National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-11-04
\ enosrLY AssIsrANr.


:" haven't pambcd for over twtlyc years
s0id a mild old gentleman, who had watched
the play at select party the other evening,
land will never DO II again. GnmbliugNyhs
a natural taste with me, but any desire ]
might have had was crushed by an incident
about the time mentioned | was on n iair
road at that time TO become q gambler for life.
neglected my business to sit in little games
and was away from home every night IN tho
week. My wife, who was always opposed to
gambling, reasoned with me, but l was too
much infatuated with the excitement Of tho
play TO heed her, ana so kept on untii hl1 u
reputation ns an Al poker player | also had
n system for beating faro. II was ingcni ms
and cost me lots Of slccplcss nights, but the
banks dropped Oh me after time, and caught
my pile My business went to pieces, anl my
Wife, gricved at my wllml Disregard for good
advice and inlntualiOn for the papers be
came ill., She pleaded again, and again with
me, but wasn't quite myself then and laughed
at her warnings Ina year she died, aud three
The little game had broken up by this tlmc
ana everyone was listening TO the old gentle.
mans story. The latter tossed OIL his gin and
bittoTs,' and settling back resumed his story.
"ThC death Of n wife and child in three
months is calculated to curb the widest fhs
cinntlOn IN an ordinary man. he resumed,
"but while griovcd their loss, and remained
away from the gambling table over II MONTH
the ruling passion was too strong and ! was
soon back, playing all the time. Within six
months had lost the little sum had laid by,
and, driven on by n mad desire TO get even, /
fixed my books and stole 81 900 from the firm
by which was employed Talk about nights
Of torture, why, I'll wager that ] didn't sleep
for a mouth; kept away from the cards then
and set about devising some scheme to replace
the money had stolen The time came for set
Ting up my books aud don't believe hades
contains soul rs miserable as was, had
saved up $500 toward my indebtedness but one
night had an attack OF the old fever, and sat
in n game Mt one of the uptown hotels. !
prayed that might win that night, and vowed
TO myself that i'll were successful would
81 lost 500 Of my stake within an hour, and
then | caught three queens Two of the
players dropped out and lclt another man and
| myself wagercd so and drew two cards. Ny
opponent 'staid in and took one card. |
caught q ten and the deuce orclubs. was I'M.
decided whetherto bet or lay down,Ns my adver-
sary. whose hands were shaking slightly, might
have fours. The pack from which he had dealt
was at his right hand. Twill bet my life that !
did moro thinking In short space OF time then
han drowning man ever did. ! didn't want
| to lose, md somehow In an instant / thought
OF my dead wife and You may not believe
| me, gentlemen and ! am not Il sprituallst,
| nor do believe In II, but my wife appeared to
| me then. Her form was as plain as that bottle
| and, though she spoke no word her presence
| encouraged me. / was IN q trance then, but
remember now that the eyes of the appariton
| were fixed with rigid stare on the pack o
cards across the table. saw the cards shake
| q little, and then, upon my word, q card came
| out of the pack and seemed TO glide to tho
| five cards in my hand. II was tho queen o!
hearts The hand of my wlfc's spirit reached
| over and took card from the bunch IN my
| hand. II was the deuce. | did not need II then.
| My opponent called me to myself, and asked
me II was going to bet Hooked ut my hand
| There were four queens and ten. bet $3.50
| lie raised me $500 and took my u L for Il
| and called. lie had four Jacks. | stopped
playing thon, aud was happy man that night
! had Just 81 coo, and redeemed, as II were, m!
| honor.
~ met my opponent the next day, and III
| said to nc: "A funny thing occurred after the
game last night. While | was leaving thu
! room found card pinned on the wall Of the
| tlchall | was the dnce of clubs There, gen
men, is my story, and swear that 1t Is tric.'
| "TIIE moon of Mahomet arose, and it shall
set, says shelley; but If you will set n b1,tl,
q Or. bulls Cough Syrup in some handy placi
II. ,i,s