The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-01-14

union. At this she colored again more
deeply than before, and withdrew her
hand from mine. fH
"Darril," she faltered, eve will talk
of that hereafter. My father would OBJ
ject; nor could L,thiak of marrying yoa
until yoa reform" Il
staggered back in establishment and
indignation. If spent more than was
quite necessary for wine during my sol
journ in the city, had never been drunk
enough to stagger up street or to fal.
in gutter but once in my life, and thai
was years ago. In truth, l had looked
upon myself as rather model young
man for the days ] lived in.
"Reforn, Angelan l cried. "Some
base rival has dared to slaneer me te
lyou. Darrill Eiyingstone's pride would
save him from the degradation Of drunk.
enness, if he had no love in his bosom
for an angel, of whom the rigid exercise
of every virtue could never render him
worthy; who has dared
"Hush," she said, with heavenly
lsmile. 81 will trust you still, Darrill fol
love you with nay whole heart Drunk
enness is not the besetting sin of which
you IRE accused. We are told that while
Iyou are in the city during the winter,
you are constantly drawn into gambling
heils, where you wickedly throw awas
all the proceeds for which you havs
worked during the year.
/ at Is false!' / exclaimed, "utterly
false / don't pretend to be more cor
rect than other men of my age, Angels
l--not half SO good as your in6uenee
will make me in the future So / can'l
say that have lived in New Orleans
the gayest city except Paris,in the world
where every vice is made to assume
the garb of virtue and Of fashion, and
gone entirely free from their influence,
through the trying ordeal of citizenship.
But as / hope to win your love, think
| have come back with as few OF their
deilements clinging to me as any man
have ever known. / will give any one
permission to ihvestigare my financial
condition, as it was when came into
possession of my fathers estate, and
comparing it with my present prospects
to see whether have spent one-fourth
of my yearly income or not / am sure
you believe me, Angela ?"
"Yes, Darrill," she answered, softly
E"I can never believe you would tell me
an untruth. You will go tomorrow,
and on your return you can talk to my
father with the conviction that honesty
always imparts. Only promise me thai
you will not touch a acard while you are
away, for my relations would rather see
me married to a common horsejockey
| than gambler"
81 don't wonder at it," said honest
lly. "But l must have fallen into low
repute indeed to be so esteemed. Dc
mot bind me, Angela, By any prenaiseg
Ifor a Livingstone has yet to break hi!
lpIighted word; wait and see what youl
Hove can do for me-" And bade hel
goodnight.
Early ths hext morning started fol
New Orleans, and reached the city jus
after mid day,
/ called on MY commission merchant
and he placed ten thousand dollars il
my hands as the price of my cottor
tcrop. / was much pleased with the re
suit of the sale, and sauntered back te
the st. Charles Hotel in high good-hu
NOR with myself and the rest of tht
world.
! i thought of going around and de
Ipositing The money in bank at once, bu
| was in dreamy state Of irresolutioh
thalf-determined to go back home The
j next day, as the heart of the city seem
ed solitude to me now without Ange.
la; and SO waited until banking hours
were over. Then / roamed out again,
still with the money in my pockets, and
returning about sunset, stood on the
|.steps of the St. Charles watching the
| gay passers hurrying to and fro, an6
:. thinking after all how Inferior the pref.
tiest of the women were to my little
darling up at home.
/ Presently the darkness came on, and
a strange depression seized me, / wen,
Iup to my room, lit the gas, and tried s
new book, but could not read.
s'It's cursedly lonesome to be here
withouta a friend in the world" I NUT
tered. "Time drags 80 heavily. I'm
in no humor for shows" and ! got up
and paced the room.
! Up to that hour | had honestly had
no idea of the terrible fascination gam
ing possessed for ne. / thought ol
Montalernbett's palatial saloon but a
few blocks of, and the remembrance
sent my fiery blood tingling through
my veins.
/ was bound by no promise, and per.
haps when visited New Orleans again
Angela would be with me, and should
have turned my back on such haunts
forever. Better wine aud supper could
be had there, too.than even at the splen.
did hotel at which was stopping; SO
could go in, bet enough to pay literally
for that, as l shouldn't like to haye the
ismiling dealer satirically bid me ''cal
fagain when came to town." and after
losing ten dollars or so return to my
rooms.
l had in truth always had pretty
good run Of luck, and never come oui
any considerable loser in my life, hence
had been quite honest in resentihg the
light in which Angela had been taught
to look upon my habits. So you see
was disposed to regard gambling as 8
vice only in proportion to the pecuniary
losses involved by myself l did no,
think of the vitiate1 moral sense thai
was creeping over me, nor of the indiff.
ereice that must follow its indulgence
to the sufferings of others.
When entered the saloon it Was past
eleven o'clock, and, a rather uncommon
occurrence, but few bctters sat around
the table. took a seat and threw
over q twenty dollar note.
The exquisitely-dressed dealer wa;
shufiing the cards with the wonderful
precision of professional -gamester-
He glanced quickly up with smile
however, bowed and passed me over Tie
required amount of checks.
| ! placed them at varfons points upof
| the table, scattering them in seemingly
whimsical trains; and the first turnine
of the cards showed me to be the win