, 1883-07-12
"I IHrays WTn."

"Have you any particular antipathy
nCainst cards, Mrs. Allen?" asked
merry girl of a silver-haired woman,
whose face was not yet old.
Yes, l have" was the slow answer.
"Thcn you don't like to see us play.
a didn't say that" said the cld.l
woman, with smile, "but finish YOU
gaIac, and then, perhaps, may tell
yuu my reasons for disliking cards"
Two young gentlemen and two young
,a,lies formed the party. The former
were general favorites in society, with
characters forming day by day, for they
were quite youthful yet. The one with
-,'scll nair and black eyes played quiet
", If not languidly; the other, with
bluc eyes and hair of golden bronze,
showed interest and excitement in the
game.
Mrs. Allen sat quietly watching THEN
,,.:rrt.;!l exclalnations, the eagerness to
-. til chagrin OF losing. Her eyes
-,,r ExaI upon the young man with the
u,l.cd chucas and shining blue eyes,
,r:,u.g the earnestness, the excitement,
-, passion of his soul, as the game ad-
y.nccd
It last the triumph was his. Exult-
'.,'ly lie announced it, with the added
words, 81 always win at cards"
I knew somebody else who always
Il at cards, said the lady in low
we.
Come, Mrs. Allen" said one of the
r...~:r girls, "you said you would tell
o., NY you dislike cards. We're Just in
mood TO listen, for 1 have been
q, : beaten, and 1 don't like to be
.,y-~ en-"
L think told you," said Mrs. Allen,
"'',at I knew somebody who boosted
l. / he always won at cards. He was
~ much like you," she added, turning
t.'',nk. 81 saw the likeness when l
1T met you.
i nave no hesitation in saying that
tNrnIy years ago this young man was
~ of the haudsomest and most promis.
nG persons in the city where he lived.
Sought by every one on account of his
wit and viVacii9, lie was n very pleasant
thing to him. But he was passionate;y
fond of cards, and, because OF the fact
:..at he invariably won, he was always
cady to make up a party at home OF
-; oad.
81 don't know how the fact first
leaked out, but it was whispered among
his acquaintance that he-piayed for
money.
This, of course, reached his mother'a
ears latest of all, and she would not be.
lieve it. She watched her boy with
trembling eagerness. He bought horse,
he had always fine clothes, and bis APP
pearance was that of restless, dissatis-
fed man.
rEyery night the troubled mother sat
up till he came home; but his hours
grew more and more irregular. His
business was at last neglected his luck
turned; he grew haggard and moody.
"What could be done2 Nothing.
He was welded to his Idol. Not only
did he play, but he drank moi only did
he drink, but he pledged things not his
own, in the indulgence of his passion.
Finally he forged the. name of his en-
ployer, fought in a drunken fray, was
Brought home insensible, and for tive
weeks raved in aelirttr.
"No one can know what ths tarture
OF mother is when her son dsgFaces
before all the world-and this he
had done. But repentance came. He
promised never again to touch a card;
grew into ais original beauty; lifted the
hopes of all who loved him was en-.
gagged to a lovely girl, and by le1
tempted tc play, only social game t.
drink, only a social glass; and the con
sequence was he was ruinedl
"The iose q gaming and of strong
drink rushed back upon hlm liks a tor
rent of iniquity. Again he played for
money, again he was brought home
drunk, again he committed n crime, and
this time his ruin was complete.
"One night he rushed home like
crazy man. His mother tried in vain TO
calm him. ishe g2s alone, and he, stunp
to insanity, raved and tore ans heiE and
cursed her." - q
A shudder went over the little com.
paPy,
Yes, hs cIrsed her. because she had
allowed him in the Gays If lis inno.
eenee to touch the cards, because with
her own hands she had taught him TO
play"
81 could never a9 tha.," said the
young man with blue eyes.
$50 he would have said at vonr
ago, A more affectionate son never
lived.
"That night, after he had been par.
italy soothed and had gone to his room
pistol shot was heard. MercifulIy the
motnsf ttRinted; mercifully she was
spared the sight tLlt others saw"
" Did he kill himself, thenlp
INSTANTLY. When recovered from
a long illness"