Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1870-09-15
A Gsayllc Or Cards.

One hot afternoon in the month of Aug
ust, 1867, three men sat around n table in
private parlor mt the hotel Darmstadt,
at Ems, Germany, taking such comfort a.
they could derive from the juice of Rhcnish
grape and pack of cards. The most
conspicuous figure of the group was large
man with bald head. grayish blue eyes,
heavy light-colored moustache, airs about
him that would have done honor to the
imperial purple. This parsonage had even
then achieved some fame, and was tolerably
we'll known to reading people by the name
of Bismarck. Next to him sat another
bald-headcd individual, inferior to Bis
marck. in stature, with a border Of black
hair about the base of his skull, that look
ed like the rim of an old felt hat truth
lessly robbed of its CROWN. condemned to
remain there as permanent fixture
During the Crimean war the fatLer of this
man figured at the Cabinet councils in St.
Petersburg as Count Nesselrodc, but the
son was only known as clever gamester
and an haJitue Of the fashionable Euro
pean watering places. The third member
If the party was little fellow $50 little
that his feet scarcely touched the foor)
with dark, piercing eyes, swarthy skin,
and vivacity enough for half dozen ordi-
nary men. At the time of which we
speak he was tho French Consul at Stutt-
gard. All of them had been paptaking
freely of wine, and each in turn shuffled
the cards with vim that the generous
grape imparts to the most phelgmatic tenn
perament. The Frcnchman. in the inter-
ludes of the play, kept up running fire
of conversation, skipping from topic to
topic with n facility which only French
men enjoy, until, warming as lie went on,
he venturcd the declaration that France
would one day mark her boundary by the
Rhine from Basel to the sea.
~ hundred fredericks to fifty" ex-
claimed Nessclrodc, ''that she won't"
''Doue," replied the Frenchman," and
let the game be the fortunc-teller."
They shuflicd the cards, and the French.
man lost.
Another wager ~ said Nesselrode, with
a glance at Bismarck, who eyed his two
companions calmly, though never uttering
a single word $50 that within five years
France and Prussia measure swords, and
that France yields Alsace and the whole
disputed border
"C'est impossible! :" excitedly respond
ed the Consul.
Again the cards were shuffled. At the
fourth play Bismarck and the Frenchman
had each ia ken two tricks. : II was the
Russians lead. He threw the, queen Of
clubs upon the table.
''Kingv' shouted the Frenchman in
triumph, as he covered Ncsselrode's card.
and extending his hand TO seize the prize.
Not so FAST" coolly remarked the
Prussian Premier Il believe the game
is mine :" and casting the nee, he leaned
back in his chair and laughed heartily.
>, Non Dieu" shouted the discomfit-
ted player, "but cards always were liars"
And unable to conceal the chagrin and ex-
element that overmastered him, he rose
from the table and quilted the room.
Three years have scarcely elapsed since
the incident here narrated IAN incident
which Nesscrode told with hearty satisfac-
tion in the Ems cafes that summer), and,
now that the big cloud Of war that has
lowered over Europe has burst, the result
may prove that the cards were not such
liars after ALL