Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-08-26

MARK sHIPLTY'S ACHIEVEMENT,
BIZ HELEN HARCOCRT.

,I1ailo ChlPiey! goou evening, olC
fellow! We've stopped in to carry you
! off with us. You know you promised
long ago to take a look in at Mason's
and we won't let you off. So put or
your hat and come along"
Mark Ship}ey turned with start Of
surprise. He had not been aware Of
the entrance of his friends, 80 intently
had he been gazing upon delicate
little note which lie held in his hand.
"Welcome, Burton, welcome, Hawar;
I am glad to see you in my humble
lodging. Sit dow; help yourselves to
cigars, and spend the evening with me.
'.Not bit of it," cried Button. The
cigars we'll accept with than ks, and we
will smoke them in your company, but
1t must be on the way to Manson. s.
So come along; it is too late now"
Mark shook his head.
"You must excuse me. It was, as
you say, long ago when I made that
promise, and my opinions have changed
somewhat; moreover, Mason's was not
then the regular gamblmg-house 1t is
now. Be generous and give me back
my promise, boys. l don't want it said
that ever entered any such places
For reply his friends burst into
uproarions laughter, and Burton ex.
claimed,-
CLEAR You, Hawar! The sinner has
turned saint and what, forsooth, has
converted him ? All, Shipley, Shipley,
I fear you are lost-irevocably tied to
q certain fair lady's apron strings. You
are soon to become q Benedict, we
know, and SO it is all the more our
bounden duty to see that you make use
of the little liberty you still have left. ."
'.Indeed," said the young man, earn-
estly, you will oblige me greatly if you
willie me of. You have heard of my
poor fathers fate; it was a gamblings
house that ruined him and embittered
hia last days I would never have
made the promise had if Mason's had
been then the place it is now"
'.But still promise is promise, and
must be kept" said Hawar. SO, put
on your hat at once, for we'll grant no
relea~e. We won't ask you to play
only to look on while and SEQ how
things are done. Why. shipley, you
ought to be ashamed in these days to
confess to ignorance about such places
it is part Of mans education.
Come" +. 1
After some further circumstances,
Mark suffered himself to be persuaded
to accompany his friends, feeling in
honor bound to do so since they would
not release him from his promise, fol-
1t had always been his pride that his
word, once passed, had never been
broken.
Mason's was so called private gam
bling-house, and open only to the Upper
classes. Several gentlemen were
gathered about one of the numerous
tables, deeply absorbed in tho danger
GUS game of Rouge ct Noir. LA
Our three trinds looked on for a
while in silence, and then Burton and
Hawar drew nearer, aud each staked a
small sum. They won, and again
risked a larger sum, Again fortune
favored them; and then-alas for hui
man resolution MARX Shipley, carried
away by the excitement Of the moment
forgot the lessons Of his fathers past,
and threw down upon the table q
golden coin.
s'Hurah, ehipleyl" cried Burton
well donel You are true man, for
all your squeamishness. You see these
things don't look SO bad when you're
right close to them. These Rouge'et
Noir tables are very tasty-not at all
repulsive'"
But Mark already regretted his Inn
pulsive act.
"Ah, Burton he said, there is the
whole trouble in nutshell. 1t is be
cause gambling looks so harmless at
first that so many noble hearted fellows
are ruined by It,"
This he spoke in all earnestness; and
yet few moments latter, when his
gold returned to him doubled in
| amount, he staked it again; and yet il
| came back to him, four times the
| amount it first started-forty dollars
instead of ten.
.Try it again, Shipley,' cried Hawar
Down with 1t on the noir.' :
"No, on the rouge aud Mark, with