Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1881-01-26
A GAMBLERS end.

A GAMBLERS END.
A deep fall of snow covered the pave
ment, the storm continued, and the
heavy fakes drifting into ones face
rendered pedestrianism somewhat un-
pleasant and finding the way in the
capital Of Belgium a matter of no small
difficulty. It was 8 o'clock in the even
ing, and ] was coming out of the Fau-
bourg de Cologne on my way to the
Place de Ia Monnaie on urgent business,
not, however, so urgent as to prevent
my going into the first cigar store of the
Rue Neuve and buy one OF those londres
which are the last resources of a
foreigner in Brussels, and bad one to
boot. l had hardly got into the street
again when an old man, who had been
standing in the store, rushed toward me
with his arms extended, and cried out
with very pronounced italian accent:
"Ah, my dear friend, here you are!
You are my providence, my SAVIOR
"Who are you?" I asked. 81 don t
know you, and you mistake me, doubt
less, for some one else.' ~.:.-
"Oh, no, l am not mistaken, and al
though [ am ignorant of your name, I
have seen you frequently at Spa. You
ought to remember Capt. Gondino well.
You have looked at me more than once
playing roulette"
I looked more attentively at the man
who called me his friend and his provi-
dence, and remembered having, like
many others, remarked this singular
type of a passionate gambler at the Sale
de la Redoute.
Capt. Gondino .(none ever knew in
what army he had served) was heavy,
fat Neapolitan, recalling to the mind a
vulgar resemblance to Rossini. His
face, although somewhat bloated, shone
out lustrous and rosy between two tufts
of white silken hair; his gray and watery
eyes had crafty expression badly hid
den under an appearance Of good-natured-
ness; his nose was fine and straight, his
lips thin and pinched, chin round and
iovial, and walk careless, while slight
swagger, not altogether without grace,
completed physiognomy which in
spired as much of sympathy as of re-
pIsion.
One could read on this old mans fea-
lures the traces of a long battle between
his good and bad instincts, but Satan
had prevailed and left his mark. His
costume correspondent exactly with his
moral appearance. A hat, elegant in
form but almost worn out, an enormous
comforter Of knitted wool, an immense
gray cloak, a rusty pair Of black pants
and vanished CATERS, with an enormous
cane, ivory handled. Such was the ac-
coutrement Of the Signor Gondino.
"What can do for you?" I asked.
"Speak, and above all be brief, for I
am keeping an appointment, and fear to
be late"
81 can not confde it to you here" be
answered, "but be SO kind as to come
as far as where I live, and will tell you
ALL"
"Do you live far? I repeat that I
am in great hurry, and perhaps it
would be better that you should call on
me tomorrow.
"No, no: live very near here. In a
minute we shall be there. Come, I beg
you; you will save an unfortunate man.
"Well, let us make haste"
When we were in the middle of the
street I asked:
Which way is it to where you live? p
cit is useless to go farther, my dear
friend" he answered, taking off his hat.
"We are there
These words, pronounced in a low,
half-desponding, half-sarcastic tone of
voice by this unhappy sexagenarian, the
snow which beat in his face, while his
white hair grew winter with those which
fastened to it, the forlornness and dis
trlQa Nf THO old %o1~ :. Ia.
in the middle of the vast city, and in
such weather, softened my heart.
Have you dined at least?" was nv
first question.
''Alas! no. arrived from Verviers
at 8 o'clock, and only took cup of cof-
fee this morning."
[ did not take long to tear leaf out of
my pocketbook, on which wrote nv
address, together with the following to
my wife: "See that the bearer gets din
ner. and give him bed up stairs. I
shall be home in an hour"
''Here," said to the Captain, &c take
this to my wife; she will give you what
you'remost in need of, and tomorrow we
will see what is to be DONE"
"Ah! knew well, " he cried emphat-
ically pressing my hands between his,
II knew well that you were my savior;
my heart told me SO"
was kept longer than expected on
business. When got home, Gondino,
who had partaken Of a hearty meal, was
sleeping soundly.i My wife was await
ing my return anxiously, for she had
found her visitor but little to her taste.
explained to her in few words how I
came across him, and told her the next
morning would see about getting rid of
our new boarder.
The next day the captain came down
stairs in excellent humor, and took
breakfast with us. It was then that I
began to question him as to what he
contemplated doing. .~-.ag..
"For thirty years. he replied, II
have lived on q system which I employ
in gambling houses. have combina-
ton on the twelves which brings me in
regularly five or six hundred pounds q
month. This year I fell i'll at Cologne,
while on my way to Hombourgh, and
the little money had was not enough
for me to be nursed at home, SO I had to
go to the hospital. When well, 7 got a
pass to Brussels, for I knew that there
were Italian refugees here, and as I am
an old political exile, they will doubtless
furnish me With the means to return to
"Why ddny you goaand see them as
soon as you arrived?".
Ny head was gone; hunger had rem.