The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-02-15

luck, and had won back very nearly as
much as he had lost, and he was now on
his way to continue his luck He meant
only to play an hour or 30, and then go
home. He went up to the sideb0ard and
took glass of wine, and as he turned he
met stranger, who had seemingly come
for the same purpose.
"Good evening"" salu the stranger,
in pleasant tone, as he poured out
tumbler full of water from the pitcher
and drank it.
Ambrose returned the salutation.
81 came in to take few moments
recreation at cards." said the stranger;
"but find no friends here" :,
so did l." answered Ambrose, land
my friends are missing"
"Then suppose we take hand or two,
Just to pass the time until others come 7
"With pleasure" said Dearborn,
And accordingly the two sat down
and were soon on the most friendly
terms. The cards were dealt and for
time the playing was on small scale,
and the lu * about even. By-and- by
Ambrose b, gan to win, and be went on
until he had won over hundred dol
lars. He would have felt ashamed, some
what, had not his antagonist maintained
such good humor, and smiled so kindiy
when he lost.
But anon the luck changed. Ambrose
lost all he had won, and soon had lost
over hundred dollars beside. He had
lust one hundred dollars more in his
pocket-book, and this he took out. A
new hand was dealt-he cut the cards
carefully-and he held four jacks.
Twas the best hand by far that had
been out during the game, it being the
first "fouf of kind" he had seen dur
ing the evening. He bet ten dollars.
His antagonist covered it and went ten
higher; ,y ho
stranger said, with light laugh. II
have held better or IS, but this is good.
/ shall bet high on it,"
Ambrose did not speak. He was ex-
cited. He was afraid his antagonist
would mistrust how good bis hand was
and stop betting. But the betting went
ON until Ambrose had placed his last
fraction of the hundred on the table.
"Shall go higher?" asked the
stranger.
Gas you please"
"Then Imust say hundred better.
BY the trump of trumps, you shall have
chance to make pile this time."
Ambrose hesitated moment, and
then he placed his hand in his bosom
and drew forth package of bank-notes
There were four thousand dollars in the
whole. 1t was sum he had drawn from
the bank that very day. 1t was the &C
cumulation of over four years labor ano
economy, for the purpose of paying fol
his house and store. He drew out 6
. hundred-dollar bill, and covered his an
taponist's last stake. He hesitated mo
ment more, and then he drew another
hundred and event that" over. The
stranger covered the hundred, and "went
five hundred better" Ambrose covered
the five hundred, but ne dared bet M
more, and he called for his companion
hand. The stranger smiled as n
showed it-fOur queens!
Ambrose uttered deep groan as h
folded his cards and placed them on tn
pack.
, "By my soul, that's hard, my frien'
But better luck next time. Come-ll
deal for you this time"
A new hand was dealt, and this tim
Ambrose won hundred dollars. III
3 began to revive. Next he won two hun
v dred more. He went and got anothe
q glass of wine, and then returned in bet
|, ter spirits. But at the next hand b
4 lost five hundred. His spirits san
again. But he was now resolved to pla
I carefully, and win what he had lost, an
then stop!
v There is no need of following the gam
e step by step. The man who held thos
q cards was not n professed gambler, nc
y did he now gamble at all for his ow
amusement. But he had been anon
a gamblers much, and he could handl
y cards as he pleased; and more still, b
u could handle nervous, excitable ma
Il as he pleased.
He Kept Ambrose in good humor-l'
a him have occasional flashes of luck-an
finally, Just as the clock struck eleve
IL Ambrose Dearborn staggered up irol
)t the table, penniless! All-all was gone
u His four thousand dollars-the SUI
d which was to have cleared him fro
'g debt-the sum which he had see
Sc steadily growing beneath his efforts fl
y the last four years-was now swept ava
w Inc Young ueICudnt obaESOiON iiO
sss the hall-he tried to borrow first -
"a borrow something to commence again
win back something-but no one wou
lend. He made his way to the stree
" and without noting his way, he stagger'
1t on. Dy.and-by he came to narro
" alley, which led down to the water, al
m he turned down upon -the wharf and
10 down upon an old spar.
n He had been there but few momen
m when he felt hand upon his shouldt
ne He looked up, and by the moonlight
ne could see the dark face of the man WI
" had ruined him.
re "Why do you sit here in the snow
re asked the stranger.
m "Leaye me !" cried Ambrose bitterl
"Ohl never would see you more frc
ne this time"
"But perhaps / may help you,"
n, Piled the other. You are young enou
en- to learn" :,
l Learn! Oh, great heaven and ha
er / not learned this night what never
n never"
ly The young man burst into tears, a
'w his sobs were deep and painful.
as :,, "Come, come" spoke the strang
al STAND up anu trust me, anu ""J "'
III III YOU" :.
be There was something SO kind in
4, voice that Ambrose could not resist, a
me he rose to his feet.
,ey , "Ambrose Dearborn, spoke the strar
AT man, "I have this evening taken fri
nj you over forty-two hundred dollars, a
~" | do not think you can afford to lose
ho Here we are, before God. Now prom
in in me, upon your honor as man, that J
:" will never stake any amount at haz'
md again-tbat never again will you play
I ;S any game of chance for the value OF a
u thiDg--and will restore to you ev
penny have won from you to-nigh
a The young man stood no 1Sr a a . MON 10 :,
like man in dream. linen ne eau
~, his companion by the arm. :, =,
Gu s,n "You do not trifep he said, j
hoarse whisper.
"Gjve me the promise, and see.