Litchfield enquirer., 1872-07-25

ha6ituS' of the club. Daily saw two or $ three rubbers going on around me; daily
 found myself exposed to the solicitations
 of one or other of my old friends who.
 remembering my college proficiency. nrged me to take hand. T made some talnt
 show of resistance at first, but, nous rel een0ns sosloars a nos freDiiSres GnaOstrs,
 and before Christmas-day came Ineeded no pressing to induce me to cut in.
 II soon became an habitual whist-play- CT. For two months and more devoted
 myself almost day and night to this pur-
 suit, which had such. strange attractions for me. We played always for small stakes, but this did not at that time diminish my
 interest in the game. I played for the
 love of whist only, not from any thought
 or wish for gain.
 matters went on thus. until the third month, toward the end of which began to get somewhat weary of my mistress, | and there seemed for 8 moment 8 chance
 of my escaping from her fatal influence.
 still loved her dearly, but the Oxford
 and Cambridge was not at that time re-
 nowned as 8 whist-club; and most ot those
 with whom had wasted so many hours
 were young and inexperienced, and played
 very indiferently. I may without vanity
 say that understood the game far better
 
 ception. It went to my heart to see so
 noble science Gas deemed it) insulted
 and outraged by the ignorance and un-
 skillfulness of its disciples. and be- gan to take less and less interest, not in
 the game, but in their method of playing | it. - <. .-..-.
 ssYou will remember that I made one
 exception when denouncing the bad play l of my companions. B., the individual
 in question, was barrister of some emil
 hence, my senior by some ten years. We
 were only occasionally honored by his
 presence at the Oxford and Cambridge;
 but whenever he came made point of
 playing in the same rubber with him, If l PUssIpic, Or aE any rate or looking on and
 watching his play. He was an admirable
 player In every respect. He soon discov- cred my passion for the game, and com
 plimented me on my superiority to the
 others among whom he found me. With
 that .free-masonry which attachment to
 the same pursuit inspires in two men, we
 soon grew intimate; and from him soon
 gained many g valuable lesson in the art of which he was so accomplished mas ] ter. The pleasure of seeing him play, or
 of cutting in, either with or against him, | soon dispelled all sense of weariness on
 my part, and I became more and more de- voted to whist =, s.,s s. .. "One night, after had played several
 hands with him, and had been praised by
 him for the improvement had made, he
 called me aside before leaving the room,
 and asked me whether should not like
 to belong to regular whist-club, where I
 should meet what he called foemen wor-
 thy of my steel. ae "'You will have observed, he said, in
 his easy of-hand manner, that I am not
 a frequent attendant here, and, s'sans
 compliment" my visits would be still few
 CT were it not for yourself You have in
 you the makings of frst-rate artist, (how we'll I remember, his wordsD and it will give me great pleasure to propose you as | 8 candidate at Graham's Club, where l
 think can insure your election, and
 where you will meet not only the best l whist players, but perhaps also the best society that London can afford: What say | you?' -+ 'sNeed 1 say what my answer was?
 'In about three weeks time received | 6 note from my friend B., congratulat- proceeding evening to Graham's, and in- l timating, with the considerate kindness of l a real gentleman, that upon the afternoon l of such and such day should find him 1 in the club. 5t zal sIt was early in April when I was elected. We'll do recollect the mingled l feelings of awe and curiosity with which I drew near to Graham's far-famed club
 on the afternoon which B-- had
 indicated. You laugh at the idea ofmy be- ing awe-struck upon approaching whatyou
 call nest of gamblers. ? But among these gamblers were men who deserve more
 than the passing notice can now bestow upon them, and whose company young
 man might we'll enter for the first time 1 with such feelings. Here might be found
 members of either House of @Parliament,
 some of them leading politicians of both
 parties, who (knit together within the walls of this club by their common love of whist) here laid aside, and here only, the political animosities which elsewhere
 divided them. Hither came-attracted by the presiding genius of the place-men distinguished in many different walks and professions; diplomatists, who had settled 1 the boundaries of empires; Queens Coun- sel, and barristers known and unknown to fame; authors and travellers, whose names have become household words Here, also, was goodly array of the leading
 men of fashion, and idle men about town.
 some of them heavy speculators upon the Turf and Stock Exchange--in short, pro- fessional gamblers; others, who, having more money than brains, played whist be- c8use 1t was the fashion, and, it must be confessed, paid pretty dear for their amusement. A motley assemblage, in truth; but perhaps as dangerous a compa- ny as any into which young man .scould by possibility have found his way. How could it be otherwise, when rank, wealth, and intellect here combined to 9ild Vice and Ayerice with the illusiye glare of Fashion? f4s s.a1e4 .si. sr - ''The club was crowded upon the mem orable afternoon when entered it for the time. I glanced somewhat timidly round the room, and presently descr1ed my friend B-- standing with his back to fireplace, and talking with animation to young man who seemed to be junior even to me. No sooner did B- observe me than he advanced, and shaking me warmly by the hand, put me at once per fectly at my ease. Turning to the young man with whom he had just been Speak. ing, he. said to us both: tGentlemen. you ought to know each other; for out of six teen candidates balloted for here on Tues day last, you are the only two admitted to the club. Let me introduce you-Mr. Arthur Leslie, Mir. Edward -
 "We bowed and entered into conver- tion. I wish Icouh give you any thing like correct idea of Arthur Leslie, as he appeared to me on that day. He was tall and we'll formed, and upon his whole mien and carriage the air noble was un-
 mistakably stamped. He was barely twenty-one, and was therefore some four years my junior; although to close ob-
 server his face when in repose showed
 lines of thought, and traces of care, which
 gave him worn and older look. But
 when the face lighted up, intelligence, frankness, and good -humor beamed in his
 smile, and before it's influence these tell tale evidences of care vanished. like clouds before Biscay gale.s Never be-
 fore or since have I seen such smile. It
 taught me for the first time what the Ital-
 ian poet means by the 'tanspeagi0r deH'
 angelico riso, the lightning of the heay- | H H. FV- H