The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-12-01
Oar YeuRg People
y Always Win"

Uiun say CndC, said the el
der woman, with a smile, "but fin
Ish your game, and then, perhaps
| may tell you my reasons for dis
liking cards"
Two young gentlemen and tw,
young ladies formed the party
The former were general favorite
in society, with character formin.
day by day, for they were quit,
youthful yet: The one with blacI
hair and black eyes played quietly
If not !auguidly; the other, will
blue eyes and hair ofgolden bronze
showed interest and excitement il
the game,
| Mrs. Allen sat quietly watching
their regretful ordinations, the ca
gerness to win, the chagrin of los
ing. Her eyes were fixed upon the
young man with the flushed cheek.
and shining blue eyes, reading the
earnestness, the excitement, the
passion of his soul, as the game
advanced,
At last the triumph was his. Elk
ultly he announced it, with the
added words, Il always win Al
cards"
81 knew somebody else who al
ways won at cards." said the lady il
a low voice.
Come, Mrs. Allen" said one OF
the merry girls, you said you
would tell US why yon dislike cards
We're just in the mood to listen
for have been badly beaten, and
don't like to be beaten"
Il think | told you," said Mrs
Allen, :.that 1 knew somebody who
boosted that he always won at cards
He was very much Ike you," she
added, turning to Frank. 81 saw
the likeness when l first met you.
II have no hesitation in saying
twenty years ago this yonng man
was one of the handsomest and
most promising persons IN the city
where he lived. Sought by every
one on account of his wit and vivac.
ity, life was very pleasant thing
to him. But he was passionately
fond of cards, and, because of the
fact that he invariably won, he was
always ready to make up a party at
home or abroad.
81 don't know how the fact first
leaked out, but it was whispered
among his acquaintance that he
played for money.
This, of course, reached his
mothers ears latest of all, and she
would not believe it. She watched
her boy with trembling eagerness.
He bought horse, he had always
fine clothes, and his appearance was
that of a restless, dissatisfied man.
Every night the troubled mother
sat up till he came home; but his
hours grew more and more irregu-
lar His business was at last neg
lected; his luck turned; he grew
haggard and moody.
"What could be done? Nothing.
He was welded to his idol. Not
only did he play, but he drank; not
only did he drink, but he pledged
things not his own, in the indul-
gence of his passion, Finally he
forged the name of his employer,
fought in a drunken fray, was
brought home insensible, and for
two weeks raved in delirium.
''NO one can know what the tor
ture of a mother is when her son
her before all the world
and this he had done. But repent
ance came. He promised never
to touch card; grew into his origi-
nal beauty; lifted the hopes of all
who loved him; was engaged to a
lovely girl, and by her tempted to
play only a social game; to drink,
only social glass; and the conse-
quence was he was ruined!
"The love of gaming and Of
strong drink rushed back upon him
ike a torrent of iniquity. Again
le played for money, again he was
brought home drunk, again he had
a crime, and this time
lis ruin was complete.
"One night he rushed home like
ray man. His mother tried in
rain to calm him. She was alone,
md he, stung to insanity, raved and |
ore his hair and cursed her"
A shudder went over the little |
company.
eyes, he cursed her, because she
lad allowed him in the days of his !
innocence to touch the cards, be-
ause with her own hands she had
aught him to play.
81 could never do that" said the
Dung man with blue eyes.
$50 he would have said at your
ge. A more affectionate son never
wed.
"That night, after he had been
soothed and had. gone to
is room, a pistol shot was heard
fercifully the mother tainted; mer-
fully she was spared the sight that
theirs saw"
Did he kill himself, them
"Instantly. When L recovered
'om long illness"
what! was he
my only son" There was
'emor in her low voice, as she adj
ed: "When l recovered l had no
hid. Not yet 40, my hair was as
-hite as you see it now. Do you
ondert hat 1 hate cards?"
ooh, but how, then, could you sit
nd see us playY'
Because l wished to warn you;
ecause there are some tempera
tents to which success is more
lleful than defeat; because one of
Oh put me strangely in mind fmy !
lue-eyed boy"
Her eye fell upon Frank L.
e was as pale as death. Later he !
ent up to her and thanked her. 4
at was growing upon me, the
lssion for play" he said. Il felt