Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-02-16
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE CAPTAINS Loss AND
WIDOWS GAIN.
By GEORGE AUGUSTUS sALA.

At nightfall on an autumn evening,
when the stars were just beginning to
twinkle overhead, like diamonds on a
canopy Of azure, two young men were
standing together, engaged In converse
ton, on the steps of the Black Eagle, a
fashionable hotel IN one of the princi-
pal streets of the gay aud celebrated
70 city of Vienna. One of them wore the
rich uniform of an Austrian huzZar; the
other was clad in the civic costume of
gentlem u.
so all is completed at the Ministry
of War, except the signature OF the com
mission, and the payment of the pur-
chase money!" SAID the soldier.
Exactly so. )"
'sAnd tomorrow, them" continued
the huzzar, II am to congratulate you
on the command of company, and
salute you as Captain Ernest Walls
tein."
The last speaker was Captain Chris
tian SteinfOrt, an officer who had seen
some two years service.
''Ahl my boyI" continued he, twirl-
ing his Jet black moustache, your I'M
ifOrm will be q passport to the smiles
of the fair. But you already seem to
have made your way to the good graces
of Madame Won Berlingen, the rich
widow who resides at this hotel.
"Bahl she Is forty" answered Err
nest, carelessly.
"But in fine preservation, and a
beauty for all that" said Capt. Stein
fort. "The Baron Won Dangerfeld was
desperately in love with her, but with
In a very few days the widow seems to
have cut him." You are the happy
man, after all.
"Undeceive yourself, my dear Chris
tian," said Ernest, blushing. II have
only airted with the handsome widow.
My hand is already engaged to charm
ing girl, Meena Altenberg, the playmate
of my infancy, adopted and reared up
by my father. 1 am to marry her as
soon as / get my company
''And what is TO support you, Captain
Ernest?"
MY pay, of course, aud the income
of the moderate dowFy my father pro-
poses to give his favOrite. So you see
my lot in life is settled
Precisely SO" replied the Captain.
"But since you are free this evening, l
engage you to pass it with me. Have
you got any money about you"
ga good deal. Besides the price of
my commission, which Is safely slowed
away In bank notes In this breast peck
ct, / have a handful of ducats about
me, with which propose purchasing
some trinkets for my bride, But
have a gold piece or two that L can
spare if"
Pooh! poohl I'm well enough provi-
died." answered the Captain. "You
know this Is pay day. Come along"
But whither?"
"YOu shall see
With these words the Captain thrust
his arm within that of his companion,
and the pair walked of at rapid rate.
After passing through several streets,
i SteinfOrt halted and rang at the door
of a stately mansion. Ii was opened
by servant In handsome livery, and the
young gentlemen entered and went up
stairs.
Walstein soon found himself in a
scene very different from any of which
he had ever dreamed in his simple rust
&c life upon his fathers farm. Around
a large deal-table covered with cloth
were seated more than a dozen of per-
sons of different ages, all so intent upon
what was going forward that the Cap
tain and his friend took their seats I'M
noticed, AT the head of the table sat a
man In a gray wig, with pair of green
spectaeles upon his nose, before whom
lay pile OF gold, and who was busily
engaged In paying and receiving money,
and IN giving an impetus to SMALL
ivory ball which spun, at intervals, Its
appointed course. Walstein soon learn.
ed that this was TOUgs-sf-aOi' table
The gentleman In the gray wig was the
banker.
Make your game, gentlemen" said
this individual, ''while the ball spins
Your luck's as good as mine. It's al
luck, gentlemen,at rouge-et-n0iT. Rouge
et-HOiT, gentlemen, the finest in the
world. Black wins-its yours, sir
twenty ducats, and you have doubled
it. Make your game-black or red. "
Cry your fortune, Ernest, said the
captain.
Ernest mechanically put down few
n duosts on the red.
Red wins, said the banker, in the
same monotonOus tone. make your
game, gentlemen, white the ball rolls.
Why need we follow the fortunes o.
Ernest on this fatal evening, as he yield
ed, step by step, to the seduction t.
which he was now exposed for the frs.