The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1879-01-16
Death Took q Hand.


4 erhaps the most soul-harroWing scene
/ that ever took place at a gambling table
/ transpired at a public house in Port au-
| Prince some years ago. Several parties
were waiting about the room for the
+ game to commence. Among the crowd
of lOiterers was q Captain st. Every. a
noted gamester, deadly duellist and well
I known man Of pluck.
Some one spoke up, who'll plav?'
Il will play" said the captain of a
| French frigate which had Just arrived in
| harbOr, and, seizing the dicebox, threw
| to win or lose the amount of a small
sum of money that then lay on the table
| He was ignorant Of the stake to be
| played.
"Monsieur Commandant, you have
wOn," said Captain st. Every, pushing
] towards him several piles Of gold.
AstOunded at the sight of so much
wealth the Captain said: Gentlemen,
Z should be wanting not only in common
/ honesty but even in good manners were
| I to appropriate the sums the winning
of which 1 never expected in the least
/ degree, for I thought l was playing for a
| trihing stake lying on the table. / can
! not, therefore, take the enormous sum as
my own right"
''Sir," said Captain st. Every, "you
must take it, for If you would have lost
you would have been obliged to pay the
same sum-"
"You are mistaken, sir, if you think
so. do not conceive my honor endan-
gered in reference to paying a debt of
honor which I never contracted, nor in
refusing to accept Of so large a sum
which I never expected to win"
Monsieur lie COmmandant," shrieked
Captain st. Every, raising his voice to
the highest pitch, ''if you had lost you
should have paid. would have made
you do So"
This was fire to the gunpOwder, in
tended to provoke a challenge, and it
accomplished its purpose. "Sir," said
Captain st. Every, Il don't wish to take
any advantage you, which my acbnOwl-
edged ability in the use of the sword and
pistol gives me, so l offer you terms Of
equality.
Bring a pistol here at once, load it,
and the chance of the dice shall deteTm-
inc which shall blow each others brains
out"
agreed said the nothing daunted
frigate COmmandant.
A shock of horror ran through the
veins Of the assembled crowd at the bar
barity Of the blOOd-CuTdling affair. Some
shTank from the room; others, more
hardened in sights of horror, crowded
near the gaming-table, perfectly COgni-
zant Of the desperate character of st.
Every, and inwardly lauding the bravery
Of the unknown.
Each party examined the pistols. The
No AL,.,r-r 81
He threw eleven.
"a good throw" said St. Every, hold |
ing for a moment his own "the chances
are now in your favor, but listen. If it !
turns out as it appears to me it will, that |
fortune favOrs you and not me, 1 wish |
neither mercy nor pity, as should think !
either coward who would spare the !
other"
"Sir, need your impertinent remon- |
strances to back me neither now nor at
any other time" replied the command
ant.
st. Every took the box and threw ff-
teen.
The company were paralyzed with
horror
NJ. Re C0umndaut arose. Your life I
belongs to me sir," said st. Every, throw |
ing down the dice on the table.
Fire, sir" said the commandant, |
placing his hand on his heart, "an hon !
est man is never afraid to-
St. Every's ball scattered the brains |
and blood of the unlucky commandant |
over the clothes and person Of the by |
as his lifeless body fell to the |
salon floor.
St. Every deserted to the English, and |
soon after fell mortally wounded at the |
battle of Irois as the English were car
rying the day.