West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-12-05

fed the two into the cabin. III you'll
relieve me of what money / have as
quickly as possible" he said. as they
seated themselves at table directly
under one of the brilliant chandeliers,
''you will oblige me-"
The game was soon over. IL led to
others. Larger and larger sums were
staked | noticed that my friends face
was changing color Gentlemen, :"
and he looked around at those who
stood near, and catching my eye, he
nodded To me; II want you to notice
that this is my deal. / hope it will be
an honest deal. because IL Will be my
last. m going out of the business now,
and this is my last deal" and, meeting
my look againi "Dont you forget an :,
So saying. he dealt the cards, and
they began to- play. The two profess
SIGNALS seemed little disturbed. !
thought, by what my friend had said,
and they played less confidently than
before. At length there was pause.
and they laid down their next cards
with evident reluctance.
1t seemed rs if their opponent was
waiting like n poised bird 10 swoop
down on that pile, and as the second
card touched the table his fell too. and
quickly covering the money with both
hands, he said, looking round on us
who stood near:
That. gentlemen, was my deal-my
last deal, and | dealt fairly. Can any
one here say | did not deal fairly?'
"No, said one, a broad-shouldered,
heavy-faced man, and no one else re-
piled.
" 1t WdS n fair deal, and no one can
deny it. Now I'm going out of the
business"
You remember what we were talk,
ing about this afternoon" said he TO
me. IF anything ShOuH happen
don't fail to keep your promise. Re-
member it all -Afterwardr'
Afterward! How like a shadow of a
darkencd life seems that word Before
| could command myself so as to speak
or move he had left me and gone hastily
out forward.
The disease was upon him. IL did its
work quickly. | will not describe the
scene. He had indeed gone ''out of the
business" but like too many who make
good resolutions only for the future,
his habits ruled even in the final hour
But afterward | went to his old home
AJtortCard!
met his mother. She was serene
old woman. The father was quite in
firm. But / at once saw, from prints
and notices on the wall and a we'll
worn Bible on little table, that they
were believing Christians; and again |
was surprised-that the keeper of n
gambling-place should have had such
parents as this. 1t could not be, |
thought, that they knew in what. bust
ness their son had been engaged, and it
was more than / could do to tell them.
If they did not know it, surely could
not tell them.
You had son in New OrleansP" |
first said, n little doubtfully.
Had Had! cried the mother
son, yes! yes, sir! Henry-isn't he
there now!' and she awaited nv
answer with "A look that can not for
get; and the father, although he did
not speak, seemed to pierce me with his
eyes.
He is not there now" | said. IL
met him when he was coming home to
you-he and his little boy--but unfortu-
nately here / broke down. Their
looks were so full of agony could not
go on.
30 sir o sirn' they both moaned and
clutched my arms. ''Oh, you don't
don 't-mean he is dcad?"
The chOlera-I suppose you have
heard of the cholera-how it is raging
in New Orleans?n
"1es-yes-but you said he was com
ing home! you said he was coming
home! 0 sir, tell us all! tell us all, He
was our dear boy-all we had-our
dear, dear boy! o Henry, Henry, can
1t be that you are dead? Do YOU really
mean, sir, that Henry is dcad2"
| had to tell them that he was dead.
but | could not tell them more. hope
God will forgive me if | did wrong in
keeping it from them, but | could not
tell them-how he had died and how his
last hour had been spent. How he had
gone out of the business but only in
the shadow of life's last hour.
The passion of life is strong in death.
And -Afterward?
Here, do you mean? Yes, the end OF
evil passions is followed by sad scenes
| here. And AfterwardP-Y Outh'J Com
pdHiOn.
Nails in Decoration,