Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-28
a PARIS STORY.
Gambling, Murder, and Mistaken Identity

sunset, OF perhaps in the moonlight night, when
A. each splash OF your ear there arose thousands
OF golden watery gems which, ere they fell
were silvered by the mOonbeams. But the eve
nipgs were now becoming chilly, and 1 knew
that before long the days also volli be cold; 50
bid sciieu to the fair lake, and took ing way
hOmewaTd.
I arrived in Paris. intending to STAY only
few days, but was disappointed, a. some little
business wished To transact there kept me lin
geTing day after day. Now, this would have
bees pleasant enough at any other time of the
year, but at this season how cOald amuse my
self, II Il we're lot for the theatres ami the bal
dc lOpera?
one night, while the cold RAIN beat against
my window paEes, and the wind, stIll colder,
whistied in htIul gusts up the street. 4 lay on
my lounge porting over Victor HugO's last no.
vel, and trying 70 understand it, the wood fire
glowing on the hearth. dropped my book, and
looking AZ the clock, saw II was just a quarter
past :; then / thought OF going to the theatre,
II was not yet 200 late; and 30 decided should
go 20 the opera comique. as had seen on a
poster they were going to play ''Une mutt au
Chareau,' which / thought might counter act
the dizziness the rain generally leaves me.
Well, enjoyed myself pretty well, for, meet
tpg "a friend there, We passed our time very plea
SAINT, especially between the acts, when we usu-
ally descended 70 iOrtify ourselves with punch
and cigarettes, before leaving the theatre and
emerging into the night air.
AT length the play was over. and we went into
cafe near by TO refresh ourselves still more,
and played quiet game OF ecarte. After the
second game, my friend proposed We should 90
somewhere and try our lack, or in other wOrds,
hight the tiger" i agreed, and he hailed a
fsCIe. We got in, and he told the driver to let
us out at some number, do not recollect, in
Rue Neuve des Petits-Chzmps- We ratified
along at good pace, and after some time drew
UP before = very respectable looking house, in
which there appeared no lights, and whose in
mates, thought, had long since retired to rest:
but when we stood on the upper steps, 1 could
see that there was blind over tie fan-light,
tbrOug n the cbiDks of which came a dusky red
glimmeT- Ny friend rang the bel; the sound
OF footsteps followed, and soon the door was
mar rfnWt "A
ny friend, We were shown up two pairs OF stairs,
and were UsheIed into large saloon, which
seemed TO be an addition to tue rear. Folding
toOTs, which had been drawn back, showed that
there were two rooms, which now seemed but
one.
We entered amid confused sounds from differ
ent part OF the saloon. At one side were four
roulette tables; on another side, rouge ct noir
and dispersed libeTail around were a number
" small round tables and chairs, al which seve-
fal gentlemen played eca-te. PIlue. &c. 4 re-
marked that there were also some ladies', who
siPped their hqueurs, some looking on, others
playing.
Nv friend and sat down and PLAYED ecsrte.
he telling me in the meantime that tnjs house in
which we we've was h Ut by a lady Who was very
rich and pauonized BY gOodly namner of the
artstOcTacy. She had three other places be-
sides, and this was the smallest, but most pri.
yGte OF them ell.
=" You see that clerical looking personage
leaning against the maDtel-Plece?'' he said.
.'N ell, that's her detective, and that Young
lady with whom he Is cOnyeTSing, and whose
golden hair rocks still brighter beside his raven
locks, Il his daughter. Take care you never get
Caught in her tolls" added my friend. | a-sIr-
ed him theTe WAS not any danger of that. Little
Thought then IN what strange place l woald
aiIeTGard see her.
