The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-02-25

winning luck, ana nad won pdeA 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 so, and then go home. He went to the
sideboard and took glass Of wine, and
as be turnedi he met stranger, who had
seemingly come for the same pur-
pose, 5...tf ...-, r
"Good evening, "said the stranger, in a
pleasant tone, as he poured out a tum-
bier full of water from the pitcher and
and drank it.
Ambrose returned the salutation.
81 came in to take few moments re-
creation at cards." said the stranger;
shut find no friends here"
$50 did f. answered Ambrose, "and
my friends are missing"
"Then suppose We take a hand or two
just to pass away the time until others
come.
"With pleasure, said Dearborn.
And accordingly the two sat down and
We're soon on the most friendly terms,
The cards were dealt and for time the
playing was on small scale, and the
luck about even.. By-and-by Ambrose
began to win, and he went on until he
had won over a hundred dollars. He
would have felt ashamed, somewhat, had
not his antagonist maintained such good
humor, and smiled SO kindly when he
lost.
But anon the luck changed. Ambrose
lost all he had won, and soon lost over a
hundred dollars beside. He had just
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 flour Of a
kind ne had seen during the evening,
he bet ten dollars. His antagonist SOY.
cred it and went ten higher.
81 have an excellent hand, :" the stran-
ger said, with light laugh. Il have
! held better ones, but this is good.
u shall bet high on it," .-. ...
: Ambrose did not speak. He was ex.
cited. He was afraid his antagonist
would mistrust how good his hand was
and stop betting. But the bettsag went
Il on until Ambrose had placed his last
fraction of the hundred on the table.
"Shall Igo higher?' asked the stran'
ger. .....
"As you please" 90 "
"Then must say hundred better
!, By the trump of trumps, you shall
have chance to make a pile this time
Ambrose hesitated moment, and
? then he placed his hand in his bosom
and drew forth package of bank notes
1t was sum he had drawn from the
bank that very day. 1t was the accumu-
lation of over four years labor and
economy, for the purpose of paying fol
his house and store. He drew out q
| hundred dollar bill, and covered his an
tagonist's last stake. He hesitated q
: moment more, and then he drew another
hundred and "weut that over. Tht
3, , stranger covered" the hundred, ant
event FIVE hundred better" Ambros.
: covered the five hundred, but he daret
bet no more, and he called his compan
ions hand. The stranger smiled as h'
v showed it.-four queens!
t. Ambrose uttered deep groan as b.
= folded his cards and placed them on the
pack. ....
4 "By my soul, that's hard, my friend
r better luck next time. Come-I'li dea
D for you this time" ,....
A new hand was dealt, and this tim,
Ambrose won hundred dollars H
l Began to revive. Next he won two hun
. dred more. He went and got anothe
! glass Of wine, and then returned in bet
ter spirits. But at the next hand b
lost five hundred. His spirits sank again
e But be was now resolved to play care
fully and win back what he had lost
: and then step!
b There is no need Of following the gam
| step by step. The man who, held thos
Q cards was not protested gambler, no
" did he now gamble at all for his ow
d amusement. But he had been anon
|. gamblers much, and could handle card
t as he pleased. And more still, he coul
N handle nervous, excitsble man as b
g pleased.
! He kept Ambrose in good humor-le
him have occasional flashes of luck-an
3 finally, Just as the clock struck clever
g Ambrose Dearborne staggered up fror
+ the table, penniless! AH-all was gone
His four thousand dollars - the SUI
u which was to have cleared him fror
debt-the sum which he had seen stead
ly growing beneath his efforts for th
last four years-was now swept away.
The voupp merchant staggePed froI