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

creetly, and slid the note on the table,
saying, mezzo voice, "Two hundred
francs on the red" The red. won, and
400 francs were handed the captain, who
asked for 200 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 for ME. You have
400 francs to give me-"
"What! 400 francs? You are joking;
you gave me 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. I have q 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:
"Come, come, my dear fellow, you
are only noodle; just think yourself
very lucky that you have your money
back, for had lost, you know "a we'll as
| that the law does not recognize gam
bling debts"
Ny friends son seemed much moved
by the enormities he had heard, and hay
ing learned from Gondino that had
aided him, had called on me to en]ighten
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 basket loaded with hams, sausages,
game, cheese, liquors, etc.
"Ah! ah!' cried he, on entering, with
out seeing my young friend, "we will
just lead jolly life now and pass the
winter gally. You helped me when I
was in trouble, and I am going to prove
to you that I am not ungrateful."
Without allowing him the time to say
more, showed him the door by gesture
which did not admit Of reply, and
begged him never again to set foot in my
house. The Captain, who little awaited
such reception, was thunderstruck.
He looked at me stupidity, and seemed
to say, "What! when I had nothing you
took care Of me, and when HIRING abund-
ance you kick me out?" He understood
not word Of such absurdity. At last,
seeing that I still held the door for him,
and not without Impotence, can assure
the reader, he decided on going out,
Struggling his shoulders with air of SUI
preme Indifference and disdain.
The old rascal could invent nothing
better than to take my letter to the Duke
d'A. for a model for a circular which he
sent to every rich citizen in the town,
and he coined money by so doing. I af-
forwards learned that he received more
than ], 1000 francs in one week.
A few days after met him on the
boulevard wearing in his buttonhole the
St. Helena medal, to which I believe he
had as much right as the title OF captain.
Later 1 heard that he had struck in
with an old secondhand clothes dealer,
who told fortunes for servants among
other equally moral avocations. Finally,
little before spring returned, the Cap
tain, who was ready to 60 to Spa, was
struck with paralysis in the legs.
He was doomed to rest forever in his
armchair, and to renounce casinos and
| the banks Of the Rhine.
His worthy partner, seeing him in this
condition, took advantage Of it, and with.
out the process of law dissolved the part
nership, and left for parts unknown.
! The Captain fingered but short time
after this, and died in the Charity Hos
pital, and not desiring that the remains
should be deposited in the pauper burial
ground, a few Italians and myself con-
tr1buted sufficient funds for his decent
burial and erected simple marble slab
| over the old gamblers grave.