Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-11-16
the PACK OF CARDS
Or, How a Wife Was Won.

haas msny years ago that sirst Jour
neysd down ;hc valley az the Mississippi. The
country was then wild and almost uujnha1i,
ted. and one could travel for days without
meeting haman heinz II "a, soiFery
work. assure you.
Oue evening. rs wa, wondering wher1
I ,hoa, d fms an asylum !or the nigh; lis
tingujshed upon the ground shny' lis
tance from the rivers bank, the ira Ks ..
wheels. and sax path Which io!iogei
snd presently iouud myscE before one d
hose prilpSive hahjrationS ca!Li =.
houses.
Before the doof OF this house WAS seated
an cid mar. Although he was about 50, he
appeared strong aud robust a. a man o. 50
With him was his only 500. sigoroas man
Of 10 sears, his sons wife and beautiful
child Of IL, whose face, Ike that Of IL,
mother, had an Oriental character
Welcomed cordially ~ the old man I
entered the humble dwelling bu, | was
filed w;th ausszement at The sight Of the
mistress ofthe house. Instead Of III, SIM
Pile rustic woman whom expected 10 see, !
found myself face to face With a iady Of
singular beauty Her black eyes AMI hair
and her dark complexion all indicated, "a !
have said, an oriental type. Her husband
called her Rachel and this name made mt
think ct lirs. tha' he nigh, be Of Jewish
origin. but va, mistaken.
This Rayuer family, 80 diAereEt from am
! hal ever met in all my wouderinEs
awakened in HE lively interest, and gave
me tbs idea THAI some strange event must
have occurred iC this little house
Aher SUPPER. as We we're seated arooUd
tbs FIRE, u0ti- - pack Of cards naked
seairs, the CHIMNEY Il Vas easy 20 SEE
that. before being laced there, they had
been vel worn 1y the hands Of players The
smoke hsd 5!aekened them. bat the ace o:
hsaris SUI shoH- brightly under tn hsei
ofibe nail which pierced It.
"You have there" ssjd Suddenly, -
singular chimney ornament
smiled as uttered the wor,l> No on
responded TO nly smile. On the contrary
noticed upon N hosts face = sudden OK
preston OF sadness. Mr.. Haynes aaoa,
and ieh the room. When SIR had gone
her husband said to me
Yes; wha; you see there = ,juS,'a,:
will explain il to YOU after evening prayers
\ mOmen; a!lcrSsrd the young woman
returned, holding in her hand tile family
bible. which she placed upon table beEort
her husband father He took It an
opened TO the pa ~ where he had stopped il
his reading the evening before He read g
lev verses and then offered CervenI prayer
When these devotional services vest
coded. Mrs. Rayucr babe Us good nj ,ht and
withdrew with her child. The old man ais
retired. and remained alone with the son
Who Of his own accord again alluded tC
the remark had made about the cards
Young man, hs said 20 me, to tha,
pack Of cards is connected history which
believe Ough; to relate 70 one Who, Ike
yourself, is inst commencing life. 1t is tC
me q grave reminder aud solemn warn
ing. IS solemn, dare 10 say it, as the HOLY
HOOK from which MY father has Just read
Twelve yesrs ago this strange adventgr,
happened to me- Ny father and were
then living in this house. We made but
little money, but We spent still less, so vt
. were comfortable and happy. We had uo:h
ing to trouble o. worry us!
Twelve years ago, thea, one no. iay ID
August. ! was seated in the shade ola TIRE,
half asleep suddenly was awakened BY
cry Of distress, leaped gPou my horse
and FASTENED III the direction whence tbC
cry came. At the distance Of 100 fee,
saw a stranger bending over the body o.
his horse, which had been bitten by an
enormous serpent L approached the wound
I'd animal, and made an incision il lis leg
md then ran 70 get some salt rubbed it
into the wound with nay hand, bat it was
too late. The poison bad done its work.
aud the poor creature soon ceased TO live
Then examined the stranger who had
watched my operations IN silence. He Was
little old msR, with pale, Careworn face.
Age or fatigue had bent hiS body. but had
not extinguished the fame in his black
eSes, which shown with an extraordinary
lnstre. He was elegantly dressed. Proa,
his velvet wsistccat hung a massive gold
chain.
lam truly sOry Tor your misfortune" |
said 10 him
"'Bahi' he replied, TRANQUILITY, IL is an &C.
cident that can soon be remedied You
hayea good horse and vii sell it to me-.
"At these words I gazed at him in sur.
prise; then I turned and looked at my
horse. had no idea Of parting with him
but where is the American who, when ne
finds an opportuaity. refuses good bar
gsinf | considered, too, that we had two
horses 10 the stable, and that certain sum
of mosPY would be very uset1l to Us just