Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-06-26
Won p. Cards.

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easy, careless. devil-msy-care existence.
Sobered now by the experience OF years,
and weighted with responsibility and
cares, look back upon the early days
of fun and joll,ty as bright point In
my history. One night | had sauntered
into one of the gambling hells; an ex-
cellent dinner of terrapin and cham
payne, and other good things, had dis
posed me TO generous payment for
hospitality, and 1 " as piling red chips
upon spotted green cloth, in evidence
OF my devotion TO the unknown god.
At a late hour l had stretched myself
upon an easy lounge half dreaming and
half dazed, when L was aroused by the
entrance of a man and a bundle. The
man was DRINK, the bundle was baby
"A two-year old, violet-eyed, staring.
wide-awake baby. We all recognized
viii Seymour. the gay, reckless, dare
devil, gambling, handsome well-born,
highly educated, and, when drunk,
most desperate and ill-tempered man
most reckless of all our knights OF the
green cloth.
We all knew how good and generous
he was to the best and purest OF sweet
wives when sober; we knew how terri
ble and dangerous when inspired by
the demon of drink. We knew with
what generous love he poured out upon
l. 1.b o. ba ba Uas
himself, and we knew that, in his mad
moments, an angel from heaven was
not safe from his brutal passions. She
had died-murdered-no by a single
blow, but starved in her affections;
worn out with anxious, fearful love for
her husband, she had laid down the
weary load, and passed away, leaving
10 her drunken and crazed husband
this tender little waif.
What frenzy had prompted him, at
this late hour, TO seize this child from
its cot and bring il down into this gam
bler's rendezvous, do not know. The
proprietor was dealing this game. l
will not name him, for this Is a true
story, and not romance, We called
him "Blaze." 1t was his nom de guerTe,
when we were fighting his Internal
game. He was educated, well-born,
generous, and had he not been a gam
bier, would have been a gentleman. He
is not gambler now he lives, and is a
gentleman.
s'In the name of God, Bill Seymour,
what are you doing with that child?"
cried Blaze" as he suspended the
deal.
ats mine,' responded Bill.
"Where is the mOther?' asked
"Blaze;" ''have you had another quar-
rel with herr Go home: take back her
child; for Gods sake, Bill, don't dis
grace yourself; don't kill your wife,.
"Dead, dead, a" said VIII, in tone of
bitter anguish j shall never forget;
"dead-gOne 10 heaven, where | have
sent her. And | shall send myself TO
hell that may never trouble her more"
IL was a curious scene, this gambling
room. Every eye was fixed upon mad
Will Seymour as he stood there with
his wide-eyed baby girl, every voice
was hushed: the players nervously fin
gered their chips till "Blaze" spoke
again:
For Gods sake, Bill, go away. Do
you want money!"
"What good does money do me? Did
it keep me from killing my wife? VIII
you save Maud and me from the end of
the wharf tonight? Hey, Maud baby
girl, you shall go to see your mother
this night, and L will go to hell-whers
III meet you, Blaze and all of you,"
and he laughed a wild, devilish laugh,
and then kissed his baby girl ana cried,
and then said:
''D-n me, Blaze 1 will play the
baby against money enough to leave
the country. I'n copper the turn, baby
against five red chips"
.'Done," said "Blaze." "I have no
children, and by heaven, I'll play you
for. this one. If [ win her now, Bill |
Seymour, on your honor, she is mine. 1
My wife has an untitled place in her
heart for baby's love-"
Seymour seemed for a moment stag
gered as by blow; then, with a reek-
less laugh, he said:
Here goes-S500 against the baby. .
I'll wait tor the turn" The game pro- (
ceeded with the stiffness of death, not /
a word was spoken; we all gathered /
around the table. AT each draw of
card the money was silently taken up; /
at the final deal not cent was on the .
cloth. 1t stood for the queen 10 win or
lose against the knave.
81 copper the queen," said Bill, as
he laid the baby upon the table, her lit
tie bare feet with their pink toes just
reaching the ten-spot.
"Blaze" held the silver box with
trembling hands and drew the cards as
he had never drawn them In all his
wild life before. Slowly the jack show
ed his cap; the queen had won, and the
baby passed by the laws of honor to a
new father.
''No more game tonight" said
''Blaze," as he passed his cards and box
TO the lookout.
Seymour stood like dnmb man.
"Blaze" gathered up the bnndle and
the baby, looked down into her pure
bright eyes, kissed, and / saw In that
act the birth OF new soul. saw over
that face of the gambler pass the flush
of a stern resolution for a nobler and
better life. L saw Seymour reach out
for the child with an imploring look.
Blaze" gave IL back to him and he
kissed its little glossy golden curls and
pressed it to his bosom with a wild de-
spairing look, and saw on his face the
seal of lost, despairing man.
As "Blaze" took back the baby he
said: "Will Seymour, 1 mean it.
,,,;l1 l-aan fhfc child rba NTH IL ,,o 4