The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-06-16
WON BY CARDS.
For Christine!''

For Christinel'
"For ChristiDe!" the stranger re.
peated, as be took his place at the ta-
BILE, while the old woman, with a
ringing laugh, shuliled the cards
once more, and again the game went
on.
1t was a wild, weird scene, which
perhaps, could not have been wit
messed in any other part Of the
globe.
a group of men in every descrip-
tiOn of dress, numbering no less than
a hundred, stood looking on-some
in silence, some utteriDg oaths and
bandying coarse jokes, as they watch
ed Madame Dupray, the wickedest
woman in the Colonies, fleece her last
victim.
Two weeks before she had an
nouneed that she should set her
daughter up to be played for. If the
man lost be was to pay madame one
hundred pounds; if he won-Chris-
tine was to pass into his hands;
the madam's control over her at an
endl
This was madam's latest desperate
game, and in anticipation of this she
had kept her daughter in seclusion
Only few had ever looked upon bel
face, and those few rayed so about
her beauty that il inflamed the hearts
of their comrades.
Tonight she had Stood before them
Never had their eyes fallen on such
loneliness Madame arrayed her il
costly robes; but even though she
had been clad in rags, her rich, radi
ant, dusky beauty would have bewil
dered the eye.
Her beauty infatuated the beholder
and one by one the men advanced
and flung down their one hundred
pound stake, and ole by one they
arose defeated, while madam's ser
want swept the gold away.
Some iiske !, but the game went on
others played game after game, IN
til their pockets were cleaned out, be
fore they would give up.
Madame was exultant; sue wa!
reaping a rich harvest tonight
What a lucky thought it had been!
Her skill in cards was something
almost Internal, as many poor fel
lows could attest to their sorrow
Hardly a miner, with his bag Of gold
came down from the mountains whom
the madame did not lure into her den
and once in, the facination would be
so strong that, when they went out
they did so ruined. Some bad re-
trieved their fortunes; others chad
gone to the dogs" and many poor
fellow had filed a suicides grave.
Tonight but few had intended to
play when they entered, but now the
last victim was sitting down. He
kept his hat slouched over his eyes;
no one knew him. He had dropped
in 10 look on; be had no intention to
have anything to do with this "hellish
game" as be called it.
Madame played like one possessed,
but her good luck was leaving her
She laid down no card that her oppo.
nent could not defeat; and, as the
game progressed, stiffness reigned,
every sound died out-all were alb
sorbed in seeing if indeed, Christine
Dupray was to be won tonight
One card more! Madame threw the
pack on the floor in rage, and the
stranger arose, saying:
christine is mine!''
A wild deafeGing cry arose; though
defeated themselves, the men were
glad that some one had won her
Madame could not play that game
over.
The stranger advanced to Chris.
tine; be saw the wild look of alright
in her beautiful, dusky eyes, and his
intuitiyely became softer and he said:
Get your hat. This is no place
for you. You will be safer with me
than here" glancing around upon
the rough wild group
As one in q dream she obeyed him
and the men parted to let them pass
out. Madame said no word Of adieu
to her daughter; she only muttered
curses upon the fellow whose skill
was greater than her own.
The stranger took the girl to Il ho
tel, and early next morning be took
her to "parts unknown" TO those
who had tried to win her; but in re-
slity, only to place her in gooC
boarding house in one of the cities.
He paid for a years tuition in ad
vance. He gave them his address
and wished them to write twice (
year and inform of her progress; anC
then, bidding the girl - keep to her
self all her history, he took his de
parture.
Four years passed away. Chris
tines beauty had increased, no
diminished. She had not looked up
on her guardians face (for as such sh'
spoke of her owner,) but he wa
ever in her mind, associated with tha
awful night. Even now, oil tbs
swarm of wild faces swan before
her vision and made her sick at heart
From little, ignorant fourteen-yeal
old she bad developed into a glowing
educated. refined young lady of eigh
teen; and now letter came, address
cd ~ hersalf Il raad.