The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-09-28
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Z THE ELXsr DrX

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THE LAST DrA
81 . s..'sl.a-- = Ex n
a Leaf From slse Expdfiense of q
Pacific CoAst Gamtle
!, Lsadsills t6ol3 bafoniSi1
81 never dealt neaii s
The wonis feiI (f8ib fBs3{6S 81 wen.
t3scsfl, ~ Yet
few recognize in the elegant. easy going
man who now commaniis the deep re-
spect OF bis fellow citizens; f6e 0Iics
eool-headed, ,lmper,urbable q bier who
id 6is days dgured ipfonl 16k(J Jzlong
the Pacific coast aud who wass almost
universally recognized Is tue slireWo6st
4ato dealer ia the West.
q As.sofI the games mbpltkNt ~ fs
neither here nor there. When dealt %.
|1H1hs eQlafe Z i mpolk u|Iln ~ = ~
game. It's not to be Thought hst, The
law will hinder men a bit II they v9nt
to play, and often they are forever cured
of playing when they find it doesn't
pay. I've dealt the game for twenty
years, but I've qnit,now.F Imade aeth
ing nor. lost. anything, ands ssbat FOR q
sight once saw i should probably be
q gambler still. Hereby hangs q tale
Let me tellit:E So ssafs9fa
."Some three years ago fEran aahigb-
toned game at . certain place you prob-
ably know, for it strikes me l saw you
there: II was square game, as.sI.=will
leave any one to say-a thriving game
|r-for I dealtfer half the bleodeiEtoWh,
and often bad as many as I've layzotits
at time, With too much business on
hand to get time to rest One evening
3 young chap strolled ill., With scrt 6f
curious stare on lns face and. / conclu-
ded right there that be was greena He
was fair headed. and had a pair OF blue
eyes and ciean-cut. teatures-= an limp.
cent locking young fellow; il ever, ] saw
ore Itonly required glance 10 con-
vince you that he was strsnger iii the
gambling-room. p He soon lwas at home,
though, for 1 sawsin his blue eyesS the
love of play, and after that evening be
vas constant visitor. He paved Ms
pile right UP and never sgroyled if his
luck was hard, and on every second card
he'd stack the limits up in, blue. Take
it altogether his luck was hafd-some
times The hardest | think ] tyer saw
I've known him to- lose at q single deal
seven double sho'a. evA AAAed
Business for me of course, but some
how it almost seemed too. bad. i
couldnt say a words though, and xyet !
liked the boy. He had lots Of the filthy.
| think from the way be began he must
have dropped q cool 100000 on the
game, and lie never glowled.
I'VE both quit gambling the same
night-he, poor lad, for sufficient rea-
sons, and Ibecause I loathed the gene.
1t was in this wise :r1amTaei
"His coin gave out ina deal or two,
and he put up diamond ring, just To
see bis i'll luck out, you~kuuws The
chips soon went. He had a pin, fam
ing stone in massive metal He passed
that in without a,word. and drewse6O n
gold So help me God! wished him
luck as heartily as any player there; but
no, s'last stake went my way ona los
ing ace. He drew $500 more, lthink,
on his watch and chain, and tried his
line bets again, but bis luck was gone.
Ny God! I'llneyer forgetihe pale, hsg-
gard look that crossed his face, bnf be
was game. He never uttered q word
and kept his chair like pillow Of stone.
For moment he seemed dazed at bis
reverses, but suddenly his eye caught
the thin, worn circlet OF dull gold on
bis little finger. He looked at Il little
while and dark wave of bot crimson
blood passed over his face, for the cir
cfatseemed to cling even faster tbsnths
flashing gem he had passed In before, -
He at last stripped it off bis finger and
handed il to me 1t came reluciantly,
this worn old ring. What can 1 have
on this r he asked. i don't know what
it's value is, but I'll redeem it first Of all,''
l, might have cost S5 new, but it was
worthless then a'7s haa sisreai vsEsq
"Still ! passed outs ifty stack itfres
turn, just to let him try again. He
planked it down in the. pot, and then
low upon the table he laid his face ON
his folded arms, Well, for wonder
bis luck changed and be Won thres
times. He took no notice Of me ssf
told him the limit haired, ani so we
played two fifty on each card. EWonld
you believe it4 In the deal the potsxois
out and never lost! And still he. lay,
with his face hid in his arms The deal
was out, and shook him up, but not
muscle moved, and, raising bis face, I
started back in horror at the CLASSY ex-
preston Of his eyes, 70. the boy 1as
dead.s fas-n, \ gaw ,iseu sssi MD xYeY
s"l've often wondered toymyself sincy
that night what thoughts went, fitting
through his brain as be bowed his heal
and hid his face from our sight; Whist
pledges of better fife, regrets for for
tune thrown away with lavish hand, and
loathing' for bis irrevocable course. -
Who can telt7 We can but guess ,st
them, but may never feel His, face
showed years OF hell endured Ia that
brief game, but it was not until the cor.
oner's jury sat that I learned all. Before
them was developed the fact that the
ring which bad changed his luck as Il did
bis existence was given him by his dear,
dead mother years before. Poor boy
! never dealt again. ~ iefIi Fasj0asIs1
Sherman's lie.
Rochester Union q Advertiser.
Secretary Sherman's statemehtb. at
Cincinnati show how servile and self
isbasing the Secretary OF the Treasury
can become whenhis party calls. bsThs