Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-01-26
A GAMBLERS END.

A deep fall of snow covered the pave
ment, the storm continued, and the
heavy flakes drifting into ones face
rendered pedestrianism somewhat un-
pleasant and finding the way I'D the
capital of Belgium a matter of no small
difficulty. 1t was o'clock In the even
ing. and [ was coming out of the Eau
bourg de Cologne on my way to the
Place de la Monnaie on urgent business,
not, however, so urgent as to prevent
my going into the first cigar store ofsthe
Rue Neuve and buy one of those londres
which are the last resources of a
foreigner in Brussels, and a 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?" L asked. 81 don't
know you, and you mistake me, doubt
less. for some one else.''
"Oh, no, / 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 passionate gambler at the Sale
de la Redoute.
Capt. GOnd1nO (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 a crafty expression badly hid
den under an importance 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 a physiognomy which in
spired as much of sympathy as of re-
bulsion.
One could read on this old mans fea-
lures the traces of 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, rusty pair of black pants
and vanished CATERS, with an enormous
cane, ivory handled. Such was the &C
coutrement of the Signor Gondino.
''What can do for you?' I asked.
"Speak, and above all be brief, for
am keeping an appointment, and fear to
be late
81 can not confde it to you here" he
answered, "but be so kind as to come
as far as where [ live, and [ will tell you
ALL
''Do you live far? l repeat that I
am In great hurry, and perhaps il
would be better that you should call on
me tomorrow
"No, no: live very near here. In a
minute we shall be there. Come, beg
you; you will save an unfortunate man. .
''Well, let us make haste'
When we were in the middle of the
street asked:
(which way is it to where you live? y
g 1t is useless to go farther, my dean
friend, he answered, taking off his hat
we are LQ0f0.
These words, pronounced in a low
half-despond1ng, 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
tress of this old man, completely isolated
in the middle of the vast city. and in
such weather, softened my heart.
S'Have you dined at least?" was nv
first question.
S'Alas! no. l arrived from Verviers
at 3 o'clock, and only took cup of cot
fee this morning."
[ did not take long to tear leaf out OF
my pocketbook, on which L wrote my
address, together with the following to
my wife: See that the bearer gets din
ner, and give him bed up stairs. ]
shall be home in an hour"
Here, said to the Captain, :" take
this to my wife; she will give you what
You remost In need of, and tomorrow we
VIII see what is to be DONE"
"Ahi knew well, :" he cried emphat-
leally pressing my hands between his,
4 knew well that you were my savior;
my heart told me SO. y
L was kept longer than I expected on
business. When / got home. Gondino.
who had partaken of hearty meal, was
sleeping soundly. My wife was await
ing my return anxiously, for she had