The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1878-03-14


will never leave the fascinating hab-
il until he is ruined, unless some.
thing can be done 10 move him.
by my soul, Lydia. returned the
captain warmly, 81 did teach Am.
brose to play-though God knows I
never ment 10 teach him togamble.
aud will cure him now il I can. Do
you think he is at il now 7
III think he would have been at
IL hours before this time, il he had
not fallen in with some Of his evil
associates
Then you rest hero while I 60
and find him. l,y my soul, III save
him ifI can"
but You'll come back sooni
James stopped and thought for a
moment.
II don't know" he said. "lsut
don't you be worried. No harm
shall befall Ambrose to night.
It was Just nine o'clock ss Am
brose Dearborn entered one of the
gaming saloons of the city. Ills
business had kept him later than us.
ual, and having made some fifteen
dollars in trade since dark. had de-
termined 10 strike that amount upon
the alter Of fortune.
His vile WAS ii.ht in her fears.
The card-table had gained a fssci-
mating power over him, aud hs had
lost some heavy Gums But on the
previous evening he had been cursed
with turn of winning lnck aud had
won back very nearly as much ss he
bad lost, and he Was now on his way
to continue his luck lie meant
only to play an honr or 81, and then
go home. lie went TO the sideboard
and took q glass of wine, sni as he
turned he met stranger, who had
seemingly come for the Same pur-
pose.
"Good.evoning, said the stran.'
ger, 10 pleasant tone. AZ he poured
out . tu,nbler full of water from the
pitcher aud drank it.
Ambrose returned the saluta ion
III came in t. take u few moments
recreation at cards, said the strsn
ger "but find no friends here
$50 dii J.. answered Ambrose,
''and my friends are missing.
"Tben suppose we take u hand or
two. just TO pass away the time un
I'll others coiue. -
with pleasure, said Dearborn 3
And accordingly the two sat down
and we're soon OH the most friendly
terms. The cards were dealt and
fir time the playing was on u small
scale. and the luck about even. By
and.by Ambrose began to win. and
he went on until ne had won over q
hundred dollars. lie would have
felt ashamed, somewhat had no,
his anita e,opist maintiined sucb good
humor, and smiled 80 kindly wher
he lost.
Bnt anon the luck changed. Am
biose lost a!l he hsd won, and aoor
lost over u hundred dollars beside
lie had inst one hundred dollar,
more in his pocEet-book. aud thi'
he took out. A new hand WAS deal
he cut the cards carsfully-anc
he held four jacks. Twas the bes
hand by far that had been out dur-
ing the game, it being the 6rst "foul
of q kind" he had seen during th,
evening. lie bet ten dollars. Hi
antagonist covered it aud went t.,
higher
II have au excellent hand the
stranger said, with u light langh 81
have held better ones, but this il
good. / shall bet high on it,"
Ambrose did not speak. IIs wa,
excited. He was afraid bis antago
mist would mistrust how good hi
hand was and stop betting. Bn
the betting went on until Ambrose
had placed his last fraction Of tn,
hundred on the table.
"Shall go higher ?" asked the
stranger.
"As you please"
'"rheu I must say q hnndred bet
ter. By the trump of tru,ups. yor
shall have q chance to make q pill
this time
Ambrose hesitated o moment, 40,
then he placed his hand in his DO
som and drew forth a package o
bank notes. 1t was n sum he hs,
drawn from the bank that very day
It was the accumulation Of over fou
years labor and economy, for th,
purpose Of paying for his honse snt
store. lie drew out a hundred dol
lar bill, aud covered his antagonist
last stake. IIe hesitatsd . momen
more. and then he drew snoths
hundred and went that over. TIL
stranger covered" the hundred. an,
"went Eve hundred better" Am
brose covered the I've hundred, bu
he dared bet no more, aud he Gale
his compaaion's hand. The strsng
er smiled ~ be showed it--fou
queens
Ambrose uttered q deep groan q
! he folded bis cards aud placed ther
on the pack.
by my soul, that's hard. M
, friend, better luck next time. Com
III dasl for you this tune"
A new bnud was dealt. and thi
time Ambrose won . hundred do
. lars. lie begnn to revive. Nezt b