The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-13


Some charitable person, doubtless some
lady, had passed by, had seen on this Christ
mas night the little wooden shoe lying in
front Of the sleeping child, and, recalling
the touching legend, had placed there with
a secret hand a munidcent Offering, so that
this poor abandoned one might believe in
presents made for the infant Savior and
preserve in spite Of her misfortune, some
confidence aud some hope in the goodness
Of Providence.
y gold plecel It was several days Of rest
and riches for the beggar, and LucieD was
on The point of waking her to tell her this
when he heard near his ear, as In an hallu-
cinatOn, a vcice-the voice of the Pole, with
Its coarse, drawing accent, almost whisper
ing; ITS now TWO days since stirred out
OF the club, and for two days the II has
never turned up; I'll suffer my hand to be
cut of if that number does not turn up on
the stroke Of midnight
Then this young man of %, descended
from race OF honest men, who bore proud
military name. and who had never sweTved
from the path Of honor, conceived fright
full idea; he was seized with a mad, hySter-
zeal, m0nstrous idea. After glancing on all
sides, to make sure that he was alone IN the
deserted street, he bent his knee, aud care
fully Outstretching his trembling hand, lie
stole tie gold piece from the fallen shoe!
HuTTying then with all his speed he re-
turned to the gambing-hOuse, scaled the
~
ing the accused play-TOOm as the first stroke
Of midnight was sounding, placed the piece
of gold on the green cloth and cried:
=" stake on the 17P'
The II won.
With a turn of the hand Lucien pushed
the SO louis on to the red"
The red won.
He left the Y louis on the same color;
the :" red again won.
Twice he doubled three times-al-
ways with the same success. He had now
before him pile of gold and notes, and be-
gan to scatter stakes all over the board; the
dozen" the column" the number" all
the combinations succeeded with him. His
luck was unheard of-supernatural. It
might have been imagined that the little
ivory ball dancing in the roulette was mag
netized, fascinated by the eyes of this
player and Obedient to him. In a dozen
stakes he had recovered the few wretChed
thOuSand-frauc notes, his last resources
which he had lost at the beginning of the
evening.
Now, punting with two OF three hundred
louis at time, and aided By his fantastic
vein Of luck, he was on the way to regain
ing, and more besides, the hereditary CAPT
tai lie had squandeTed in so few years, and
recOnstituting his fortune.
In his eageTneSS to return to the gaming
table lie had not taken off his fur coat
Already he had cTammed the large pockets
Win Uuuulco VI uOltS anu IDulcduA VI
gold pieces, and not knowing where TO
heap his winnings, he now loaded the in
neT and exterior pockets Of his frOek coat
the pockets of his waistcoat and trousers,
his cigar case, his handkerchief-eYery-
thing that could be made to hold his money.
Aud still he played, and still he won,
like mailman, like drunken man! And
he threw handfuls Of louis OF to the pic
ture," at hazard. with gesture Of certainty
and disdain!
Only something like red-hot iron was
in his heart, ana he thought Of nothing but
Of the little meDdlcant sleeping in the snow
whom he had robbed.
''Is she still at the same spot? Surely
she must still be therel Presently-yes,
when l O'clock strlkes-I swear It'll / will
quit this place. / will take her sleeping
IN NY arms and viii carry her to my home
Will put her into my warm bed | will
bring her up, give her dOwry, love her as
If she were my own daughter, care for her
alWaysl alwaysl"