Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-04-15
The Gamblers Story.


| ! met him by accident in a railway
station. The train was late and he
and | We're the only occupants of the
dingy waiting room. Under these
circumstances folks are drawn iowa I'd
each other by the magnetism Of mu.
tual discomfort, and we fell to talk
ing. He was fne-looking fellow,
tall, we'll built and vigorous, but an
air Of indesoribable melancholy per-
meated his appearance and tinged
even his talk to such an extent that
our conversation languished and would
probably have died entirely had he
not finally turned around and said to
me
"You must excuse me, sir, for an
apparent moodiness. The truth is
that ! am unable to shake off the re-
collection that to- night is the ami.
versary of sad and singular event
in my life. I was a professional gam
bier in my younger days and dealt
faro for living, but ten years ago to-
night | quit forever under circum.
stances that even now half unman me
and almost call the tears TO my eyes
I have no objection to telling you the
story If you think it would interest
you"
begged him to 80 on and he pro-
ceeded about as follows
"Ten years ago" he said, II was the
proprietor of club rooms at Baltimore,
where | dealt game CT faro for a Sc
lect circle of players. They were all
heavy betters, business men most of
them, and / catered to their game
only. My rooms were sumptuously
fitted up. There was no appointment
gilded vice could suggest that was not
at hand, and my side-board groaned
with the choicest vintages that money
could buy.
Zone night when the game was slack
and I was lounging in the dealers
chair under the great crimson globo
of the chandelier, a stranger entered
the room. He was very young, but
dissipation or care had drawn lines
upon bis boyish face, and his dark
eyes burned with feverish light.
As he approached the table | marked
how CHASTITY pale he was and that his
hand trombled as though with chill.
He took a seat and drawing thou
sand dollar bill from his pocket, tossed
it across the table. Give me that
much in chips he said in a tremulous
voice.
II think he must have played for
an hour. Luck went back and forth
for awhile, but finally it set in against
him and I raked in the last Of his
worries. For moment he sat mo-
tionlesss, staring, dazed like, at the
floor, then he lifted up his Ragged
face to mine. Sir, he said, You have,
without knowing it, done me favor.
Had | won, would have kept on in
the old way; now that | have lost I
will never gamble again smiled
cynically Yes, Isaid, i have heard
people talk that way before. You
mistake me, he went on in a voice
that thrilled my very heart. i will
not gamble again because the last card
you turned was my death warrant.
Listen to me. That thousand dollars
have lost was the asst of fortune,
nome and honor. LII Is gone, all gone
to enrich your clan. | am not blam.
ing you; I an not complaining; | am
simply stating fact. | am 10 night
the worst of paupers-one without
trade, without profession, without
the ability to support the wife who is
this moment confidently and trusting
ly awaiting my return. She knows
nothing of my gradual downfall. /
have dissimulated, God knows how,
before her. ! have not now one dol
lar upon the face Of the earth, and I
determined when entered your door