After getting tired of our ecarte and cham
payne fine, my friend sugg ested that we sh ouId
Try our hand At roulette, and We went over TO
the table. The keeper was jus. calling out,
"ChOOse YOUR colOrs, gentlemen" and then
when the ball ceased rolling, "Red wins this
time" while he TAXED the shining pieces in
from the losing colOrs. L pat five franc piece
on the black. The ball rolled, and 1 won /
lett the money stIll there, and won again.
had lett OF playing for few minutes, and
was standing at q Side-tabie, eating some roast
fowl, when noticed q Young man. dressed yery
well, but rather fashy. What called my atten-
ton 10 him was the glitter of his diamond studs
which ssarkled with that white and peculiar
glow which only pure gems emit. He had been
playing very high during the evening, aud
though inning now and then must have lost
rather more than he gained. He addressed me,
~ we stood there, by saying
Young man, why don't you cover the red
sometimes when you play, II you're afraid to
4 said: . I'm not afraid; but play only FOR
aIcUse ment."
"YOu must excuse me-" he said. " for giving
you a hint, but 4 did not think You were a
gambler. i myself only play for amusemsut's
sake but still like 10 win, if only 70 BE- able 20
balance my play; aud IL one plays only on one
color, he's sure 10 lose sooner or later the black
no doubt, wins often, but IL You have luck and
win, your gains are so much more as you ascend
from black TO blue"
played very cooily on black aud red We ntur-
ing occasionally on the blue, ami had nv share
OF luck, for, IN about an hour and a half 4
round my self In possession OF nearly 500 francs,
my friend, in the meantime, playing on high
colOrs, and the young man with the diamonds
paying on them too, but losing heavily, and
drinking deeply OF champagne between each
roll Of the bait BY this time, as 1 judged, he
must have lost nearly 1910 france noon he csme
round 10 my side, touched me on the shoulder,
and said
z
said certainly, and fOlIow wed him into the re
fresh mt saloon. Arrived there, he said: -
would ask a great favor OF you, were 1 sure I.
would not be announcement" At the sans time
taking from his pocket a small, jewelsd wstch
"Would YOU lend me $50 francs until to- morrow
and take this a. security he said.
took 10 in my hand; IL WAS beautiful place
Of workmanship, and / WAS surprised at IT'S b.,-
ing also lady watch. pressed the spring; il
new oIen; some letters caught NV eve, and I
saw there WAS something engraved on the in-
side. / held il closer, and read ssCIands a Ma
Tiette," ard underneath, in a different styIe of
letter., 81 oubfi." 4 Was too polite TO inquire
into or remark anything about IL, so I said al
VII! let YOU have the amount, but L must tell
you first that leave Paris to- morrow"
he said: ''Thst makes but little difference: /
Cannot get money till morning, but we can
meet At noon at the Cafe De Londres, Rue du
Faubourg ST. HcnOre, If you Will not leave be-
lore that hour" 1 mentioned that would he
the watch IN my pocket.
He thanked me. ani went once more 10 the
gaming table, while joined my friend, and we
Sat down 10 watch the different games around
us. did rot mention the loan | had made to
him, a. he would have SAID no doubt that |
Was fool, and 1 did not care to be laughed at:
and, besides, thought 1 had at least well the
worth OF nv money.
We staid in the saloon until about O'clock
and parted from my friend outside. He was
to leave for Egypt early in the morning. lie
Travelled for London house, and we were 20
meet again in Psris in the spring, to which place
Il expected TO return.
went home in good spirits. had nearly 500
francs more in nv pocket than when had LETT
my rOcms-the five hundred 4 had lent the
young man not included. 1 went TO bed, but /
could not sleep. took out the watch, and read
the inscription once more-"Ciaude a Mari
cite, ''Cn oubf'-and wondered what IL could
mean Perhaps AZ might have been a present
which had been returned. thought; but, alas
Il could only guess. fell asleep az length, AMI
dreamed about cards, watches, fdramas roa-
iette, &C., and so enjoyed myself in dream
land until about O'Clock, when dressed, pack
ed up my things, and went our to o restaurant
near by and breakfasted.
Il afterward stroled around until half-past II
and then went up TO the Rue du Faubourg st
Honore 20 the Cafe de Londres, which I enter
ed. called for some brandy. lit a cigar, and took
up newspaper to pas time away TIL he should
come. had been readirg some time, and Low
&c wanted but fve minutes OF noon. He did not