The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-01-14
y COUNTY, OHIO TUESDAY. JANUARY ID 1875

4 care to carry your money away with me.
4 Suppose l let you fight 1t on the last
call p seaBI : & ss 5s
4 a"Just as you win, Colonel."s 7'ii asl
1 / may remark I'm parenthesis) that
the dealer called every one who betted
There, "Coionel.'' Iasalss2 81 iae'i lsezna
i 5"Then I'll call: Ace, nine.v ss ?
Il Two of the three cards left in the
q box were drawn out, ace first and nine
& sIafterward. afs am bas "a
Il "By Heavensr' I cried, springing
h up ia the intensity of my excitement
Ef.sThats just eight for one-nearly FIVE
Il Thousand dollars. I came here, Mon
italenbert, courteously disposed to cast
IA mite into the great Maalstrom, that is
\ Fspopulaely supposed to swallow up every
b ones surplus finds-if indeed it does
,inot take them body and soul, down to
i tue depths of-we won't say what; aud
's 10, the ravenous monster is casting up
/ her Jewels at my feet"
4 The dealer reshuff1ed his cards with
4 an emphatic phizz, as though he were
& furnishing them for some fearful del;n-
i dquency.
il Montalembert thought that every one
] who played against his faro.bank might
i be sure of winning 1t should have
Il been called s.charitable institution"
Il for week past, from the way things
!: had been going.
q The cards were again in the box
Il however, and the game went on.
Il On into the "wee sma' hours Of the
Inight-tke bystanders eager intense, alb
! isorhed, and nothing to be heard but the
tfclick and thump of the checks ON the
4 iboard.
h As the results of the long game fluc-
4 1tasted,l felt that my own face was chan
iging in appearance, like those around
A me. The muscles about my mouth were
dgrowing rigid. and knew that my eyes
i had caught the fire of those in the dark,
'3bilious face before me.
4 / cared, I know, as little SIS any man
,lever did fer the money / was winning !;
land yet my hand trembled as though it
twere the means of reprieve from death,
when / drew in my immense gains from
fthe winning card The next moment,
however, fortune would reverse, and a
lsai castle smile stole over the dealers
Iface as he softly and apologitically took
Idown his own spoils. Then my own
face would darken and my teeth gnash
lin spite Of me. 1t was terrible sight;
flor the lookers-on seemed fully to par
fticipate in the gamblers excitement.
# The game had been very high, and ]
, was still winning. Those who had
, lshared in it earlier had drawn out, and
were looking on. Now, hewever,a man
named Blakeman--a professional gam
bler-many supposed silent partner
,Iof Montalembert, came forward and
took me in hand. g
~ ] had not exactly computed my gains,
J, but / know that / had nearly twenty
Il thousand dollars before me.
II As Brakeman betted placed several
tcolumns of large blue checks upon a
II single card. The former paused and
t made q motion to draw. / had my own
/ eyes fixed upon the table. yet ] distinct
ly saw Montalembert lean toward the
man who stood opposite to me, and his
j polite, gentlemanly oountenance sudden
: ly became overcast with adevil's scowl,
!, while whispered "Take down, by
!. c." coupled with low, Kissing
) oath, distinctly reached my ear.
! 1t was too late, however The card
was drawn out, and the bank had won
Il Montalembert was occupying his old
position at proper distance, as though
, he had never been guilty of the vulgar
Iity of excitement in all his life. A
smile little different from his usual half
sneer, and which he was in vain trying
to reprass, stole over BlakemaE's dark
i face. He knew better what to do than
, his usually astute prompter.
4 The blood was boiling in my. veins :
/ No drunken man was ever more fren-
j zied. With sudden oath | sprang to
j my feet and threw on another card my
entire winnings-a larger amount than
/ what l had just lost. ga.s4 s..i...
Il Brakeman cast a. stealthy glance to-
ward the princely proprietor. A, slight
lbut quite perceptible nod was the ans
i wer. 4fn o.
j The dealer turned once--twice. Mon
|talembert looked supremely comforta
:, bic. Bonbommie beamed from his
benignant countenance. bent my eyes
upon the cards with scrutiny that must
have warned the dealer there could have
I been no tampering with me then. /
think now-and swear it was not from
a mere love of the money! should
have drawn pistol and blown my
brains out on the spot if had lost, so
fercely, terribly Intense was my desire
to triumph.
n The third turn came.
Il had won.
4 A round sum of twenty five thousand
tdoltars-more than double the amount
| that l had made by whole year of
hard labor.
|. But did ! reflect that another man
had worked for perhaps treble the time
l had thought of, and had lost it all?
Oh, suhlimated seltishness of human
mature!
4 Brakeman staggered to his feet and
SiutSuOu SoH'u du us uSatL ioi
, one moment. At first | felt sure it must
, be to stifie fierce spasm of pain; but
/ the next moment he drew forth a jewell.
ed case, and touching secret spring,
fplaced upon the table gorgeous clus-
ter of diamonds, necklace, brooch and
earrings, that must have been worth
/ fifty thousand dollars. M
4 Il stake them against the sum you
, have won,' he murmured hoarsely, while
he glared Indignantly at me.
u 'tDoner' l cried, returning the mon
Iey to the board. Il will give you this
last chance, and l mist 60 | shall
! have to take to the designations OF life
iby degrees. am only from the coun-
) try to day, and the lateness of the night
and the excitement are telling On me
: ifearfuliy SO the diamonds are at
stake r
.Yes.' '
i The click of the checks went on. The
draw, one, two, and the diamonds were
4 mine.
Il ITo BE CONTINUED aa
- s