The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-06-13
A GAMESTER'S BRIDE.


ondeavors for the success of the ticket"
A GAMESTER's BRIDE.
How a Fascinating BlOnde was
Lost and WOn--Twenty Thou
sand Dollars for a DivOrCe..A
Double alarriage and a Duped
Father-.A Romance from Real
Life. .. .-...
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
The scene in Platt's Hall. There is a
ball going on. Our 'aristocratic circles
are not represented, and la creme de la
creme is absent; but the moneyed inter-
est has sent its representatives. Dia-
monds flash, silks rustic, satins shine,
and therefore we are, perhaps, justified
in saying that the ball was, according TO
the modern code, respectable. There
is blonde therein fact, there are sew
eral; some natural, others artificial the
latter the prettiest generally, and great
deal the more lively to talk to. There
is one blonde there with very blue eyes
and bright hair. She is surrounded by
a crowd of youths of the period, with
boots that are too small and gloves that
are too large--in the fingers; with hair
that is too shiny and eyes that are not
shiny enough; with conversation that is
too suggestive of cheap tobacco, and
wit that is not suggestive enough of
Chesterfield. But they are somewhat
nonplussed by the behavior of the belle
Of the evening She is distrait, and
lacks her usual vivacity. She seems to
regard them all rather as a bore than
otherwise Fred tries his softest blan-
dishments in vain, and Tins carefully
selected witticisms fail to provoke a
smile, or even to command that atten-
tion which Tim feels he has a right to
expect, seeing that he paid for the ball
ticket and the hack, and will have to
economize for week, and brave out his
washerwoman for several days longer
in order, to make up for it. Whittier
wander those blue eyes so necessarily
this evening, so that even the fact that
Miss lilly Pigeontoes has a new style
of bronze boots on, or that Miss Hattie
Gadabout has had her old dress made
over again, fail to receive more than
momentary attention? 1t was case ol
love at first sight; for in the further cor.
ner of the room stands young man
A gambler-but with a lovely mousta.
che; sport-but with charming eyes
faro dealer-but beautifully dressed
a short card player-but with such @
dear figure. The blonde is smitten; the
sport sees it; for certain contingencies
of his profession are apt to render the
eyes smart-their hands, too, we have
been told. He is cautious, however
sports usually are. He inquiries of his
friends around the room: "Who is the
little girl in the corner there, in the blue
dress and big papier, fair hair and pink
cheeks 7" He is told; the information
seems satisfactory; an introduction soor
follows, and palpitation, mutual admira
ton, and arrangements for future inter
course, fill up the remainder of Mis-:
Carries evening.
When Miss Carrie round out the so
cial status of her lover, and how sht
liked it when she found it out, we can
not say, precisely, but it is reasonable
to suppose that she was not very mucl
shocked at the discovery, since beau
tiful sport and pretty blonde nigh
have been seen almost every afternoon
afterward in a photographers gallery
seated in close proximity, and a mos
confidential and atfectionate manner
upon a lounge for hours together. A
least, they might have been seen hae
not the friendly and handsomely feet
photographer taken care that nobody
should see them. 1t progressed in thi:
way for some time, the young lady's ia
ther-a rich old merchant prince''-o
course remaining in blissful Ignorance
of how his fair young daughter employ
ed her time and her thoughts. Finally
the climax of all real love scrapes wa!
reached, and secret marriage between
the sport and the blonde was the appro
pirate conclusion Of clandestine court
ship.
Still, all things went smoothly,at least
to all outward appearance. Before long
however, cloud appeared upon thu
horizon. 1t came from New York il
the very definite shape of live, healthy
man of business, occupying busines.
relations with Carries papa. The New
Yorker saw Carrie, fell in love with her
and when he sounded her papa upon th'
subject felt that he already had blue
eyed little blonde for his wife, for he
papa smiled graciously upon him ant
intimated that Carrie was as sensible az
she was beautiful, and obedient withal
so that there would certainly be no diff
ficulty about the matter. What theI
must have been the astonishment of tht
paterfa.nilias and the chagrin of th'
Fbusiness-like lover, when the young
lady met the matrimonial project with .
blank refusal, and expressed her decided
desire that the subject should not b'
brought upon the tapis again. Expos
tulations were of no avail. and so stor
ming, stampeding, and threatening wer'
tried-and with better cffect-Carri'
with food of tears confessed all, ant
papa stood aghast.
"Now papa," said the sensible young
lady, "there is no use making any fus
about this-the thing is done. The on
! ly thing is, how it can be undone so tha
| may be allie to comply with you
wishes" Papa listened attentively. Sh'
proceed: 81 am sorry to say that l have
already reason to believe that my hns
band is tired of me, and would not b