The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-05-15

ed horse races, and made bets upon the
results. Fer three years prospered, but
suddenly be came heggared-that is, I
should have been, had I paid what
owed | made h.a7y book against a
certain horse fer the Caesar witch; that
| horse won. and I was "broke." I Was al
NEST tired OF horse racing; SO, shaving off
my thick long beard, resolved not to
pay fraction OF my obligations but travel
about the country with tue few hu ndreds
In hand until something better offered.
1t Was year alter had made this deter.
mlnatlon that met you. Lncy. For the
hrst time felt what love was, and res'hv
ed - make myself worthy of your tru ,tiRR
affection was gratitied that you placed
such implicit confidence in mo Ito for
bear max MI inquiries iat0 nay past life;
but had you do:e 81, dearest, ! might
npw have been q better man, and still
lylur husband. Asst was my good reso-
buttons coeled, ana at length I determined
to hile the past from you. If you did
not seek to know, why shonid l. blight
your new bankruptcies? A few niontts
after we came to London. I met some of the
men with whom had Oft played games Of
chance when located for week ut places
ike Newmarket. York and Doncaster.
One of them-he is north-country man
proposed TO start a gaming house at the
/ West End. To diearm suspicion the base.
OF the building was To be converted into
tooacconIst shoD, or any other KIND o.
/ place where Gust mers might be surpassed
To frequently enter, and the upper floors
were To be used for the purposes we re
| qnired. There were but few Of US in the
gang; the proposer OF tile scheme did not
want many, as the thing was to be kept
tqulet. In an evil hour | agreed to (~ln
hem. / became the "bonnet," or decoy.
To my task 1t tell to tempt greas young
sters snd seemingly wise old dotards into
the play II was necessary thai | should
always appear as a gentleman, and thus
accounts for my good clothes. There Is
seldom anything going on before ten At
night, and this is the reason why my
h urs are frequently so late The tins
/ speat before that bureau has been occu-
pied Gather in calculating the chances OF
certain games at cards, or in estimating
the pro6,s of my nefar'ous employment.
Now you know why have kept 80 much
hidden from you. Say, Lucy, can you tind
it in your heart 70 award M forgiveness
for the deceit have practic d, aud the
life oc infamy to which have brought
yoa ?"
\ AS he drew toward a close. his voice
became more ten Ter and suppiicAtory in
its tones | felt to the fullest extent ne
degradation to which had arrived. |
!, knew that for the future coul no more
look with trust and con6ieuce In % the
face of my husband it was apparent to
rne-and think to bIni-stlat the revela-
tiOns nf the last hour had created q sult
tfgtwlxs Us that no lapse of t.me could
naff0W but with all this there WAS the
consciousness that our lives were knit tv.
gether, and that no power could anaul the
altar vows. If he was weak, I must br
strong. ALI hope was not los for by re-
pentance the past might be retrieved and
nine should be the hand to lead him
from the N ,rass into which he had fallen
These thoughts fitted through my brain
with meteoric rapidity. but to him my ST.
lence YVES heartbreaking Again he cl Tsp
ed my hand, and in quiverIng accents
babe me speak, even though 'rwere to
! breathe the fresh censure. | tried to
av-rt my head, but could not; there Was
u fascination was still unable to resist.
Sud denly there dropped upon my hand u
scalding tear; it seemed to burn into my
flesh; and joyfully exclaimed:
This is the first sign of penitence
Many such as this, dear husband, wrung
from your heart, may wash away the
blacklist crlme-!"
He rose aud clasped me in his arms.
The varying emotions had receStly tx.
perienced proved too much for my feeble
strength, and again tainted. Ere rNOrn-
ing was mother. r.-
must skip over the next three mortAs.
During this time my life was very dask.
for WAS very i'll. l was only couscioas
ut brief and tIagmentary~ Intervals, but
those intervals sent thrill OF happiness
throughout my soal; for whenever open
ed my eyes saw my husband by my side,
eagerly watching for glance of reeogni-
ton; and the merry crCoing Of my child
told nae the re was yet sometime to live
for. IL WIS long time re | regained
my strength; lux what contributed more
than aught else to my restoration was the
constant presence OF my husband.
One day in the early autumn, when l
felt stronger than at any other time since
my illness, | vc1tUred to ask him if he
had given over hia old pursuits to which
he made answer that he had not been to
the gambling ro, m since the night had
discovered the nature of his employment.
Frequently the other mem bers of the gang
had reproached hiA with his chicken
heartedness, but he was deaf to all their
sneers, ana had resolved never again to
meet them save with one object. | babe
him proceed, and them he said that he had
repented of his past career, and was de-
terunined to seek in the bureau about