Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-08-10
LOST BUT SAVED.
BY s1exoR BL1rz.

One night, while in London, upon
returning very late to my boarding
house, / found, upon arriving at the
door, pacing up and down in evident
great distress of mind, young man,
the son of my worthy landlady, whom
/ had learned to look upon with great
degree of interest, by reason of his
uniform genuemanly department and
the affectionate solicitude he ever exhi-
bited for his mother. He held a fine
position as clerk in a large house,
and was one in whom his employers
reposed The utmost confidence.
"Why, Harry! what's the matter !?
II asked, not little alarmed at this
sudden fcene. What are you doing
here p
81 am a lost man, ruined, eternally
ruined, and my poor mother"
"Ruined, lost, what do you mean p
al have lost every thing my sal
ary, my mothers little jewels which
my father gave her, and, to complete
my guilt, have r-robbed my employ
ers.'
"You! you! robbed your mother,
and your masters! When, and for
what purpose p
Eyes, I have done it, and it is not
an hour since | staked the last crown
of my thievings on the card table at
-. IL am damned forever;" he
cried wildly, throwing himself upon
the doorstep, in an agony of grief.
Here was a scene indeed; young
msn, before whom, bat few moments
since, there were the bappiest pros
poets of an honorable life-a mothers
only hope, and the esteemed confident
of an honorable mercantile house, ly
ing abjectly upon the earth, with every
darling hope in ruin. Here, then, was
the cause of his silence, his moodiness
and his late hours.
saw it at glance, and as quickly
did l resolve to save him if possible.
After some little entreaty, persuaded
the young man to leave the place and
accompany me to a more secluded To-
cality. On my way ! learned the en-
tire story. 1t was a simple one, and
just such as happens every day.
The young man, by the invitation
of a friend, had been induced to visit
-, to see the place; next, to take a
game or 50 for the pleasure of the
thing soon, to make it more interest
ling, small SUMS were staked, and lost,
of course next, to win them. back,
debts were incurred, which, il not paid,
would leal to expos"re. Poor Harry :
he saw his position, but how could he
return. His salary was small and only
came on quarter days.
The friend suggested borrowing,
N
neplHcs 1t in few days, and no one
would be the wiser for luck would turn.
1t was, as ever, the old story repeated
--he fell into the snare, fir, t, by rob
bing his mother, then on this day, he
had taken fifteen pounds from his em
ployers.
After listening to his tale, knew at
once how the young man had been
duped, and proposed that he should
go with me to -. s'Where { said /
though l never gamble, yet hope to
teach you less on that shall cause you
never to put your foot within this, or
any similar place again. Come, it is
now near morning, and if you wish to
save yourself, do as I direct, and per-
haps it can yet be DONE"
My companion led the way to the
saloon, where was to be introduced
as special friend. All, of course,
were happy to see me, and, with the
young man near, sat down at one of
the csrd-tables and commenced play
ing. For a time lost, but soon the
game bege.. 20 assume a more favora
BILE tur and after an hours play,
arc from the table, and left the place
9Th about hundred and fifty pounds
in my pocket.
After had gained the street, and
was considerable way from the house,
where my visit had not been very ac-
ceptable to some who wished me to re-
main longer, turned and said, "There
Harry, you see what have done. This
fortune, as you gamblers call it, is d
cheat, and the money which | have
taken from those scoundrels who rob
bed you, was done in accordance with
your own principles. Here are the
cards played with" And beneath
the light of street lamp I showed
him a pack of cards, so arranged that
/ could always hold the game in my
hands Besides, | designated marks
by which 1 could tell the character of
every card in the hands of my oppo
nent- "There, (said u in those aAd
similar ways, lie the art of gambling.
You have been duped, but know Sou
will not be so again"
81 see it all, but now it is too late !
(exclaimed the poor fellow. Now
see my disgrace
''Nos yet; promise me but one thing
and YOU shall be saved p"
"What is it? l will do it-ay, be
anything, only for my poor mothers
sake
"Giye me your word of honor, then,
that you will never again touch card
or dice box, and here is the money
which have won. Take it; pay back
the sum which you have taken from
your employers; make what honest
and true account You can, to your
mother, and remember as long as you
live, the night Of the 10th of March,
1929"
The young man promised, and did
not have occasion to doubt but that
he kept his word.
-"My DEAR said Mrs. Bundle to
her 6aunhtar