Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-12-01
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A BIT OF MAGIC SILVER.

..S'%
A BIT OF MAGIC SILVER.
Il want to ask You a certain ques-
ton, Gomez
Well my dear fellow, what can it
be-"
Where did you get your money!"
The question was an abrupt one.
almost impertinent But Gomez de
Bonilla was an intimate friend OF
mine. n good fellow and We had
dined To say truth. we had not
only dined but wined, and it was
over some post prandials pran
dials in the shape of furth
er wine and fragrant cigars that
l had asked the question. But |
had long wished to do so. and will
tell you why.
Some two years before, Gomez was
as poor as church mouse. He was
always a good fellow, but then. You
know. there is a difference between
good fellows rich and good fellows
poor. And, to my shame be it spoken.
1 think liked him better rich than
poor Well. as l said. he was almost
destitute. He had a profession. it is
true-he was a journalist; but in
Spain the gains of the fraternity of
the zen We're not large. What little
he did earn went to the bad. for he
was an inveterate gambler.
But from q poverty stricken journ-
alist he suddenly blossomed out into
man Of wealth He had the finest
horses, he belonged to the most fash
ionable club. he had purchased the
country Sc at of decayed grandee, he
had the best cook in Madrid, and he
moved in the best society-for alas!
even in Spain the golden key is be-
ginning to open all portals. But do
not think from what say that Go nez
was not a gentleman, for he came of an
excellent family.
Well, as l said, we had just finished
an excellent dinner, and over the wal
nuts and the wine I put my ques
tion,-
'Gomez, where did you get your
money!"
He looked at me thoughttully and
knocked the ashes from his cigar.
"Where did l get my money!" he
repeated slowly. And what says
Dame Rumor concerning it, Pedro?'
There are all sorts of Stories" l
replied; ''some probable. some wild
ly impossible; some good-humored,
more ill-natured. You pardon my
frankness if I tell you that 1 have
heard some people call your wealth
ill gotten gains whisper of retired
highwaymen, and the like There
are others who hint darkly at coun
terfeiting. Among the lower classes
there is a widespread belief that
you have sold yourself to the devil.
And I have even met intelligent peo-
pie who limited at supernatural
means"
Perhaps they were right" was a
laconic reply.
l stared at him.
Listen, and you may perhaps tell
me whether the means were super
natural or no. I have never been
able to decide The reason that the
source of my fortune has never been
discovered was because the only man
who knew of it had left the city the
day after"
He paused.
The day after what?" 1 queried.
"Well, 1 will begin at the begin
ming. The story is a curious one,
and should be told in sequence"
He lit fresh cigar and then be-
gam
You knew me two years ago, when
I was poor. You also knew, as did
all my friends, that l had a passion
for gaming. You would all of
you chorus, when speaking of me,
Poor Bonilla! He has the worst of
vices s-he is a dt . )erate gamblers l
was speculator. l fixed upon GER
tain sum which I considered com
petence. 1 saw no way of acquiring
it by my profession, SO devoted my
self to the green cloth-how assidu
ously you know
He smiled at the expression of as
sent which involuntarily fitted over
my countenance, watched the smoke
wreaths curling over his head for a
moment, and continued
"One evening I was feeling unusu
ally blue. 1 never drank, as you
know-that is. never to do what is
called drowning SORROW My re-
source was the gaming table. Tn
fortunately had in my possessi On a
considerable sum of money which
had been entrusted to me by friend
for the purpose Of paying some debts;
he had been suddenly called away
from the city. I entered the gam
bling hell, and seated myself at the
roulette table. Fortune was against
a:the few duros that belonged to me
were soon gone. Something seemed 10
possess me that night; l was not my
self. did what never should have
dreamed myself capable of doing--I
staked my friends money. 1 staked
it. and l lost it all"
Twas about to speak.
do not condemn me-" he inter
rupted: you could say nothing Sc
verer than were my self-reproaches
Long l sat there. glaring at the other
player. IS watched the ivory ball
spin round, my brain seemed to be
leaving me. l felt as if life were no
longer dear to ne. Penniless and
dishonored, what was there left to
live for?
''As these thoughts passed through
my working brain, the night wore on.
The players dropped off, one by one.
The tables were gradually deserted.
Boon there was but one left lighted
the roulette table before which l
sat, and at which one persevering
gamester was trying his luck. Finally
he, too wearied. and 1 was left alone
with the banker, who was the pro