor George be added,
as he glanced at his son, 81
ought not, for the boys sake, to
have given away to my besetting
sin. But l could not help myself"
The next moment his mind was
absorbed in the game. Fortune
seemed to be against him. Ina
few moments he had but one hun
dred dollars left. This he boldly
placed on the queen, and calmly
awaited the result. Thus waiting,
he leaned his elbow of his left arm
on the arm of the chair, and while
a fresa pack of cards was being
shufled, hid his face in the open |
palm of his hand. .'7Ln ii8 '5'o
A number of spectators were at |
the table, but none had ventured |
SO heavily as Hardie, and they |
took the losses of their winnings |
with some degree of equanimity. |
A few seconds of silence follow
ell the placing of the "deck" in
the faro-box, and then, amid the
silence might be heard the noise
of the cards as they were drawn
therefrom and dropped ir their
piles. 81 l.a jedi s9....i
"Lost, said the dealer, in a low,
smooth, monotonous tone; ere the
sound of the voice had died away
all the table were either paid or
swept to the other side of the
banker. "The queen WINS" he
added, in the same Indifferent
tone. Ia.s.a-a na uaa Escg5
But before the announcement
''the queen wins had been made,
the son observed that his fathers
body slightly quivered as with
emotion, and then remained pass
i've as before!9 Yes! Hardie had
won. Fortune had at length
smiled upon him. His bet had
been added to by the bankers; but
ne did not attempt to remove it,
Was he about to try his luck a
second time? Vest He made no
negative movement. 9-o9 10 Dci7
Again the cards were dealt from
the box and again Hardie IS fortune
was in the ascendant. But to the
surprise Of the bankers and spec
tators, he permitted his winnings
10 remain on the fortunate card.
'"The mans either asleep, drunk,
,r a fool whispered lookeron,
just as the winning card turned
up for the eighth time, '"or he
wouldn't risk SO much" - Eo[ |,
"Father, father" whispered the
BOY, as be, saw with nervous ex-
the. wealth which was at