Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-12-18

| carry tnlS money DuI kept SHHrp
lookout on my way home, and ! reached
my apartment in sufety.
1t was late in the afternoon when,
next day, called on the Countess
swell, Signor Melville" she said,
Immediately accosting me. $50 you
broke the bank last night
q Then the news reached your"
1t always travels fast" she respond
ed dryly.
] ! began seleextenuation as usual,
wher she stopped me.
Stay! Let us say no more on the
subject now. have visit to make. -
/ Will you act as my cavalier 7"
| accepted the offer, and the Countess
retired. She soon came back dressed for
walking, when we set forth. AS we
went | perceived something had evident
/ ly gone wrong with my companion. She
was grave and talked but little was
at last about to comment upon it. when
she stopped before high. wretched
house, in a poor street.
It is here | have to call" she re-
marked +" A wretched abode. Mr..
Melville; but will you follow me 7"
IF it were the uncomfortable region
ITSELF dear Countess. | would follow
you" | rejoined, bowling CALAMITY.
| Whereupon We went into the dark,
close-smelling passage, and mounted up
the stairs, until nearly under the tiles.
Here she knocked at door. l heard
sobs within; but no answer coming the
Countess entered Never had beheld
a scene Of such misery. The wrctcbcd
room was almost bare of furniture, and
on chair by the table, on which her
arms and face rested, was a woman with
dishcyeled hair, weeping passionatcly !;
while two pretty, but ill-clad children
clinging to her dress, lifted their tiny
voices with their mothers.
The Countess approached and ad-
dressed her in soothing tones, which
calmcd her grief. Then she asked,
Lima, may | go into the next room
with this gentleman r
The weeping woman bowed assent,
and my ciceroae beckoncd me to follow.
ii was miserable bed-chamber, while OH
the bed evidently lay the cause of
wonan's tears--a body covered by a
sheet
q Her husband !" / exclaimed, inter
negatively.
Eyes, suicide He made away
with himself last night" g Mr.. Mel
vile" proceeded the Countess solemnly,
yesterday you broke the bank and de-
| prived wife Of a husband, and her chill
/ dren of father His few coins in
creased your gain. Do you know the
face y
She drew the sheet aside, and Ishrank
back with self-reproach. 1t was tho ltal-
ian-the man whom suspected intend
cd to raise his hand against me. 1t had
been lifted against himself.
/ This is, indeed, my work y | ejacu-
lated.
!" Not altogether. It's the reward of
play" she answered. Lima Dccard
was my lady's maid, as pretty as good
She married this man, who was well-to-
do. They settled here Gaming at
tracted him All else was neglected;
be sold everything for the tables, You
see the result. Last night he returned
penniless. He forced from his wife the
few cents she had kept to get bread for
her children, and bought the poison
which has caused bis death"
Cover that CHASTITY accusing face"
said, with deep loatbing; it will
haunt me to my grave. Let us go from
here; the air is sitting !"
She obeyed We returned to the 9th
er room. There | laid my purse, con
tanning fifty pounds, in the widows lap,
and Withdrew. was not. yet felt my :
J self, the indirect cause Of her husband s
; ruin
. Poor wretch when | saw him at
the tables, suicide was on bis mind" |
said when the Countess joined me.
eyes" she remarked slowly, "you
! played for amusement. he for life. The
stakes were widely different All it is
you easy rich people who are criminal
These wretched houses would not be
kept open for such as be. Shut up, the
weak would not be fascinated, and such
as Decard driven to evil deeds"
= Countess, your lesson has been Sc
we're but effcctual one"
:" believe it, Mr.. Melville. knew
/ had not misunderstood you; 80 let me
ease the pain you now suffer Lima had
lost but little in her husbands death
Living be would have kept her poor
She is good and Industrious, and with
your good munifcence and my help will
soon have once again comfortable
home.
/ dined with the Countess that day,
and this year we arc both in London
She is married, so am |, that is, she is
my wife. Lima is also married When
we go to Italy we make it point to call
on her, and when see her bright smiles
and rosy laughing children. | cannot but
contrast them with those other faces /
had first bebeld in the wretcbed attic.
! think, too, of the CHASTITY face Of her
first husband. aad stick more firmly to
4 my motto, which is-savc 10 quiet So
cial rubber" No cards"
4 Mr. Talmage, the sensational Brook
Ign preacher who is just now SO conspicu-
Gus on account of his onslaught on thea
tiers. has cornet 10 addition TO the organ
as an accompaniment for his choir. and
last Sunday bis congregation was treated
/ a H. 49,. -