The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-08-06

Why n Ohicaso-Gambtine Den Was Clos
a Gamblcrss Reformation.

"A G0mblcrNs Reformation.
/ am murderer and reformed
gambler; but you need not shrink from
me, for the murder was not intentional.
Ten years ago owned the largest and
most popular gambling parlors in the
city of Chicago, and on Saturday nights
I dealt my own faro game, in which
business, of course, / made a great deal
of money. Many unpleasant instances
grew out of my business, but always
excused il on the ground that men did
not have to play my games any more
than they were obliged TO drink poison.
i finally got to noticing and expecting
one young man in particular, who al
ways came when it was my night TO deal
At first he played boldly. and, as a con-
sequence, lost heavily; but as he grew
more familiar with the game he played
carefully, and acted as though life de-
pended on his winning, which in fact
was the case, as il afterward proved. 1
got acquainted with him, addressed him
as Brown. but knowing that that was
not his true name. ! think ne followed
the game for months. winning little
sometimes, but generally losing heavily.
At last he came one night, and l saw
by his flushed face that he had been
drinking. although he vas apparently
cool. He sat down 10 the table. drew
out a small roll of money. and. laying
il down he ore him, said: There Is In
that little pile my fortune. my honor,
and my life. / either win all or lose
all this night Begin your game; am
ready Others joined in ut first and
played for awhile, but finally withdrew
from the game and watched the strange
young man at my right He played to
win, but fate was against him, for he
lost, won, and lost again, and, finally,
after two hours of playing, evidently in
the most fearful suspense. he lost his
last dollar. Leaning back in his chair,
with compressed lips and face blanched
TO a deathly whiteness. he looked me
in the eye moment and raising said /:
My money. honor. and happiness have
gone over that table never TO return. /
said my life would so with them and it
shall. Tell my wife l had gono too far
to return Before we could prevent il
he put Derringer 10 his breast and
shot himself through the heart, falling
upon the table that had been his ruin
and death.
His wife came, awful in the majesty
Of her grief, and, after satisfying her
self that her husband was dead, she
asked, Where is the keeper of this
dreadful placer i was pointed ont,
and, striding up TO me, so that her fin
ger almost touched my pallid face, she
exclaimed, in tones that are ringing in
my ears yet: OH you soulless wretch.
with heart of stone, You have lured
my husband from me, sent him TO per-
dition, widowed me, ond orphaned my
children. You are his murderer, and
may Gods curse rest upon you eter-
nally. And with n wild scream, oh
my husbandl my children she fell
fainting on the body of the corpse.
Il fingered for weeks in brain fever,
burden Of my mind. On nv recovery
i burned the fixtures of my den and
closed the place. and have devoted
most ofmy time to travel, with the hope
Of escaping that voman's Just curse, bat
Icant. believe il is on me forever,
and / feel that was that mans muir
derer. lam rich. and my first attempt
was 10 get the dead mans wife to ac-
cept an annuity from me, but she re-
fused all aid and tried to support her.
self by her own labor. relieved my
mind . some extent however. by set
ting a certain sum on her and her
cnilarrn, witch passes through her
fathers hands and ostensibly comes di-
rect from him. Her children are re
ceiyihF fine education by this means
and IL win. safely Locked in her
fathers ossee, bedueaths TO Der and
her children nv entire wealth. some
100000 Nv life concluded ne is
devoted 70 visiting gambling dens,
wnsrs meet young men on the high
way to hell, and warn them Of their
danger. Thanks be 10 God, have
succeeded in many cases in saving them,
and now. young men. remember this
story. an a let il always stand mp rs \
white sp ecter between you and tho
table. Sec 10 IL that me
poison does not enter your vei-s, and
he pulled his hat over his moistened
EYES and STIR de silently avay.-San