Daily Kennebec journal., 1880-12-09
NO. 29O.
Gales ano Skcttbes.
THREE, SEVEN. ACE.

IeNenfnTs
"Yes. rarely change my playa"
"lou are the most impassive gambler
have ever seem"
What do you think of Hermann, then,
for self-control? He never in his life
touched card or made n bet. and yet he
will watch us play till morning. such is
his love of it,"
True" said Hermann. 1T interests
me. hut never play"
This conversation took place Mt the
quarters OF Naroumoff. a lieutenant of fhus-
sars. Ii was late. Play had been heavy.
and potations deep.
"Ah. WE'LL" cried Tomski Hermann
is in the engineer corps. and therefore
econoMical-that is ALL But. for y curl.
osity, just look at my grandmother. the
Countess Fedotovna. She is rich, she is
a woman. and she is so years old-yet
she never plays"
''lt is indeed strange" said Naroumofl.
but what is the reason?
Listen, and will tell you. You must
know that sixty years ago she was at
Paris, and created Il fnrore py her beauty
they called her the Muscovite Venus.
Those We're the good old days. Just before
the fall ofthe monarchy in SO. when every
one. ladies and all, played at faro. One
evening she lost large sum TO the Comte
de Prov ince, the Kings brother. On her
return she took off her patches, disheveled
her hair, and thus tragically prepared,
informed her husband of her i'll luck.
My deiunct grandfather (peacc to his ashes)
was species OF financial secretary 10 his
wife. He feared only her and the devil
the last the least But when she confided
to him the amount she had lost, he almost
rose to the ceiling. flew into terrible
passion, and refused to pay a single franc
My grandmother acted like woman Of
spirit-she slapped his face, and passed
the night in another room. The next day.
however. she returned to the attack.
Tears this time hut il was useless. Her
long suffering husband declared that she
had already wasted hall million, and IL
might rs well end one time as another.
Fortunately for her. an idea occurred
by which she did not fail to profit There
was nj that time in Paris certain strange
individual who was known by the name
of the Comte de Saint -Germain Yon
have doubtless heard of him.
| He was looked upon rs the Wandering
jew. and was reputed to possess the se-
cret of the philosophers stone, and of
the elixir of life as well. Despite The
mystery surrounding him. he was much
sought after and universally liked.
Well. she wrote 10 him requesting him
to grant her an interview. The old geu-
tleman FASTENED to her house. and found
her plunged in despair. She related to
him her misfortune the cruelty of her hus-
band. and begged him to assist her. After
rejecting few moments. Saint-Germain
replied
Madame. / can easily lend you the
money you require. but | well know you
will have no peace until you repay me. ]
do not wish TO extricatc you from one di-
lemma only to plunge you into another
There is but one course open to you-you
must WIN the money back again
but my dear Count said my grand
mother. I've already told vou that
haven't a frame
"'You do not need money he replied
listen And then he confided To her q
secret for which any one of YOU, gentle
men. would give ten years of his life"
All the young officers listened with in
tense interest. Tomski paused moment.
He lit his cigar .'and continued:
"That evening she went TO the Queens
game at Versailles. The Comte de Prov
ence was banker. the game faro. She
told him some feminine fib or other for
not having vet paid her debt, and then be-
gan to play She staked large sum on
her first card-she won: she doubled IL on
the next--she won the third time again
she doubled it-again she Won"
"Psbsw pure luck :" cried one of the
officers.
"A fable" said Hermann.
But" said Naroumof, IF you have
grandmother who possesses such secrets.
my dear fellow, why don't You induce her
TO confde in You ?''
That is the devil of it, replied Tom
ski. "Shc had three sons beside my iath
er-desperate gamblers all Of them. Not
one ever succeeded in gaining the privi-
lege they so ardently desired. But you
remember my uncle, Count Ivan Hitch
He was favorite of the old lady. Well.
; one day he lost to Zaritch 300. 900 roubles.
lie was reduced to beggary. The old
Countess took pity upon him, and. after
exacting pledge upon his honor that he
would never play again, she told him the
mystic series of cards He sought Zaritch
and demanded bis revenge. His first bet
was j0.0D0 roubles; his second-but 1t is
) O'Clock. gentlemen. and time to break
up. You all know how it ended; he
ruined his opponent, who blew out his
brains. Nv uncle never played again.
The old Countess Fedotovna was seated
in her room before her mirror. Her maids
surrounded her. holding rouge, powder
and patches The ancient belle had no
longer anv pretensions to beauty. but she
retained the habits of her youth. Her
: companion was engaged in fancy work.
.sGrandmother. said a young officer.
as he entered the room. 81 have favor
to ask and he stopped and kissed her
withe.ed hand.
What is 1t, Paul ~
Il want TO present my brother officer
and TO beg an invitation for him to your
next ball"
Bring him to the ball and present him
there We're you at the Princess last
night
"Yes; splendid entertainment; we
danced until 5 o'clock. What charming
creature is the Countess Elelzki"
..Oh. my dear Paul, you are easily
pleased. You should have seen her
grandmother, the Princess Petrovna! She
must be very old now.'
The Princess Petrovna" cried Tom
[Continued on fourth page.