The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-06-20


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\ ne, ana Be proposed game Or roulette. II,
psger would have taken his friend TO ! pro
iessional gambling room, knowing his inhe
i rent love for gambling. II be had Been sam
man, bat for the present be was not
3 There was then, and probably Is nov
1 somewhere between the Intersection Of Stxtl
] aad Randolph streets, . suit Of rooms dsvot
lsd 10 the use Of gentlefnauly gamblers and
tleir friends. There was mystsrious aaI
shout this pIsce, whishs was quiet and 80
c1uded, thataSvgrisd well with the time and
people Ia vas midnight when Ray and biz
friend stood At the door and was admitted
| b9 colQfed waiter, whose 'nanner was a
professional" a. his. appea noe. There
| were Plumbers of rooms epening out oI
| each other, all furnished in magnificent
style. Elegant tables for the different games
1 played there, were dispersed through the
Kocms, and q those groups Of men, whc
handled their stakes with sublime indfffer.
ence 70 their value. Others were walking
in abstrRcted silence, che stately length OF
she rooms, while yet others were eating cold
or hot dishes at table spread in an ante
room and furnished with costly wines. Pic-
tures, MT TOO moral or delics 70, hnng on the
walls; yet there Was nothir / to oasnd the
ore Or the tasts. The oe:b ngs were fres-
coed In the highest style of art. The para
phArnalia Of gambling was OF the most eie-
gaut description, and sll transactions were
strictly honorable. No man dare blow out
his brains here. lRdeed there was no cause
for It. There were rules 10 The game which
no man could pass, and excess Of sny kind
was not allowed consequently, the men
who hOnored those magnificent rooms by
theiI presence were gentlemen; SO far NJ q
code of honor is Concerned. IL vice, it
wss first class vice-none Of your namby
pamby sins, which are so small and narrow,
they drown you in their insignifc.ace.
Blsiness was conducted h0nOrably, and
there was no dagger from the police, who
who always respect big sinners. Here, them
Ray introduced his friend, and here they
met several acquaintance who moved like
thsmselves in the upper circles. They play
cd roulette, and Myers Howland lost heavily,
but still be played until he reached the Ut
most limits Of the game, and ct last Ray
dragged him away, and they went out into
the PURPLE dawn, feyerish, house-tired, and
one of them loser to the extent Of all he
owned. He lad play ed for high stakes. The
money he held was not his. il belonged to
the banE, and 10 pay it he must sell the
homestead where bis mother lived, and turn
hsr aud his yOung sister out on the world.
He turned towards the LAKE, but Glloert, di-
vining his state of mind, drew him away 10
his looms. there 10 sleep off the effects of
last nights dissipation. They Awoke at four
Ia che afternoon, dressed, di0ed, took a short
drive, and then Gilbert weut TO see Mrs.
Webster He found her SINKING very fast
Gabrielle IN tears, and Eugene siesping
sweetly, worn out with unrest. He did what
be could, but he could not deny that she was
dying Gabrille's distress affected him
strangely. He could not account for his in
terest in the girl He did not l0Ue her. He
admired her beauty intensely ,bnt no thought
OF loving her occurred to him. He was
mer ely infatuated, aud since, IN her unpr0-
fected state, some one must love her, wished
to become her purchaser. He could not I'M
defsiand the protection she had-what q
strong hold innocence gives 10 its posses
sor.
- @GabrielIe," he whispered at parting,
"rust in Ine here ~ mo.ey, use 1t 10 make
ycor mothst coasiortable. | saw you last
niAhl Why did yod not teil me Of your
AEB4-t -t4fNA4Aa&tA& &N.@ !.
II dared not 7 ! feared you would disap-
prove"
.And do you then care for my disappro-
val y be whispered, s'dear Gabrielle
de only pressed her hand; he dared not
kiss her; her face was too pale, her look too
high. SO be left her. That night her place
was by her dying mother.
That night Ray Gilbert ard Myers How
iapd sought another gambling room, where
no rules Of honor prevented men from fieec-
ing each other, or cutting their own throats,
and here they played hour after hour, and
still Ray won and How and lost, until, at
last be rose, desperately, drew pistol and
placed ,t TO his temple just then the door
nearest them opened, and woman, pale aud
fair, looked, beckoned In q mysterious man
ner to some one, and disappeared again.
This sudden diversion saved Rowland. He
put up is pistol, and sank weArily into his
seat.
II have one other stake" he cried, des-
perately, "It is the last chance In the worls
tor me-"
''NAme It," cried Gilbert.
s'My sister ~
No I! no n said Ray Gilbert, springing
from his chair, 81 am not such villain a
that yet | forgive you your debt, How
land come home nov, and never again let
as enter this cured place."
"Noi Igill make . chance TO have my
revenge for this horrid turn of luck. have
said it--i new repeat it. Ny sister 70
His face Was sdeathly pale great drops
started on his brow bas he dealt the cards
with ffm hand.
/ They played 10 utter silenes. Other play
ere gathered near and watched them. At
hast the clock struck twelve, both. rose to
their feet, the game was eDdet, Howland bad
lost. His face was white and deatb-like. but
Gllbers's was rigid, for between him and his
fEsend stood she pale shady form woman,
pointing . wa-aing finger towards him. A.
t1e last stroke Il toe clock sounded, it slow