The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1879-10-03
death is not the only thing left for

me-"
When he told me his name | rec
ognized it as that of a man of gen
ius, whose contributions to a Ger
tain popular periodical had given
him wide fame in the world OF
letters. He was the son of u ven.
cradle New England bishop, and a
graduate of Harvard University. |
will give his story in his own words
as nearly as can:
"In 1850 / started tor California
with honorable purposes and high
ambition. My father being a cler.
gyman, and POOR, and greatly ad.
vanced in years, l felt, that it was
my duty to make provision for him
and for the family circle to which
l belonged. Animated by this
purpose, / was full of energy. On
the ship that took me to California
made the acquaintance and fell
into the snares of beautiful but
unprincipaled woman, for whom l
toiled and sacrificed everything
for eight years of weakness and
folly, never remitting a dollar for
those intended to provide for at
home. l made immense sums of
money, but it all went tor nothing
but to feed the extravaganza and
recklessness of my evil genius.
Tortured by remorse, | made many
struggles to free myself from the
evil connection that blighted my
life, but in vain, when death lifted
the shadow from my path. The
unhappy woman died and / was
free. | felt like a new man. The
| glowing hopes that had been smoth-
cred revived. | worked hard and
prospered. Imade money and saw
ell it, making occasional remittan-
ces to the family at home, who
were overjoyed to hear from me
after so long and guilty silence.
III had learney to gamble, of
course, but now resolved to quit.
For two years kept this resolu-
ion, and had in the meantime saw
ed over $4,000. Do you believethat
the devil tempts meng | tell you
it is true. / began to feel a strange
desire to visit my old halnts. |
yielded, and found my way to
well known gambling hell, where |
lost every dollar OF my hard-earn.
ed money. Ny self-contempt was
complete. sncaked to my lodg.
ings, feeling that l had somehow
parted with my manhood as well
as my money.
"rhe very next day l was sur.
prised by the offer of a lucrative
subordinate position in a Federal
Office in San Francisco. This was
not the first coincidence of the sort
in my life where an unexpected in-
tluence had been brought to bear
upon me, giving my plans and |
prospects new direction. Has |
God anything to do with these
things, or is it accident? | took
the place which was offered to me, |
and went to work with renewed
hope and energy. l made a VOW
against gambling and determined
to regain all ! had thrown away.
l saved every dollar possible, pinch
ing myself i'll my living, aud sup.
plementing my liberal salary by
literary labors. My savings had
again run up high in the thousand
and my gains were steady. The
Frazer River mining excitement
broke out. An old friend of mine
came to me and asked the loan of
800 to help him out of the new
mines. | told him that he should
have the money, and that | would
have it ready for him that after.
noon. After he left the thought ,
occurred to me that $1O0 was a
very poor outfit for such an enter
prise, and that he ought to have
more. Then the thought was sug- !
sested-yes, sir, it was suggested /
that | might take the hundred ,
lollars to faro bank and win an
,ther to place in the hands of my
lriend. l was fully resolved to !
'isk not cent beyond this. We {
vent together, and after alternate
iuccesses and losses at the faro ia.
,le, it ended In the usual way;I
Ost the hundred dollars. The old {;
,assiOn was reused again. A wild 7
to break the faro :
'ank took hold upon me. | went n
light after night, betting reckless. r
y, until not a dollar was left. This a
last week. Can you n
5onder that / have concluded that 4
here is no hope for as week fool a
S amt Now, sir, candidly, don't y y
OIL think that the best thing l :,
an do is to blow out my brains fn h
aid he, cooking the pistol as he ]
poke. q
The thought occurred to ME that n
was no uncommon thing for the "
nicidal to give way for the homi. {
idal mania. The man was evident g
! half mad, and ready for TRACE b
Y. 81
"How old are you I" asked,
inning to create diversion.
"I am forty .five," he answered,