Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-12-22

California paper in a letter from cor
respondent in Louisville,
There lived on - street, in an IN
pretending establishment, surrounded by
trees and flowers, young lady who was
celebrated for her beauty and accom-
plishments. She was blonde, with blue
eyes, white teeth and heavenly smi le
had the prettiest hand and foot that
ever were seen-and was tall, 1.-THE and
elegant. Her wit was delicate, pointed
and sparkling, and her mind as superior
as her person was lovely. The town was
at her feet and her suitors were as I'M
Fortunate, if not as many, as Penelope,
like whom she was continually wooed
and never yet won In the midst OF her
successes came the war, the end Of which
found her family impoverished, and her
self reduced to want for the necessaries
of life. ja .t,:s lea
But she was still the same proud, inn
perious mistress of hearts as before, and
she refused in quick succession the many
offers of marriage that were now made
to her. She had not thought OF matrl-
mony as a resource, but had other and
totally different prospects in view. She
proposed in fact to teach school, a !
A fellow-townsman, a gentleman OF
wealth and position, and a bachelor, had
long been a silent worshiper at her shrine,
He had houses and lands estates in the
country aud lots in the city, stocks, I'M
terests and investments wherever they
would pay, and his private establishment
on - street was simply palatial. See
ing how the case stood with her whom ne
loved with his whole soul, he resolved,
after many self-commnnions and much
reflection, to ask her to be his wife.
rSir," said she, in answer to his pro-
posa1R II do not love you, and | cannot
"Think the matter over, my dear,
said he. and in one week from to-day
give me your answer. ,ll, .ol.,l
Upon his return, on the day set' she
said TO, him: ~, !. : .am ,, =.
I. Sir. you have wealth and l am poor;
you live in palace, and !, asyou see, N
a cottage; you ore desirous of my hana'
and / would like very much to be rico:
/ will make you a proposition. ] will
throwthe dice with you-my hand against
a hundred thousand dollarsl Is tia bar
gain2' l.lHA Ag. .l38Us, Rug LLlI21
at is,"' said he, And thereupon they
pledged to each other their words to bide
the hazard. ,nBf,.rf,,s
: II was arranged that but three persons
should be let into the secret; that each
should select friend; and that the two
selected friends were to choose the third
Miss 1--i samed the Hon. Mr.. g., a
prominent member Of the bar, as her
Eiend. D Mr.. IL chose the Rev Mr.
al pastor Of the fashionable church
ON - street, as has, and these two
made choice of DR.. -, an eminent
professor in the medical college, as the
friend Of both parties. BY these gentle
men the prelimiraries were arranged,
and the programme was this; ~ ~
The Doctor was to give party at his
bouse ON a certain specified Friday eve
n;ag at which were to be present all the
hest neople of Louisville; the Hon. Mr..
- was TO have license in blank,
ready TO be filed at moments warn
inc and WAS TO hold Mr.. rs check
for 100000; and the lfsY. Mr' = was.
to be in waiting to perform the marriage
ceremony, if called on so to DO. The
dice wsre 10 be thrown in Hon. Mr..
.s study, Ebspce the quintette were
to proceed to the party, where, II MISS
- lost, they were to celebrate the we'd
ding. and. if she won, they were 70 lnln''
Gle with the guests without remark.
AT precisely nine o'clock on the
eventfal evening the players and their
friends met in the Hon. Mr.. IS study.
By agreement Of the parties themselves
they were 10 throw poker dice, and TO.
cut the cards fos the fret throw. Jhe
gentleman cut a queen and the isdy 2
lack, and then came the tug Of war. Ne
was cool. calm and pale; she was stat
uesque, imperious and collected. His
lins were compressed; hers we're formed
into an extended arch, spanning the
whole mouth aad completing the bow.
The twain sat on OPPOSITE sides Of a
small table, and the umpires stood over
looking them.
The dice-box being set before him, Mr.
- placed his fingers over the top, and
with the thumb clasPing the side, he
eave Il a shake. and threw ts5 tonrs and
iwo deuces. Putting aside the dences, he
threw again aud threw another four.
TIE. throwing the tao remaining dice,
he threw two fves. He had thrown,