The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-05-11

10 eacn olner, ana FREQ, looking at MS
watch, said, &c must be going have
only fifteen minutes in which to reach
the depot" They sat together, dreading
to say the goodbye" which is so sad to
speak at such time, when Fred whis-
pered in the young girls ear:
"Only the moon sees u.s.
Kitty, my darlngl
Only the man In the moon;
Grandfather sleeping and grandmother knitting
You and l in the old porch sitting;
Bats in the dim beyond aimlessly fitting,
/ must be going off soon
Give me another kiss, nobody sees us
Only the man in the moon"
Another goodbye kiss, and then an
other, and Fred had taken up his valise
and started for the depot. With fearful
eyes Kitty watched him until he passed
out of sight, and with lonely heart she
went into the house.
Three months passed away Fred had
become accustomed to his new position,
and his employers were well pleased with
their new clerk. Everything seemed to
be going on well. Letters Of love came
to him very frequently, and the pleas
ATTEST moments were those in which they
were answered. But about this time a
peculiar temptation came to Fred Bewley.
Unfortunately his room mate was young
man who was unprincipled. Genial, kind
hearted, generous to fault, he acquired
great influence over. Fred. Kitty S pho
tograph stood npon the dresser, and his
roommate was cognizant of Fred's en-
gagement.
Beautiful picture that, said his room
mate, one evening". as he took Kitty
photograph in-his hand. "Why don t you
get married, old fellow, and bring the
young lady here where we can see her in
person ?" he asked
My salary is too small yet for me to
keep wife, but in another year / hope
it viii be increased sufficiently to admit
of my doing so" Fred replied
81 can tell you way to increase your
income at once" said his companion.
TRY your hand at game, now and
then. have won lots of money that
way"
You don't mean gamblingr' exclaim-
ed Fred.
That is what it is called in common
parlance-an odium is attached to the
name-but gambling now is entirely
different from what it used to be. The
first gentlemen in the city go to Jen-
nings'. 1t is a business now, the same as
any other kind of business. 1t is no
worse to play at Jennings than it is TO do
business in the Board of Trade. Come
to the fine point they re one and the same
as far as the principle of the thing is con-
cerned.'
1 never looked at it in that light, y
replied Fred.
Come and see how it is DONE" said
his companion. "You need not play
yourself, you know
After some persuasion, Fred was in
duced to accompany his companion. The
room he entered was elegantly furnished.
The proprietors of the establishment per-
feet gentlemen in their department. The
guests were fine looking and fine appear
ing men, and Fred saw some of the " first
men in the city engaged in playing cards
His companion sat down and took hand
in the game. Fred looked on for time
but was soon induced to try his luck.
He put up fifty cents and won twenty five
dollars. He was so astonished and
elated with his good luck, that he was
going to try his hand at game again
when his companion gave him hint that
it was time to go home.
| must 90 around to the store" said
Fred. 81 left package there that came
to me by express to day, and forgot to
take some papers out Of the safe which
Doggett wants to take with him when he
goes off on the early train tomorrow"
They stopped at the office. Fred OBJ
tanned what he was in search of and
started for home
II declare, forgot all about that
mat, said he, as he unrolled the package.
"Isn't it beauty?" said his compan-
ion, as Fred laid the mat down on the
floor. What an ornament it will be to
our room Kitty's daisy. Tell her so
for me, when you write again"
Sleep was long time coming to Fred
that night. He tossed about in his bed,
his conscience was by no means clear.
He put the money under his pillow.
" Twenty-Five dollars out Of fifty cents.
At this rate I'll soon be rich man."
thought he. But what would Kitty say
What would mother say? He wished
there was some other name to designate
this transaction by milder than the
odious one of gambling. Toward morn
ing Fred fell into troubled sleep. The
next day he felt i'll at ease The twenty
FIVE dollars in his pocket seemed like so