The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-05-28

bat he won oftener than he lost-He
was very rich-one OF the greatest
landowners in Russia; and he was gen
erous, spending royalty his immense
revenues, which lie administered with
uncommon intelligence. Anecdotes OF
his high courtesy and sincere gener-
osity were everywhere cited.
Tcheretzoff could not have a better
teacher. But for some time previous
ly Augustinoff had stopped playing.
He had even ceased to appear at the
clubs where he might have been Obhg-
ed to yield to the temptation. lie
only played at court, and even there,
only when compelled to do so by the
imperial will. And even on such oc-
casions he appeared to be distracted,
preoCCupied, dreamy-lettlng his
thoughts wander away upon some
subject totally foreign to the game.
1t was rumored that he was in love.
Perhaps he was; but he was also too
proud and discreet to betray his Sc
Cret.
What seemed particularly strange
for one in such q state OF mind, was
that he undertook TcheretzOtf' eduCa-
ton with great zeal-lavishing upon
him all the knowledge he possessed by
counsel and lesson, so that IN very
short time he made his pupil an ex
cellent player. The only thing he
could not give him was his own pru-
dence and self-control. Tcherotzotf
was hot-headed-he played by
inspiration. This system Of play,
formed by the mans temperament,
succeeded admirably. He won games
that have become historically famous,
lost few which were far from re-estab-
fishing the balance, and finally re-
mained the great COnqueror OF the
winter season.
Far better for him would it have
been if he had lost continually-suc-
cess intoxicated him. He believed in
his star, brought MS personal vanity
into his play, and finally made gam
bling the chief occupation of his life.
He had excesses Of gambling-feVer
which seized him at regular intervals,
like chronic disease, and in those
moments he forgot everything else.
L
fury; he would have paid men to play
with him. But in Russia such an
extreme means of obtaining gratitica-
ton Is unnecessary.
II.
One day (they had been seated at
the gaming-tabIe for two hours)
Tcheretzoff had never ceased to win.
He had piled all arouud him, sum
of more than 100000 roubles-with-
out counting 100000 more which he
had won from his comrades on their
simple word of honor.
Il propose to stake all my winnings
of this evening on one game, he cried.
"How much?" responded the voice
of man who had just come in.
That man was Augustinoff.
"Say 10000 rubles in round num-
bers," replied Tcheretzof.
"Pll take your offer"
Although everybody present was
more or less accustomed to large
stakes, this game had an extraordi-
nary interest for them. The stakes
were enormous; the adversaries were
the two most skillful players of the
empire; and besides, Augustinoff had
ceased to play accordingt to general be-
lief, and had only broken this rule so
far in order to teach his great art to
the very man whose challenge he had
just accepted. The master and the
pupil were going at last co have 1t out.
For some time the chances seemed
about equal. Finally, however, Au-
gustinoff began to win. Tchertezoff
pushed over to Augustinoff the 100,.
600 roubles lying beside him, and
turning to the spectators, said to one
of them:
''Passaroff, you now owe Augusti-
nof the $4,000 roubles | won from
you. And you, Novolith, you will pay
him the 100000"
He continued in this way to make
up his account with his debtors, so as
to transfer to Augustinoff the credit
he had allowed them
This arrangement having been ac-
cepted by all the parties concerned, he
resumed his play.
''Now you will give me chance to
revenge myself" he said.
hOW hiuIh: IcpiiCu htlSuSGiuOlI.
"The same 100000 roubles."
But
"Is it too much for your"
81 do not think it is enough. You
lost nothing SO far-you only staked
your winnings. You ought to have
pluck enough to add something more
Gall right, / add 1OO,O 900 roubles. 2
Good enough-th makes at least
something of a stake"
Augustinoff lost.
Owe can't let the game go on in this
way" he said. IT play 100000
roubles.
This time he won. His luck re-
mained with him through the next
game, for an equal stake.