The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-05-22
Selfrt Sturg.
THE LAST STAKE.

1UGTc WCtC uoi N III LhC III AOoS
Recovering from severe and nearly ia
tai illness l was totally without means or
any steady employment Educated as a
gentleman, and having passed the greater
part of my lie among books as schol-
ar, had no friends among those who
might have assisted me in obtaining
work and bread. .,iv.>e..r.5
n dismal garret, assailed by the tor
turing pangs of hunger, l can never for,
get those long, weary nights Yet du-
ring all this period l concealed my suf-
ferings and destitute condition.
had obtained work for a few days
and put. few dollars in my pocket, but
after the small sum was eked out for
bread another period of suffering came
All this nearly broke my spirit; ] was
almost weary Of life. In this unfortu
nate state of mind / was walking along
Tirane street, San Francisco. / had q
half-formei idea in my head that on
reaching it's termination / should have
at least the means by which / coald ter
inmate present suferings.
Before reaching the end of the wharf,
I was aroused from my reverie by the
confused din of many voices and the
sounds of music. Turning round i found
was in e.of the vilest and most no.
torious hells in the lower part of the
gszed within 3he large, crowd
ed room remembered that an acquaint-
snce was employed as musician in the
orchestra. and, governed by the impulse
of the moment, pushed my way through
mass of persons around The table to
speak TO him. After a few moments
conversation with the musician he turrj
ed to me and said in quiet tone OF
voice:
whenever you come iE here never
be tempted. to risk a.dollar on any game
PLAYED. for not square game is played
here; and more than that the worst thing
a man can do il to win money here"
g Saying this he resumed his occupa
tion. / gazed about me at the scene;
walked carelessly up to the roulette-ta
BILE and from the feeling OF the moment
threw down as stakes the three dollars l
had in loose silver had in my pockets.
It was as quickly won by the gambler,
and indeed l afterward met the very me-
chanic who made the table, and who ex-
planned to me fits secret springs by
which o;her fools like myself were rob-
bed.
Passing. along with the crowd I found
myself at the faro-table, around which
were many new!y-arrived and very sue
cess'ul miners, judging from the many
thousands of dollars they had on the ia
BILE. Taking from my pocket ten dol
lar gold piece, which was all l had in the
world, / threw it on card at random
1t doubled. and doubled, till at length
even the half-drunken miners, who were
playing for such heavy stakes took an
interest in my strange luck, When my
card won for the ninth time / took from
the table in coin S5 100, with stolid
GOODNESS I have since many times won
dered at, and putting it in a couple OF
bags given me by miner, thrust them
into my pockets As / stepped aside TO
leave the table the dealer turned around
to some one in the crowd and giving him
peculiar look of intelligence said with
laugh: O. 81
"Tbat's heavy load to carry"
Not wishing to elbow my way through
the crowd directly to the door / passed
around behind the tables in the back par,
OF the house Leading from the room
were a number OF badly-lighted passs
ges--one or two were quite dark AS
went by one of the latter, befsre turned
round to the street door, man standing
In the obscure light, nearly concealed
behind the door post, beckoned me to-
ward him with a mysterious gesture
Without thinking stepped through tht
door few feet to learn what he wished
and when within few yards of him, a:
| took another step, quicker than / car
tell, the floor passed from under my feet
and ! was sinking many feet under The
waters OF the bav. With the instinct o
self-preservation | struggled for the life
l had held so cheap AT length, a'teI
what seemed long time to me, almos
suffocated ard weighed down by the fa
tai gold rose to the surface.
A light from dark lantern flashed
down the mouth of what appeared to bt
square well, built in the waters OF thu
bay and CONSTRUCTED of smooth pane
boards. Notwithstanding all my pas
misery ] could not, without struggle
die dogs death. l could see above
me the pale-looking faces OF TWO ruff
ans gazing down. One grasped in biz
hand large pole, armed with sb arr
point, and directly opposite to me within
the well. within foot of nv face wat
the bloated, livid face of swolleI
corpse. In the flickering light it appear
ed to mock and jeer. just then one o
the men said to the other:
s"Split his head and jab him under, o
the will sing out"
Anddown came the sharp spear, touch
ing nv head but not injuring me. H