The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-03-26


honeymoon What a contrast to their
journey of a few days since, when with
a clear conscience and a peaceful mind
the two young people thought only OF
love and the enjOyments of life! In a
few days both have aged many years,
and have riveted to their feet one Of
those convicts' eannon-balls which can
never be cast of. As soon as he
reaches Marseil1es the young American
goes to his banker, and with much
difficulty succeeds in borrowing the
sum which he needs; but thenceforward
his ship is no longer his own. This
fine, coquettish craft, of which for the
first time he was about to take COM
mand, this ship the purchase of which
had absorbed all his fortune and that of
his wife, this vessel on the stern Of
which shOne in golden letters the name
'MontretOut, 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 custom of the sea, he is still ''mas-
ter of his own ship after God, but in
reality he is no longer master of his
own ship. HencefOrward an unsuc-
cessful voyage, a wreck, a bad CONNER
/ cial speculation, would give his credit
/ ors a right to dismiss him from his YES
4 sci. And all this for what? Because
! he had lost four thousand pounds at
! play. But what play had flched from
/ him, play might restore to him. 'Sup-
! posing he returns 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 repaired all my losses;
! the MontretOut is again mine.'" Yes,
! he must play again, and yet again.
The young Captain returns to
Monaco. He plays and loses; he
! loses a second time and a third time,
and always. BY nine o'clock that
/ evening he has nothing left and despair
! seizes his whole being. He is an intel
! igent man, well educated, young; and
seated in the garden at Monte Carlo,
with his head buried in his hands, he
debates whether he shall not commit a
crime-whether he had not better throw
himself from the rocky heights into tie
sea.
Suddenly while putting his hand on
his heart, he touches something hard.
He feels in the pocket of his waistcoat,
and finds little case, which contains
cross of honor. He clutches the cross
with his nervous fingers, and at this
moment his sight grows dim, his head
swims, his legs give way, and he seems
to hear a voice which say: MY son, if
ever an evil thought comes into your
| mind, look at this cross; it will bring
you back to the path of honor and
duty
The young man rises with a 1ivid
face and distorted features; he casts a
look to the right and left like a MALE
factor meditating a crime; then he
hastens with rapid steps to the Cafe de
Paris. A man is seated at a table:
every one at Monte Carlo knows him
Shylock, who lends money on pledges.
He has only one god, and that god is
money.
The young Captain draws near the
table, and taking his fathers cross Of
honor from his pocket, says: Glow
much will you lend me on this crossP''
Give francs" answered the Jew,
after having examined it.
"Take it, and give me the five
francs"
He seizes the five-franc piece, and
returns to the Casino; he enters the
gambling saloon; he sees no one. He
is in high fever, his head burns, there
is a singing in his ears. his eyes fail
him. He goes to the table, and sees
nothing but mass of gold and n
| crown VI udIluS- Ous IuOSt .udIiUSs
What a sight they present.. Some are
| clinched, others seem to hesitate before
! releasing the twenty-franc piece which
they hold between their fingers; others,
| again, like devil-ish, appear to enlace
| the packets of bank-nOtes.
; William Burter in his turn puts forth
his hand. "My father" said he, "6ied
on the field of honor on January 10Th.
On number 10 play my last five-franc
piece-and my hOnori"
The ball turns, and stops at num-
Der Is.
'All is at an end,'' exclaims Will
liam, and he leaves the room.
Two days afterward a newspaper.
the PenSeirO di Nizza, contained the
following paragraph: "This morning,
: on the shore between Villefranche and
l Monaco, some sailors picked up the
corpse of a man about twenty-six years
l of age. In his pocket a visiting card
; was found inscribed Captain William
t Burter, commander of the Monroe
t tout It is not known whether his
/ death was the result of a crime OF OF
a suicide, "-Hdrper's Bazaar.