The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-02-04

Scenes Al The Isouiests Table In New
Orleans.

~"""''" 1900
table and losing heavily. His excite
ment grew more intense in proportion
as he lost AT last he became frantic
on perceiving that he no longer had
cent In his purse. He felt and fumbled
In vain with trembling hands all over
his wearing apparel. until in the pro-
found recess OF huge pocket in his
oyercoat he unexpectedly discovered u
bank note that seemed to have carefully
and prudenry hidden itself to escape
from the general wreck. Eagerly un-
rolling il. lie joyfully exclaimed by
heavens! II is for $1,000! I'll stake
1t in lump. Fortune fayors the bold
Then. leaning over the voracious board
OF black and red. As he raised his arm
TO fling bis last note on II. he caught
the eye of Sterlain. who occupied his
usual seat as dealer. and was kecniy
watching the movement. Immediate;
" the youth Strengthened himself up
still holding the bank note. and thus
apostrophizcd Sterlain: 'Ah, All. SEQ
that you greedlly expect this 81. 900
note to swell your pile. Well! you
shall not have itl and. 10 escape all
temptations. here il goes. Whereupon
he tw sted the note asif il had been waste
paper. and holding il up to the flame OF
the chandelier,he wrathfully hised these
words through bis clenched teeth:
Burn. my poor note. and eyaporate
into thin ar rather than be swallowed
up. like your lost sisters. by bloated
monster whose NAV yawns for you.
After this hs broke loose aud rushed
away amid the loud laughter of his
friends. who shouied: '.Brayol Bravow
We had in Louisiana at that time
many individuals full of original char
acier Among others was a member of
one Of our best families. whose name
was St Amant. with the additional
sobriquet of Bots Piquant Prickly
Wood. given him on account OF his ex-
treme loneliness. He was. however. q
good fellow and pleasant companion TO
those whom he liked. and really at the
bottom he had kind heart. but by a
freak of nature he had been coated all
over with the quilts of the fretful por-
cupine. and was more prone TO seek
than avoid quarrel. Fighting seemed
TO improve his digestion and humor.
aud he evidently. whether wounded or
not. felt better in consequence of that
stimulating exercise OF which he was
fond. He was not thus inclined from
malice prepense. but from uncontroll-
able temperament. Perhaps we would
have been more accommodating less
sensitive and aggressive. II he had not
had some cnuse TO be iidgcty and irrit-
able. lie had very light purse al his
disposal. Perhaps. also. as he was OF
gentle birth. poverty pricked his
pride and rufllcd his feathers. But be
II as IL may. Bots P.quant st. Amant
was but too ready TO crow. flap his
wings and strut deiiantly on his we'll
spurred legs. Nothing. above all. de-
delighted him more than to get into
difficulty on behalf OF friend.
One evening the Bots Piquant was
seated at the roulette tabie---not TO
stake anything but to look on. for he
had not silver piece to play on the
board. lie had at his elbow. seated
also at the table. one of the most In
nuential citizens of historical ancestry
aud hereditary wealth. Let De Nor
nay be his fictitious name. This gen
tleman had been playing heavily and
by lucky turn OF the wheel Of fortune
had won large sum. This frctted
Sterlain. who pushed with irritation a
big pile OF dollars toward Mornay.
saying: PAY yourself Mornay in
his turn showed IL to his ncighbor. Bois
Pquani. Take il oil for yourself my
friend. he said. IL don't accept what
IL SO boorishly handed to mos" and he
rose 10 depart Bois Piquaut coolly
began 10 count the money. making
piles after piles OF $40 each. and Mt tho
completion OF each pile repeated in q
stern tone: "Sir. IL Is not To mo that
you would have thus handed over this
money! This counting OF dollars and
repetition Of tho same words lasted
several minutes. The spectators OK
pocted. with much anxiety. an cxplo
sion Of wrath; but the bulldog did not
even snarl.
Not long after this incident another
one more severely tested Stcrlain'i
nervous irritability. IL was on Mard
Gras evening. Davis saloons were