The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1881-01-29

rdheu ABOUT tnree nunured pounds Sterl-
ing IN gold and notes into my pockets;
then, rushing to the stairs [ went out
sure of not being arrested by the police.
"This sum in hand, [ started the next
day for Wiesbaden, and for fifteen years,
thanks to this adventure, | lived on
gambling IN every bank on the Rhine.
You see that the money profited me.
To show to what degree of abasement
Capt. Gondino had arrived, i will cite
another history respecting HIM, which
came to my ears on a subsequent occa-
/ sion through gambler who had known
/ him well. When the roulette table ex-
! listed at Aix-la- Chapelle, the Inhabitants
of the town were not allowed to enter
/ the bank, foreigners only having that
/ privilege.
A little Jew of the town, knowing that
/ the bank took all foreign notes at par
which were presented by the gamblers,
used 20 change first by one, and then by
another, English, French and Belgian
bank notes, as the case might be, and
thus realized daily handsome profit.
/ Knowing Gondino by sight, he once
gave him French bill for 200 francs to
change. Only as he had not an absolute
confidence iii his propity, be followed
him up stairs and watched him through
the half-opened door, which the rules OF
the bank interdicted himfrom passing.
Gondino approached the croupier dis
creetly, and slid the note on the table,
| saving, mezzo voice, "Two hundred
francs on the red" The red won, and
400 francs were handed the captain who
asked for 300 francs change, and with
the most innocent air IN the world took
and handed them to the Jew down stairs.
But the old gentleman, who had watched
his tricks, observed:
"That won't do to- me. You have
400 francs to give me.
"What! 400 francs? You are joking;
you gave me a bill for 200 francs, and
the dealer will attest to it if necessary,
for he changed it for me-
eyes, but he Will prove that you play
ed and won. l have a right to at least
one-half of the profit.
At this GondinO burst out laughing
"Per Bacco," cried he, /" that't good
one"
"Come, now" said the Jew, eff you
} had lost would you have paid me?"
| At this the captain laughed louder and
replied:
} I" Come, come, my dear fellow, you
: are only a noodle; just think yourself
very lucky that you have your money
back, for had | lost, you know as well as
: | that the law does not recognize gam
bling debts.
My friends son seemed much moved
by the enormities he had heard, and hav-
: ing learned from GondinO that | had
aided him, had called on me to enlighten
me as to the character of the old rogue,
and to recommend me to get rid of him
as soon as possible.
: As we were speaking about HIM, the
Captain arrived out OF breath, his eyes
: purple with exertion, and bearing on his
arm a basket loaded with hams, sausages,
game, cheese, liquors, etc.
"Ahi abr cried he, on entering, with
} out seeing my young friend, eve will
5 just lead a jolly life now and pass the
= winter gally. You helped me when ]
was in trouble, and L am going to prove
to you that / am not ungrateful"
Without allowing him the time to say
more, | showed him the door by a gesture
! which did not admit Of a reply, and
5 begged him never again to set foot in my
? house. The Captain, who little awaited
, such q reception, was thunderstruck.
He looked at me stupidity, and seemed
I i
t took care OF me, and when bring abund-
= ance you kick me out?" He understood
e not a word of such absurdity. At last,
s seeing that [ still held the door for him,
4 and not without impatience, | can assure
i the reader, he decided on going out,
n Struggling his shoulders with air of SUI
preme indifference and disdain.
2 The old rascal could invent nothing
better than to take my letter to the Duke
0 d'A. for model for a circular which he
sent to every rich citizen III the town
0 and he coined money by so doing. [ af-
L forwards learned that he received more
J than l, 900 francs in one week.
few days after l met him on the
e boulevard wearing IN his buttonhOle the
ST. Helena medal, TO which [ believe he
e had as much right as the title of captain
Later ] heard that he had struck IL
S with an old secondhand clothes dealer
= who told fortunes for servants among
/ other equally moral avocatiOns. Finally
a little before spring returned, the Cap
tam, who was ready to go to Spa, wa
g struck with paralysis in the legs.
;, He was doomed to rest forever IN hi
s armchair, and to renounce casinos anC
/ the banks of the Rhine.
u His worthy partner, seeing him III thu
II condition, took advantage of it, and with
a out the process of law dissolved the part
nership, and left for parts unknown
g The Captain fingered but short tim
: after this, and died III the Charity Hos
o pital and not desiring that the remain
: should be deposited in the pauper buria
l. ground, a few Italians and myself con
/ t1buted sufficient funds for his decen
e burial and erected simple marble slal
e over the old gamblers grave.
: