The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-07-29
aftiaEEIIamn.
LEND ME- A FLORIN.
RY LADY JACKSON.

In the beautiful grounds Of the old
ducal schlOss of HOfnburg are many
lovely and shady hooks, so thickly
embOwered by the foliage of surround
ing shrnbs and OVerhanging trees that
even the fierce rays of the summer
midday sun cannot penetrate the dense
shade of those leafy bowers. Rustic
seats have been placed in some OF
them, as if to invite the solitary or
weary-footed rambler, who, perchance,
has StrOlled up from the g9yer and
more frequented gardens of the Kur-
hans, to linger there and rest awhile
after his walk up the steep street, and
along the pathways cut in the high
and wooded banks of the little lake.
The air, too, is deliciOusly soft and cool;
and its balmy purity has SO singularly
soothing an effect on the senses, that
the fevered and agitated spirit IS irresis-
tibly subdued by its gentle influence
into harmony with the calmness and
repOse that reign around. The only
sounds which, now and then, break the
all-pervading stiffness are the sharp
clicking cry of the squirrels as they
leap through the rustling leaves from
branch to branch, the loud tapTing of
the WoOdpeckers, the varied notes of
Joyous birds, or the gurgling of the rap
id streamlet over its pebbly bed be-
meath the dark shadow of the wild
spreading outrageous trees. Distant
voices, borne by the zephyrs, fall soft
ly on the ear in gentle, defined muir
murs; andthe ivy-cOvered tower of the
picturesque old schlOss, rising above
the tall chestnut trees that surround it,
is the only sign of human habitatiOn
you can there obtain glimpse of.
One afternoon in August, two ladies,
apparently unnOticed by, and unknown
to each other, were seated in the most
secluded of those shady retreats. One
of them was accompanied by q little
! boy of about three years of age, who
was clasping the arm and looking up
with an expression Of wonder and un-
easiness, to the face of his fair young
mother. She was absorbed in deep
reverie, and neither spoke to or saw
| the child; and his playfulness was far
| ther checked by the solemn quietude
Of the place. Occasion 49, glanced
| stealthily round at the otl4or4- 81, who
sat at the extreme end of the bench,
! her head reclining on one hand, while
with the other she graSped her dress
with fitful, nervous agitation. AT
! times a broken sentence escaped her
| lips in a low, unconscious whisper.
| Her cOuntenance was interesting, and
/ of the blonde German type of beauty.
| BUrWhat can have -OccasiOned that dis
turbed state of mind, for she is evil
! IDENTIFY YeTyyOung?
Suddenly she exclaimed with great
earnestness, "The flOrin would have
saved her! I feel sure it would have
saved her! A fiOrin will save me, too,
and l will ask him to lend it."
The speaker was startled to con-
sciOusness by the sound of her own
voice, and the lady with the child was
reused by it from her meditatiOns.
"a form? Did you ask me for flo
rim. mademOiselle ?" she inquired with
much surprise.
90, no, madame. Pardon me for
disturbing you. / was little excited
for I was thinking of the poor woman
who was removed this morning to
Frankfort, some people say to lunat-
ic asylum. Perhaps you were at the
Kursaal last night, or have heard the
story ?''
81 was nota the Kursaal-what has
happened there ?n
"I will tell you, madame. The wO-
man TspOke of is a widow, left few
months since with a large family to
support, and it appears, had recently
had some heavy losses in her business
at Frankfort. A short time ago she
dreamt, as she told a friend, that she
large sum at roulette. This dream was
constantly in her thoughts; she be-
lieved that it was sent to suggest to her
a means of releasing herself from her
embarrassments. Her faith in it in
duced her to borrow, on the security of
her house and furniture, five thousand
fiorins; and this sum she brought to
the roulette table. She won trif1e the
first eveuing-lOst all she possessed the
second. | was there, as q lOOker-On,
and saw her place fifty flOrins on two
| T umbeFs-15 on So, 35 on Is. 1t was
ner last hOge-her last chance. Her
anxiety was painful to witneSs-the
short interval of suspense must have
seemed an age to her. Her eager eyes
were fixed with intensity upon the
numbers she had chosen, as if she
| looked for salvation from them but
! they brought the final blow. She lost,
aLd was irretrievably ruined. 0, what
| blank despair, what mental agony, was
| in that pale death like! Then, for a
moment, ray of hope seemed to cross
| her mind; for her eyes flashed bright
| ly as she turned to a shOWily-dressed
woman by her side, who had piles of
| gold and notes before her, and said,
| grasping her hand, and in implOring
accents, " You will lend me a flOrin, I
know?" Her neighbOr shook her off,
as though her very touch were to be
dreaded, and answered harshly, 81
will not lend you a flOrin, for [ will not
| pass my luck over to yOu-tO you who
have staked, and played, and lost your
all with the recklessness of a mad. wO-
man. have no pity for yOu-yOu are.
rightly served for your folly. Go back
to Frankfort and attend to your busi-
uess.n Poor thing! She heaVed a
! door, SiOl1 GIIYOnrpSGp6 wall of 1nGYNoir
and her head sank upon the table.
"GO, go, good woman; you are in the
| way" said man who wished to take
| her place. She rose from her seat,
wildly raised her clasped hands, fell up
on her knees, and in tones whose thrill
| ling agony yet rings in my ears, cried
out: my children! o, my poor
children ~ She was Immediately sur
rounded by the attendants, carried
from the saloon, and removed to her
| lodging in q frantic, Taving state. a
physician, l am told, was sent for, and
this morning she was taken back TO
Frankfort.
at is indeed a sad story" said the
lady; her folly and infatuatiOn may
end in madness. l suppose there was
no more play last evening?"
' One would naturally suppose So
at least by those who were not the reg
uIar h0bHucs-but it was otherwise.
There was a temporary interruption at
the roulette-table, and few angry in
7 quiries at the trCHtc ct guarantee, as to
what was the matter with that raving
woman? Why was there so much de-
lay in putting her out ?''-but in five
minutes afterwards all was forgotten in
the absorbing interest of the tdpis cert.
1 must confess that I too, remained,
and to my own surprise and veXatiOn,
felt a stronger desire to join in the play.
looked on at the other tables. l re-
solved to go home, but stayed on; my
attention was particularly attracted by
the great success of one of the players,
!. q Spaniard, as l have since learned,