The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-09-23
FARO.

King Faro, the Egyptian tyrant, held
aleyee. Behind the green table, on
which was spread the ''lay out" sat n
self.contained, impassive gentleman,
Glad in the daintiest cloth, with shirt
front spotlessly clean, diamond studs
blazing from within the folds of the
elaborate rufles, and massive rings, of
diamond, emerald and topaz, encircling
his fat, stumpy fingers, as if they were
SO many hoops to prevent bursting
This prime minister Of King Faro was
slightly bald, and drew the cards from
an elegant silver box with q deliberate
grace of movement which was almost
rhythmical i'll its regularity. "Ace wins,
queen losesp' Front seats about the
table were all occupied by players. A
red-faced, Scotch-looking parsonage
with g heavy moustache. of bristly rod
hair over each eyebrow, backed to the
five spot heavily and persistently, and
saw his stacks of reds swepts off by the
hairy jeweled hand of the dealer, with
out sign Of regret save O frmer COM
preston Of the blistered lips. A bank
clerk, something of On artist in the Gull
nary line-that is to say, in the way of
cooking the ybooks-fed cousidera-
BILE amount Of the banh's capital into
the yawning jaws Of the tiger with q
rollicking disregard of expenses, all the
time holding half consumed cigar be-
tweeu his dainty lips, and putting yo-
lumes of smoke into the face of the red
faced and exasperated Scotchman, with
the moustaohes over his eyes. A drunk
enlpolitician from the rural Districts
was seeing the tiger as we'll as the ele-
plant at the rate of fifteen dollars n
minute A score of dead beats massed
themselves heavily about the semi-circle
of betters, OH the lookout for an oppor-
,tunity tosborrow ''sawbuck" from any
acquaintance who might strike lucky
streak, and eternally vigilant in the
matter of "sleepers." Brandy and G..
gars on the sideboard, and the savory
fumes Of on elegant supper floating
through an open door which led into an
adjoining room. els the seven dead?"
'Put them checks on the tray for me,
if you please" "Pay the six.'' "Hold
on there! Them's my chips on the jack. %
THAT'S no sleeper d-n you'll"
Toby, PUT ME A HUNDRED ON THE
ACE" 41
The magnitude of the bet attracted
the attention of the players. The be-
nevolent dealer looked up from his
work, and peering through the carefully
polished lenses of his gold trimmed spec
tacles recognized q fashionably dressed
young man with an aristocratic and
slightly aquiline nose, jet black eyes.
black, close out, bristly moustache, and
a asmooth, clear olive complexion.
Jim Saunders was young man who
until the death of a stern, hard old
fQfhar h0H hi IN n
considerable fortune. The transition
from one extreme to another was easy,
and the young man spent his grasping
parents accumulated dollars with la
wish hand. he drank, and gambled,
loaned money to dead beats. and was
generous in the matter of jewelry to GER
tain females whose moral complexion
was OF that high color which, if not ex-
actly scarlet, promised soon to become
80. But the sands of the sea arc num-
bered, and Jim began to see the end of
his pile. He applied himself studiously
to faro with the hope of winning back
his losses. Luck must turn in his favor,
reasoned Jim. But it didn't. The
CURSED cards seemed imbued with ma
levolent apirit, and the genial dealer
continued to exchange his ivory chips
for Jim's greenbacks, and then win back
the chips On the night in question,
Mr.. Saunders strolled into this ante
chamber of hell with thousand dollars
in his pooket-the proceeds of sale Of
fast horse and the last of the fortune
which old Saunders had left him. He
coolly and desperately determined to
''let the hair 60 with the hide" or make
raise. af3
Tho ace won. It won again. Then
he coppered 1t and won again. He
shifted his bets, and always won. He