Middletown transcript., 1886-03-05

!, up her glasses to get better view
! the ball revolves for a long time, bu
, eventually slackens its pace, passes
} slowly by the numbers 3s, l, 20, "A
81, and finally stops at number 9.
!, The croupier takes e1S0 in gold,
and noisily sounding the coins, places
them before the young woman, who
smilingly takes rake, and heaps up
little mountain of gold.
"If instead of 95," says the hus-
band, "we had risked 9100, we should
have gained a small fortune, e3600,
and We might have abandoned the
idea of living on board our vessel"
"Let US risk e10O, as we have won it.
It was on January 18th that you were
SO nearly drowned at sea with your
father and mother: let us put G100
on number L."
The G100 are placed on No. II.
The ball revolves, and quite gently, as
though guided by an invisible hand,
stops at number II.
Every one for himselfp exclaims
the husband, gathering in the huge
packet of notes which the oroupier
passes him. It is I who risked the
9100; The winnings should belong to
me-"
"I thought that between US two all
was in common" said his compa MON,
timidly.
cat play-no. I repeat. every
one for himself"
"Our winnings are considerable"
ventured th. lady. Let US leave
the room, and go back to Marseilles,
where your vessel awaits you"
You are mad don't,you see that
I have run of luck? I mean to
break the bank
In fact. the young American. excited
by his extraordinary success, begins
to play wildly. But, alasl the little
ivory. ball seems to have become cap
| ricious. One bank-note follows an
other, and the "run Of luck" does not
appear to return. In very short
time all his winnings have been lost,
and more than once our player has
plunged his hand into his pocket to
draw out money which was not in
tended to be risked at play. The more
he 4oses, the more lie plays, only to
lose again. All his money passes to
the croupiers, and only when he has
exhausted his last five-frane piece
| does he determine to tear himself
from this table, at which he has left
the half Of his fortune. This fortune
which he has lost-the savings which
his father had accumulated by dint Of
labor and thrift-was net mere idle
pocket-money. This money was to be
devoted to pay for the fitting out of a
merchant vessel of which he was about
to.take the command. What should
he do now2 How could he get out Of
the dihicultyf How would he retrieve
his compromised position? Only one
resource remained to him-to 60 to
Marseilles and to borrow the money
which he needed on the security of
his vessel.
The Casino authorities accord him
q viatiqae, that is to say, the exact
sum necessary for him and his wife
to, return to aMarseilles. Furnished
with this viatique, both take train
thither. How sad is their journey
Whats a honeymoon! What a contrast
to their journey Of few days since,
when with clear conscience and a
peaceful mind the two young people
thought only of love and the enjoy
ments of life In a few days both have
aged many years, and have riveted to
their feet one of those convicts' can
nonlballs which can never be cast of.
As soon as he reaches Marseilles the
young American goes'to his banker,
and with much difficulty succeeds in
borrowing the sum which he needs;
but thence.forward his ship is no lon
ger his own. This fine. coquettish
craft, of which for the first time he
was about to take the command. this
ship the purchase of which had absorb
ed all his fortune and that of his wife,
this vessel. on the stern of which shone
in golden letters the name of Montre-
tout, and on board of which he hoped,
like his father, to pass long glorious
career, now belongs to his creditors.
Doubtless, according to the old GUS
tom of the sea, he is still master on
his own ship after God," but in reali
ty he is no longer master Of his ship.
Henceforward an unsuccessful voyage,
a wreck, bad commercial specula-
ton, would give his creditors right
to dismiss him from his vessel. And
all this for what2 Because he had lost
$4,000 at play. But what play had
flched from him, play might restore
to him. "Supposing he returned to
Monaco" he thinks. Perhaps this
time fortune may smile upon him.
What happiness if he could come
home and tell his wife, I have repair
ed all my losses, the Montretout is