Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-03-03

ourselves with the necessary oulft-guns,
dogs. and servant We decided upon
| little village in the interior Of the State
for our Headquarters, from which we pro-
posed to make our hunting and fishing
excursions into the country surrounding.
We were not long in completing our ar
ranoements in New York, and soon after
we found ourselves comfortably lodged in
pleasant little hotel in one OF the most
| delightful villages in the State. Here
our anticipated fishing and hunting ex-
petition came to an end. On the hrst
morning of our stay at the hotel John saw
at the breakfast table one of the most
| beautiful girls / ever beheld. and In his
| impulsive way he fell completely IN love
with her at first sight. The girl was an
orphan, living with her uncle, who was
the owner of the house. John was good
| looking, and rather dashing in his way,
and it was not long before the object OF
his alteration reciprocated his attachment.
So matters went on for about three weeks.
John and his lady-loye were always to-
gether at all seasonable hours, and some
unreasonable ones at night. AT last the
uncle discovered the true state of the
case, and proposed to bring matters to
| COuCluslOu dL OuCE ny inquiA1hS NOnNSAn
| ing Johns character and antecedents. 1t
was not enough that his intentions were
honorable. The old gentleman believed
that he had his niece's welfare too much
at heart to permit matters to go further
until after he had satisfactorily ascer-
tanned that she had worthy suitor. John
knew too close scrutiny concerning his
character would not end favorably to
him, and he determined to run away with
the girl if possible. This was the turning
point in his career. 1 think he intended
marrying her had not the uncle interfered.
The girl was so infatuated with John,
that when he proposed an elopement she
consented, and they went off one night,
leaving me to return to New York alone.
was not much surprised at this; for, al
though John had not let me into the
secrets of his love-making, knew enough
to anticipate pretty much what followed.
1 was pursued to the city by the uncle ;
but, as was as completely ignorant of
Johns whereabouts as the uncle could
possibly be, he soon gave up the chase.
About three weeks had transpired,
when, one day, as I was coming down
town, strollea into the Aston House
bar-room, and there found John, looking
as though he had but recently recovered
| from long debauch. He was exceeding
" nervous and irritable, and seemed
quite beside himself. He expressed great
satisfaction at seeing me, and said that he
had been looking for me for several days
around our old haunts. After we had
taken two or three drinks of brandy to-
gether, he became more quiet, and final
ly settled down into a conversational
mood. He told me q thought rather
coolly) that he had seduced the giRl, and
temporarily abandoned her, although he
knew where she was, and he intended to
provide for her. He confessed that he
had been drinking and gambling, and
had lost large sums of money, which was
the occasion of the course he had pursued
toward the girl he had ruined. L could
not well prevent him, and before our in
terview terminated he had nearly finished
bottle of brandy. He made me promise,
as we parted, that [ would meet him in
the evening in one of our old gambling
resorts on Ann street. l don't know why
it was, but l had presentiment that
something tragic was about to happen.
1t was late when I reached the gambling
house where bad my appointment with
John. l found him bent over the table,
apparently with his mind bordering on
frenzy. His hands were full of bills, and |
was told that he had been losing heavi- |
ly. He recognized me as I approached |
the table, and beckoned me to a seat be-
side him. Putting his lips close to my
ear-so close that his feverish breath |
seemed to fairly burn my cheek-he told
me, in whisper, to bet for him; that he
was too nervous tie hold his money.
\ L. l. II j. i l.
There were two aces and Jack in the |
box.
"Bet everything on the ace said John,
as he secretly put his money in my hands
and rose from the table.
| hastily counted the bills and found |
there was Just one thousand dollars.
g. am going to make a bet" I said to |
the dealer. al want dollar for dollar on
the table"
John bent down and again whispered in |
my ear they were his last words on
earth):
"Bet on the ace"
Never" l said to myself There is |
more chance for two cards to lose than |
one. John is in too hard luck for his adj
vice to be good for anything. Here goes
for the single jack" and, unobserved by
John, placed the roll of bills on the Jack
The turn was made.
"The ace has lostp exclaimed the by
ISLANDERS, in hoarse chorus.
I had no time to look up and say to
John that had bet against his instruc-
lions and that the money was his. He
supposed he had lost, and in an instant
the report of pistol was heard, and his
brains were scattered on the table
In the confusion [ took the money and
went out of the room. And that was the
way l won at faro. l am now reformed,
thank God, and from that day to this l
have never touched card nor bet a far
thing