Wichita eagle., 1888-02-23
A GAME OF BACCARAT.

monsieur j. nA0 otIIVeO ~ Inc ago
Of 10 years without ever having been Bit
ten by the passion for play. Intelligent,
of good family, started in life under the
happiest auspices and fitted in every way
for an exalted position, he had succeeded
in attaining It beyond even his greatest
expectations. Assuming at an early age
the full control Of business created by
his father, he had given to the house, after
his death, . development that placed it in
the first rank Of commercial industries,
and him In the List Of millionaires.
At 80 years Of age-that is to say, at the
proper age for marriage-he had taken for
his wife Mademoiselle T, daughter
of . merchant occupying, like himself, .
high position In the commercial hierarchy.
His wife was beautiful and charming, and
D. himself handsome and with dis
tinguished air. Two lovely children had
come to bless this well assorted couple,
and it was not to be wondered at that he
was looked upon - man truly favored
by fortune.
But there came day when all this was
altered, and q terrible catastrophe fell
upon this fortunate and happy family.
One excessively hot evening as D, who
had already sent his wife and children to
the country and expected soon to go and
join them, leisurely descended the street
smoking his cigar, he passed before the
cafe of the Boulevard Montmartre. Sud
denly he felt Q hand laid familiarly upon
his shoulder II was one Of his Oldest
and best friends, the advocate Z, q
man Of considerable celebrity in the Pa
risian world.
But why are you alone on the boule-
ward" e. demanded, after greeting
him cordially. ''Are your wife and chill
dren ont Of the city"
Yes" answered D., "and I am
walking Oh my ennui.'
And ], as usual, am on my way to the
club. But what are you going to do with
yourself this EVENING"
THAT cannot tell you; perhaps go
into the Vaudeville for q moment"
Don't think Of it; renounce the idea
and spend q bachelor evening with me, {"
cried =. 1--WE will 20 to the club to-
gether and will present you to some
friends. Do you agree!'
willingly" responded D., and q
quarter Of an hour later they made their
entrance in the temple Of play, where
D. was received with the greatest cor
diality.
This club Of NJ. ., you must under
stand, was by no means what is termed
gambling hen;'' nevertheless, they
played there for very high stakes. The
advocate himself, one of those cool and
methodical men who preserve under all
circumstances the faculty Of knowing how
to control their passions, played a great
deal, but without ever losing that pru-
nj Nr,hS a1, ho or 90
his character. Moreover, he had been
the nerve not to s'fOrce his luck' and the
patience to wait until the goddess changed
her mind.
Z, however, had not brought his
friend to gamble, and only, after asking
his choice, seated himself at table where
baccarat was going Oh.
do you know" said he at last, chat
this is the hrst time you ever put your foot
in the club!''
"Of course" replied D.; "but now
that am here. l shall 60 to the end; one
game won't ruin me-" and he seated him
self at the table and began to play. He
played, very naturally, like all debutants
and beginners, and, to win back his first
loss Of 100 francs, left 10, 600 more in the
hands OF the banker.
1t was O'Clock in the morning when
the two friends found themselves again on
the boulevard, still discussing the charms
of baccarat. NJ. D., delighted and in
different to his 10, 900 francs, animatedly
explained to . that his play was SINH
lar to moves he had frequently to make in
the commercial world; and that he had
really been compelled to risk 1000 to win
back his 100.
"Y0u are wrong" said the skeptical
lawyer; "but there is no use arguing with
you. Nevertheless, will tell you this
play is like certain women-you may
safely make Of it q pastime, but never a
passion. You must be strong enough to
resist its Vaccinations always; in short, you
must master 1t, Il you would not be its
slave"
With these words the two friends separ-
ated, D. returning Immediately to his
homo.
The following evening, as NJ. q got
up from the dinner table and prepared for
his club, the bell rang loudly and the
servant announced q visitor. It was
D., who looked somewhat embar-
raised.
~ have not rejoined my wife, as 1 ex-
pected," said he, land if you are going to
the club again, why, I have come to 60
with you"
"Ah, har' laughed his friend, '.it's bac-
carat that Is tempting you, is its''
No, no, not in the least; Isimply have
nothing else to do"
And this was said in . light and in
different tone, but Z was not de-
ceived. Somewhat uneasy, he took his
friend with him, IS he desired, but he also
gave him some new advice.
Vain admonitions! for this evening
D. lost more than 20, 600 francs.
"Will you take good counselp' said
Z to his friend, As again they parted
for the night; do not play any more, and
l cannot conceal from you that sincerely
regret having taken you to the club"
Perhaps you are right" D. re-
piled, and the next day he took the train
and departed for the country.
But it was already too late, for when
one puts bis finger in the wheel the whole
body il bound to follow. At the end Of
eight days NJ D. could stand it no
longer, and made urgent business the pre-
text for leaving his wife and returning to
the city. He was heartily ashamed of
what he was doing, but all the same, re-
sistance WAS impossible. He took good
care, however, not to seek his friend .,
but. on the contrary, avoided him
scrupulously. He did not desire to have
him for . mentor, nor to hear him re-
preach himself for having introduced him
to the club.
'In future" said D. to himself, 81
shall play according to my own idea; then
/ shall be sure to win"
Unfortunately all gamblers think the
same. The evening Of his arrival from
the country, at the hour when Z was
hahifuallH NJ tia clnh D. sranN fha