Connecticut western news., 1879-02-12
AN AGREEABLE SURPRISE.
RUsE TO CURE YOUNG WIDOW OF
 GAMBLING.

There resided in Beadeaux young, rich and handsome widow, who had for six months necessarily lamented the loss of g husband, tenderly beloved. A fatal storm had wrecked the vessel in which he had embarked, and every soul on board was supposed to have perished. The young widow, though surrounded by admirers, observed scrupulously the rules of decorum. At length, however, the persuasions of her friends had effect, and she once more threw open her doors to receive company.
 Madame St. Amere had one foible- she loved to play to excess and this foible alone threatened to involve her in much trouble. On the evening of her first fete, a tall, graceful figure, masked, followed her, paying her in- numerable attentions. To rid herself of his importunities, she sat down at the card table, and was successful for about an hour.
 The mask, who had fixed himself be- hind her chair, then solicited the houor of playing with her, which she granted, and renewed the game with fresh >, :rit, though not with equal good fortune. Madame was piqued at the superior skill of the impertineDt mask, and staked to an immense amount. Still the stranger was triumphant, and pulling from his pocket large purse of gold, tauntingly dared her to risk the like amount. AL though absolute ruin might have been the consequence of her imprudence, madame would not recede, but anxiety and vexation disturbed her countenance. For sometime the game was doubtful; at length the malignant deity decided against her, and the rash widow found her fortune destroyed by one nights folly. Her anguish could not be con- cealed-she rose abruptly from the card table, when the mask, in an insin- uating tone of voice, hinted to her that she need not put herself to any incon- venience to make up this debt of honor as he could wait her leisure, or compro. mise it in some other way, with more pleasure to himself and less embarrass ment to her.
 She darted on him a look of rage anc contempt.
 (" Who are you, wretch p she ex claimed who darest thus to insult mt in my own house?"
 ." Softly, madame" /" replied the mask
 "I am no gambler nor needy adventure there are ladies who would not be un grateful for such an accommodation"
 Madame burst into tears.
 "Good heavens must I endure thi
 insolence? Quit my house, sir; and i you are gentleman, make good you
 claim tomorrow"
 " No, madame, will not quit you
 house tonight; {; my claim is on you fortune, or yourself, and I will make i good, let who will dispute it.
 With these words he removed tn
 mask, when madame uttered a shriek c
 joyful surprise and tainted in his arms
 The company crowded round. The were chiefly relations, who immediatel recognized the Chevalier St. Amere The raptures of Madame may be easil , imagined, when, on recovering, her hus band informed her that he had bee l: saved from the wreck by brave sailor who had taken him into his own ship which was bound to Peru-that he re mained there till a convenient opportu nifty offered for his return-and havinj } been fortunate enough to amass con siderable portion of wealth, had medi tated this agreeable surprise, in hope c curing her of a destructive habit, tn : consequence of which he had lon dreaded.
 Madame embraced him with trans
 port, and assured him she would neve again yield to temptations, or continu
 a practice of which she now saw tn
 madness in glaring colors.
 Having received the congrat ulation
 of their friends, the amusements of tn
 evening, which had been so strangel interrupted, were again renewed: an
 the adventure was for many months tn } talk throughout Bordeaux.