St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1881-09-24
THE CARD TABLE.

q, WIS sau ana Gespendlng.
one was not six and twenty, and
though her face was pale and wan,
yet she was beautiful. A warm fire
burnt in the CRATE, for it was winter
and the lamp burned upon the cen
Ger table, for it was evening. She
sat thus. trying to read, xhen
the door opened and a stranger en-
tered. She started up with fear at
thus seeing a strange man enter her
apartment unbidden.
"Lydia-don't you know me?"
The woman started at the sound
OF the voice, and the blood rushed
to her brow and temples. She took
step forward and gazed more
sharply into the intruder's face.
James," she murmured inter
negatively.
"Yes, my sister. Don't you know
me?"
But instead of answering in
words Lydia rushed forward aid
sank upon the mans bosom, and
there she weps for Joy. 1t was, in
truth, her owD dear brother.
"And you didn't know me9" he
he said. with smile, after he had
taken a seat.
why, ne, James. Five years
have altered you wonderfully. But
then that beard all over your face
makes good deal of difference"
'All the difference in the world,
sister. Two years ago, while my
ship lay at Canton, I had my beard
all shaved of, and when I came
aboard some of my men did not
know me at first"
s'Then wish you'd share it off
now, for you look more like bear
than you do like james Barrows." ("
The brother laughed. and then
the conversation ran sor while up
on various topics suggested by the
return of the loved one. James
Barrows was now thirty-two years
of age, and had been absent for five
years from his native city, during
which time he commapded a fine
ship. -.
BY the way" said the brother,
at the end of half hour, Il stopped
IN New York on my way here. and
I saw Kate Waldron there. She
told me she heard you say you
wished Your husband had never
known me. Did you say such a
thing as that?"
Lydia's eyes filed with tears in a
moment, and deep sob broke from
her lips. Her brother was startled.
He moved to her side. and put his
arms around her neck. "What is it
my sister," he asked anxiously.
.sAlas. James. l will tell you. But
first let me assure you that / did
not mean exactly what l said to
Kate. You remember FIVE years
ago, when you used to tell such sto-
ries about gambling scenes on the
Mississippi, Ambrose asked you to
play poker as you call it. You
taught him the game, and one or
two evenings You went with him
to some social card parties"
"Yes, yes-I remember all that. "
"Well, the spirit of gaming is
nav fastening itself upon him. l
can see it plainly. though he tries to
laugh away my fears. I know it is
so, for I have been told by one who
is my friend. and who told me out
of pure kindnes for Ambrose. But
] have not dared to let him know
how sure my information is, for
he would be angry, did he know
any one had told this to me. Oh, /
know his impetuous nature. and l
fear he will be lost before he is
aware of it. Evil companions are
leading him astray. He thinks
them friends"
"And do you think he has gone
to the card table tonight"
81 am afraid SO. And if he does
oh. I dare not think of it. He
has much money with him. Before
you came I was weeping over my
fears have meyer let him know
how much I knew concerning hls
course. for I feared it would only
make him more excited. Alas! ]
know not what to do. | do not
think he has yet lost much, but |
know that he will never leave the
fascinating habit until be is rulned
unless something can be done to
move him. =,
"Bleas my soul, Lydia, I did
teach Ambrose to piay-thousn
coa knows I never meant to teach