Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-06-23
Peari's Gold Piece.

'Rci viusr
1t was the crOupior's hoarsc cry.
agan and again reiterated, only Divers
fed by that Of Rcd loses! which
broke the stiffness 10 the suporb.y -
pointed room at Hamburg. with q c
gaining table IN .ho center. round which
were gathered is cagcr votarics, behind
whom were The scarcely less interested
groups Of lockers on.
Come away, my dear said a vcr,
lovely woman among the spectators. ia
low whisper to her husband. I am
sorry VIC came. TA,s IS 10 pace for
PEARL indicating With nod OF the
head as sic spoke, an cxqu.sitely bcaad.
ful Girl. scarcely more than child Of
some twelve or thirteen summers, WHO
stood beside tLcm.
Come, Pearl . The father said.
But tac g'rl stood ,nlImccd, hcr eyes
Gxcd upon mans lace seated az .he
larthesL end Of the table. IL was .
strikinely handsome lace. cycn when
wearing, a. il row did, an expression ol
calm. born Of desperation. No tasc OF
color vas in either check or lips.
His c5cs shonc with strange ana
hard glitter. and were aX,l upon tic
balls as they swung round, as thou-A
Oh Tie color ufpcrmost hung BIS hol.
of life or Gca.h.
And so it was! Tic had sal Gown
possessed Ola iortonc; lie rose a beg
r!-Fate. had pursued him With il.
mockiuc lopalcssuess, uudi lie lad
played lis lgst stake, culy to see il
swept morciloasly from a,m.
He half rose from tie table. What
more was 10 be done, save 10 90 on
somewhere N The s!.ll night air, and
send a hol,c, through his heart and
brain?
1t was at this moment The gul, with
flushed checks aud halrpa-lcd lips.
darted to his side.
Take this" she pleaded, for my
sake, , and pressed gold piece into lis
hand
He turned. To his excited magma
ton she seemed scarcely mortal. in her
pure cbild-liko lovclincss. His first i'm
pulse was to return her oAcling-hc was
not vet an alms-taker; but again rang
out tho croupior's cry Of command to
take the stakes.
The child stood breatblcss in her cx-
pectancc, her eyes burning with fever
ish interest.
| A sudden impulse oyermastered him.
without spcakinga word he placed tie
gold upon the table.
The mex. minute a small pile Of gold
was at his elbow. lie siaked it all
again. Again he won. A bright spot
Of scarlet replaced the pallor on his
cheek, which spread and deepened as
dame Fortune, who had persistently
jfrowned upon him, now reserved Tor
him ouly her smiles.
Morning was breaking when he arose
| from the table, no longer a desperate
man, but with hls fortune three-iold re-
turned to him.
! After the frsl winning he had turned
Ito return the clild her Offering, but she
had vanished. Should be ever find her
ever repay the debt? He knew not
| but standing out under the clear blue
lsky, with a great weight lifted from
Iheart and brain, Harry Clayton vowed
that il should be his lie search, but tha
the lesson taught him should never be
forgotten, and the gaming tables shoul'
know him never more.
Six years passed, and Harry Claytol
was winning name and fame in III
own land in his profession as an artist
Standing one night in crowded as
sembly some one in passing toucbe
. him lightly ou the shoulder with he
. fan, and glanclug around, he met tn
,. smiling face Of his hostess.
G Come, che said, l want TO prcsen
a you to mybellc. II you can preva
) upon her togve YOU sitting, and trans
fer her face to canvass. you will rcnde
J yourself immortal sr..fn5, ...
rs she then so beautiful? he ques
toned. -s ~
Judge for yourself she slightly r'
ioiped.. leading linn 70 a littlc Crou
doing homage TO Abcifair glrl in ilis.eer
| ~ f.IIII .silfEeI fr fa NaI4HH. isaa
ter.1. "a 1sos slI u 20 t5.l l.i q - r'.f
Miss Rayburn-Mr. Clayton WEI
the formal words Of the introduction
as Harold Clayton bowed in acknoS
. ledgment before the woman whom h
: artistic eye confessed the most beaut
.ful he had ever met.