Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1868-11-19
Tie Heavy stake--A True Story.

/ lie was DRu rather OfeI uiSuIu'h S'@'-i WIN
black hair and whiskers, and handsome face,
with clear, gray eyes, who came into n gamb-
ling room in Sacramento one night, badly un-
der the influence of liquor. He sauntered idly
from one crowd to another, gathered around
the various gaming tables. When we met he
said
"John. You been an old friend. been here
ten years now Going home to settle down.
l love Fanny, you know, and she loves me-
! Look here" he continued taking a wallet from
his bosom, here's ten thousand dollars in
gold"
looked at his treasure. 1t was pure gold
dust, gathered from the then prolific placers of
California. "Put that away" said |. Take
it from this place. Let me go with you to
your boarding house, at once
Taking bis arm | endcavored to lead him
away. But he resisted as a man who had re-
solved on his own course. With silly, drunk
en- air. he said: "What's ten thousand dol
lars for ten years work? When left the
States to come here, poor as mouse, Fanny
Morton promised to be mine, and she shan't
repent it. Such complexion and such eyes are
worthy better fortune than ten thousand
dollars. It's like her throwing away her time
waiting for me, if don't go home with any
more money than that. Shall that dear little
angel be disappointed? Never I'll make
it twenty thousand dollars tonight"
He started with unsteady step towards faro
table. Vanly strove to turn him from his
purpose. lie, however, stopped again, and
said:
"Tell you, John, what you do. If lose III
be busted-wont have cent in the world
Maybe that would keep me here another ten
years She wouldn't wait so long Icouldn't
stand that, for she has been my only hope for
these ten years. So for me it is twenty thous-
and or death, and I never played a game in
my life. If fail, write to Fanny and tell her
all about it. Here, John, Dick, Tom, Jones,
Wilson, what'll you have ?"
A crowd gathered around to assist him to
imbbe at the bar. refused to drink. had
never seen him tipsy before, and now he was
both drunk and wild "Come on, fellers,"
he shouted, waving bis wallet over his head,
"and see a game ats worth seen'. Here goes
for ten thousand dollars on one bet y
A crowd began to gather around him, as be
pressed toward a table. Every other table was
forsaken. Ahundred persons surrounded this
table, tip-toeing with eager curiosity, to see
the progress of this heavy wager. Swinging
his wallet around with drunken, staggering
flourish, hiccough and wild eye, this man
of less than thirty years of age, with his life's
hopes and life itself placed on one cast, selected
his number, and placed his money upon it. !
saw the movement, and as he withdrew bis
hand from the completed action, | looked
again in his face. His eyes met mine from the
table. lie was perfectly sober
Never shall forget the fearfully anxiou ex-
preston Of the now terrified man. Eyerytac-
ulty of interest seemed multiplied hundred
fold and concentrated in his face. All present
knew him, and in death-like stiffness awaited
the result, which they knew was to enrich or
beggar him.
The right card turned up. Ny friend had
won. A hand was stretched forth to grasp
the twenty thousand dollars, and made a
movement to thrust the robber back, for such
deemed him, as looked up from the table ]
had been watching and missed my friend. His
hair was black. This intruding stranger was
a gray-headed man. A second look showed
me that the uncomfortable agony Of suspense had
turned my friends hair white was not a
lone in this discovery, for cry Of horror burst
from the assembled mass, following close upon
the hearty cheer at his success.
He never after that drank drop OF intoxl-
eating liquor or played game of chance
He returned home by the next steamship, and
though his betrothed was surprised at his grave
face and gray hairs, she attributed them to toll
in the mines for her sake, and cheerfully fui-
| flIaJ bo, r,roroise of marriage.