Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-10-05
NO. 236
PLAYING FOR LOVE.
Continued from Yesterday

Mr.. Hermann Rauch's establishment could
hardly, perhaps. be considered q success.
The building. which was about, fifty feet
long by twenty wide. stood endwise to
the street, il street it could be called.
which street was none, but only an irreg-
ular chasm. of varying width and uncer.
tain direction, between two rows of tents
and shanties. Its original design had ev-
idently been that Of frame-house, with
planked walls, glazed windows. and As
phalled roof. And, so far ~ concerned
| considerable portion of the principal
front, this design had been carried into
execution. The door stood, of course. In
the centre, with a window, or q place for
| one, on either side. OF these wiudOws.
the one on the side nearest the town was
! complete--alli but the glass-the wall
| through which 1t was pierced being also
fairly finished in stout deal planks, Ill
but space Of some four feet squarv In
the top corner, which at first togk 70 be
occupied by sign, but found on examip-
alton, to be filed in, for lack Of boards.
with some half dozen gaily painted tea-
trays. On the other side Of the door the
planking ceased little more, than half
way up the window: the remaining per-
ton OF the facade being eked out with
huge tarpauling. To fancifui mind--a
little, perhaps, under the influence Of its
surroundings-ths house had a look, of
having been fighting, and having come of
with gigantic black eye.
However the framework of that portion
OF the building was perfect enough, and
for at least couple OF yards back the
roof also possessed fair semblance Of
the original design. and was duly covered
with asphalted ielt, neatly nailed down.
Then, suddenly. the felt also gave place
to tarpauling; which again. iS 10 turn,
was replaced by Heterogeneous collec-
tion OF old sails. reei-points. bolt.ropes,
and all, just as they had been cut away
from the yards-ahd with every here and
there an irregular opening. hastily slit
with . knife. to let out the smoke and foul
air. Apparently. even this material had
fallen short after . time. for the roof,
which at the street-end must have been
quite eighteen feet il height. made . Isud-
den dip about twenty feet back, and ffom
thence continued its downward course till
at the far end the ridge-pole Was within
easy reach of my umbrella. Mr.. Rauch.
who was philosopher. thought this q DE-
cided artistic advantage. II helped tho
| ''bersh-bectiff," he said. and made the
| UuuulnS look longer.
1t was the sound of music which first
attracted me to the place; and OF, enter
ing, found flute, q harp, and cornet-
a-piston in full blast. don't think they
were all playing quite the same tune in
deed The corne;ist, who Of course had II all
his own way, and who had evidently ab-
sorbed quite as many ''nolers" ~ were
good for him, was himself little uncer-
tain as to both air and key, and even as
l entered, glided from one tune into an
other. with rapidity which must have
Disconnected his accompanies. That,
however was minor matter. Outside
the building the more penetrating tones
OF the instruments had made themselves
heard sharply enough. Within the babel
of sounds, The clamor Of q hundred voices,
the click Of tin pannikins and pewter pots,
the shouts for beer and brandy and
''sham," the rattle of dice, the banging
of rough deal tables with heavy fists, and
the stamping of huge hoh-nailed booss
on the loosely y-boarded floor made up
among them q volume of noise which,
for the most part. fairly dominated The
musical portion OF the entertainment, and
left the performers free to follow their
own sweet will in the matter either Of
LIulc Ut tune. s..f g.. ~
Round this pandemonium / had been
loafing quietly for half an hour or so, tax
ing an occasional nobler for the benefit Of
the house, and losing or winning half
crown or SO here and there, just to avoid
singularity. when my attention was ar
rested by sight which, at the moment, 1t
grieved me not q little TO see. hsfaaoi -
am not straight-laced in the matter of
gambling. which, l frankly confess. has
always appeared to me It least as inno-
cent means of losing-or. for the matter
OF gaining-mOney as good many others
on which the Mrs. Grundy OF the period
looks with anything but disfavor. But I
wassorry to see young Harry Goodwin. ~,
There was something In the boys face,
too, which only too quickly assured me
that he was not at Mr.. Hermann Rauch's
establishment in any charActer Of mere
visitor like myself. 1t was an honest open
face enough still; but it had lost the mer.
ry. careless look which ! had never yet
seen absent from II. even when The labor
ing ship was closest on the breakers, and
any moment might find Us struggling for
our lives in whirlpool that would drown
a whale. Now, it had q heavy. anxious,
and. at the same time eager lO0k-the look
nave stcu 30 Olten SlnCe, anu 0Veu t0e0
seen more than once, as the face Of some
young beginner al the deadly table.
This, then. was the end Of all his good
resolutions of the evening; this was 10 be
the fate of the money which be had earned
so gallantly, and which was to have been
sent off by to -morrow's mail TO help the
struggling father and good. hasd- working
sister at home. Ii Was no business of
mine. Of course. and In suCh IN asmos-
phere as that OF gold colony who could
expect a lad like that TO steer clear OF all
the thousand temptations around him. and
with his pockets full Of money tooP II
he were not here, he would vsry likely do
worse. And yet oquldn't help bsing spr-
~ for h-so sorry that was 0l the point
Of making my way to his side. and trying
it could not rescue poor pretty SasS afty
pounds for that night, at all events. when
the opportunity passed. The boy. who
had been hurying about from table y u
BILE, looking now at monte, now
at euchre. now At cribbage, put not ven-
turing to try his luck at games of which,
.. sitorwstd found hAlknaW ahn0l6talv