Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-05-22
A GUILELESS VETERAN.

btlteISnaW came TO be q member of the
Greviile Club, but, on the other hand, no
one particularly cared. He was, as a mat
ter Of fact, an original member, but ne had
been abroad for some years, and when he
returned the character Of the Greville had
undergone very considerable transforma-
ton. It had once been a sober and steady
institution, frequented chiefly by barristers
journalists and rich city men, who PLAYED
mild whist before dinner and slept COM
fortably over the smoking-room fire in the
evening; but, for some reason or another
men about town gifted with cash rather
than with brains took to joining the Gre
Vile, and it sprang with comparative sud
denness into fashion, and even notorietv.
Fast young gentlemen agreed that it was
the correct thing to belong to it; the old
members dropped off one by one. and fbe
Greville acquired i reputation as the haunt
o. gay sparks, who had sat ND till unbal-
lowed hours Of the morning. summed off
deTlIed bones and champagne, and plaved
cards and billiards for stakes which would
have gTicvously Mortified the old habitues
had any OF them been left TO tell the tale
Ii was q; this period that Mr.. Buttershav
returned from foreign parts, and he found
no ulinculty whatever in scrapiug an &c
qualntance, and even an intimacy, with the
new generation. Mr.. Buttershaw had il,
tact, many qualities which enabled him to
SHINE IN The society which freuu nted the
Greylllc. He was middle-aged but we'll
preserved man, with q considerable flow Of
anecdotc and large and varied experience
OF lie lie seemed to have plenty of mon
eY, gave capital dinners, drove smart
phaeton, ana always appeared to have suffi-
Gent spare time 10 join in any festiyitv
winch happened TO be proposed to him
but there was one popularity about Mr.
Buttershaw which endeared him to his new
associates even more than all the rest put
together, and this was his persistent ill-luck
at cards. Not that he gambled very high.
or lost very heavily, but he never won: and
the punters at the Greville speedily recog-
nized The fact that for Buttershaw to sit
down az the card-table meant the distribu-
ton OF at least $50 among the company.
Wherefore they voted him a capital fellow,
were always ready to dine with him. drive
with him, and win his money; and in their
hearts looked upon him as a poor pigeon
who had been sent among them by a mer-
cltu! Providence for the express purpose of
being plucked
Now, among the members of the Gre
vile there were mobiles of high degree, be-
sides baronets of more or less ancient lin
cage, and commoners of wealth and dis
Iihctlon, ana with all these personages Mr..
contrived to get, not merely
friendly, but familiar. Thus, when the
Duke OF Omnium was making up shoot
ing party at Gatherum Park, some intimate
Trend was sure 10 say, Ask Buttersbaw
hes very harmless, and he ALWAYS loses -
when Sir Hector Flash wanted to eniov the
society Of few stars of burlesque at Green
witch OF Richmond, Buttershaw was gener-
ally invited, for he was never in the way,
and was invariably willing to devote him
self to the oldest and plainest member of
the company, thus smoothing over ali
manner of unpleasant jealousies and heart
burning when Mr.. Crnsus gave dinner
he alw.. asked Buttershaw, for he never
mad8 d mistake in praising the wrong
wines, and was sure to discover some beauty
IN Mr. Croesus pictures or china which had
hitherto been overlooked So Mr. Butter
shaw became universal favorite, and the
members of the Greville, especially those
Who had won money from him, united in
wishing long life and prosperity to SO use
ful and desirable acquaintance.
IT has previously been SAID that Mr. But
tershaw gave capital little dinners. the scene
OF which was generally laid in his comfort
able chambers in Jermyn street. and on
one OF these occasions he invited the Duke
of Omnium, Sir Hector Flash, Mr.. Crosus.
and one or two more congenial spirits,
to meet his old friend, General Barnabas,
of the United States Army, who had never
been in England before, and wished to see
a little Of London life.
He's capital old sportsman. Barna-
bas said Mr.. Buttershaw to Sir Hector :;
" has been everywhere, bar England, and
done most things. In fact, ne has only one
fault that know Of
" And what is that?' inquired the Baro-
net
Why, nothing will induce him to play
cards
"Oh, wen soon get him over that -
Well l wish you would, for, of course
its ! nuisance when one man insists upon
standing out; but don't think YOU will be
successful. However, there's no harm in
trying
The evening duly arrived, and Mr.. But
tershaw's guests were presented to the Gen
eral who received them with stately and
old-fashiOned courtesy He was a white
haired old gentleman, of a spare erect fig
ure and wore very large spectacles. through
which he beamed upon the company in
benevolent and genial manner. During
the meal he told many curious stories of his
adventures, his marked American accent
adding much to their point, while his re-
freShing innocence of certain subjects
amused his hearers vastly. He had never
made bet in his life, had only twice en-
tered q theater, and seemed to know as
much about women as a hermit.
This old simpieton will be the death of
me" whispered the Baronet to the Hon.
Paul Punter, who made one of the party.
Hush !" said Mr.. Punter, you mustn't
Chaff him too much. He may have re-
yolyer in his pistol-pocket, though he is
such an innocent"
After dinner not much time was lost in
getting to business. Mr.. Buttershaw had
invested in small roulette table, at the
earnest solicitation of his friends, and. after
a short discussion, it was decided to try
how it worked, just for beginning But
all Sir Hector's attempts to make the Gen
eral Join in were fruitleSs. On being We
hemently pressed to declare the reason for
his reluctance, the old man at length mod
estly acknowledged the cause of his scru-
piles.
The fact is he said, " that have only
gambled about three or four times in my
life, and upon each occasion have won
very considerable sums of money. Now, of
course. some one must have lost, and
cannot bear to think that l may have been
the cause of unhappiness, and even of pow
erty."
But, my dear sir" laughed Sir Hector,
"some one must win and some one must
lose. If YOU always win l should advise
YOU to stick to it. l only wish that l al
ways did"
The General monrpfnlly shook his head.
" have known so mucn misery, ne con-
tinued, come from gambling men
may play, that is not my affair, but you
must really excuse me. The last time re-
member and be appeared to be lost in
melancholy reflections.
Well, what happened then p
was induced to play game called po-
ker. believe there is such game, is there
not 7'
believe there is, chuckled Mr. Pun
ter
ID not understand ii at all, y continued
- General. We played with counters
and merely did as | was told; but at the
end of the evening found had won, gen
temen, no less than sixty dollars y
The other gentlemen seemed to be seized
with violent fits of coughing; but the Gen
eral was evidently oblivious of his sur