St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-03-11
The Seductive Faro.

"Well," spoke up the smooth-faccd
young man, faro has sent me to the
wall many time. | will,' continued
he ''relate q little experience that oc-
cured to me some two or three years
ago. l was, as many of you know, pay
inc my addresses to Miss -, the ac-
complished daughter of the Hon -.
| had an engagement to 90 to the thea
ter with this young lady one evening. I
drew my half month salary that after
noon, and instead of paying my board
bill and other incidental expenses, re-
paired to a bank and dropped the en-
tire amount. l did not even reserve
enough to purchase theater tickets.
looked around to see if | could find d
friend who would loan me the required
amount, but as usual when you are in
distress your friends are often not to be
found.
at was now past seven o'clock, and
I knew the young lady was dressed and
ready to 90 to the theater | studied
over the situation, and finally braced
up and resolved to 90 and tell her the
plain truth about the matter, and hum
bly, ask her forgiveness. | knew she was
a practical girl, endowed with more than
average intelligence, and | thought aft
er | told her the whole truth she would
be content to postpone going to the
theater until more opportune time
presented itself. I went. | told her
all
"Did she rebuke you9' chimed in
three or four voices.
"Well, | should say not answered
the young man. s'She just said that
she regretted very much that l had lost
nv money, but it wouldn't do to put
off going to the theater, as she had for a
week been talking to her folks of the
pleasure she anticipated. The young
lady; looked at her watch, for | had
none--it was in pawn-and said: at is
time we were off, .. .. ....a
II told her it would be impossible to
purchase theater tickets with buttons,
that was about all | could show up at
the time. The little lady excused her.
self and hastily left the parlor, saying
she would return in a moment. She
| did return in less than minute, and
putting on her hat and coat, command
ed me, | might say, to come on. 1t just
then began to dawn on me that she was
going to buy the theater tickets herself,
and you can imagine how my proud
| heart beat at the reflection that | was to
have my way paid into the theater by a
lady. | had to accept her generosity,
though, for she was determined to go at
all hazards. She slipped into my hand
a brand new twenty dollar bill and said:
Take that and get the tickets and re-
turn me the change
Il bought two tickets and paid for
them 50. 50, leaving $3.50 in change.
We sat the first act through, and sud
denly thought of a scheme by which
l could repay the lady the cost OF the
tickets. / told her that | left my room
door open and / feared that some one
might enter it in my absence and alb
stract some valuable papers which |
keep in the bureau drawer. As | only
lived two or three blocks from the the
alter, she suggested that [ had better
run down home and lock the room-doo1
and then return. OFF I went, but in,
stead of going home repaired to faro
bank, intending to make one or two
bets only, and if I made a winning tc
return and give the young lady hel
money. put down dollar on the ace
and lost; another dollar on the ten, and
lost.
"Fate seemed to be against me, anC
I began making half and one dollar
bets, losing and winning alternately.
did not keep track of the time, my minC
was so much upon the game. By ane
by, / looked around and saw four or live
young men standing near me, all O.
them in full dress [ uttered the words
is the theater out, for Gods sake?
.Yes,' said one, it has been out abou'
twenty minutes I did not tarry tt
cash in what few chips Ihad, but rushed
out of the room at race-horse speed
and down to the theater. All was dark
ness there. The janitor of the theater
with his small night-lantern, was on thu
outside. He had just put out all thu
lights. I stood dumbfounded, and final
ly concluded to go back to the gambling
den and finish up the work which hat
begun.
"It was but short time before wa
again broke, and then I departed to m.
room. My first impulse was to kill my
self. but I was too much of a coward t.
do it. When I arrived at my room
raved like a mailman, that 1 should 81
baselv deceive the one who had done 81
much to make man of me. When
thought of the poor girl having to g
home all alone, | tore my hair and swor
that / would never again play against
game of chance, and / have kept m.
word to this day.
!. early the next morning I received
note from her, reprimanding me, ant
; requesting that / send her the chang
from the twenty-dollar note. | had
not, but succeeded in borrowing it late
in the evening, but this time l steere
| cloar Of the faro hank and went directl