Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1894-02-16

escaped falling to the floor.
With q weary brain and trembling
legs, he threw himself upon long
leather safe which surrounded the
gambling table.
For several minutes he looked
vaguely about these private gambling
rooms where he had spoiled the most
beautiful years of his youth, recog-
niZed the worn features of the differ
ent gamblers, cruelty lighted by the
great shaded lamps, heard the soft
clinking of the gold upon the green
table, felt that he was ruined, lost,
and remembered that he had at home,
in the drawer of the commode, pair OF
pistols which had once been the prop
erty of his father, General de Hern,
when he was captain; then, only,
worn out with fatigue, he fell into q
profound sleep.
When he awakened, his mouth dry
and parched, he ascertained by glanc-
ing at the clock that he had scarcely
slept a quarter of an hour, and he felt
an overwhelming desire to breathe the
fresh, cool, night air. The hands OF
the clock pointed to a quarter of an
hour of midnight. As ne arose and
stretched himself, he remembered that
it was Christmas eve, and with an
ironical play of the memory, he saw
himself little child and putting, be-
fore he went to bed, his shoes in front
of the fireplace.
tbtg Afl Il,a,r1-, d,
pillar of the place, typical Pole,
wearing rusty, long coat, trimmed
with braid and large ornaments, ap-
preached Lucien and muttered these
words through his gray beard;
'Lend me five francs, sir. 1t is now
two days since | have not left the
club, and during these two days |
have not seen seventeen win. You
may laugh at me, if You wish, but
will cut of my right hand if soon. at
midnight, this number is not the
one.
Lucien de Hern shrugged his shoul-
ders. He had not even enough in his
pockets to give to that beggar, whom
the frequenters of the place called
''les cents sous du Polonais He
passed into the anteroom, took his hat
and coat and went down the staircase
with Il feverish agility.
Since o'clock, when Lucion went
into the club, the snow had been fall
ing steadily aud the street-a narrow
one IN the centre of Paris, with high
houses on eth n side was white with
snow In the calm, black blue sky
the cold stars scintllated,
The ruined gambler shivered in his
furs and began Ia walk rapidly, turn
ing over always IN his mind those
hopeless thoughts aud dreaming more
than ever of the box of pistols which
awaited him IA the drawer of his com
mode but after having taken several
steps, he stopped suddenly before Il
heart-rending spectacle.
Upon IA stone bench, placed accord
ing 60 an old custom near the large
door ct private house, n little girl
scarcely six or seven wears old, dressed
IA a ragged black irock, was sitting iu
the snow. She had fallen asleep there
despite the eruel cold, IA pitiml at
titudr ct fatigue and detection, and
her poor httle head and tins shoulder
had dropped into corner at the wall
and we're resting upun the ley stone
our oi the old wooden sboes sith
which the child was shod had fallen
from the fnat which sas hanging
iown. and las dfearily before hef,
Mechanically luelcu te liorn put
his hand a. hls yest pocket bat he te
msmbcfed that % momeat before ha
,Ad u0t inl eson lrane, aa.i thai b.
could uui eise iro lu the club ssitef
neyefthslcss, pushed hy an instructive
sentiment ui pits, ho approached lhe
llile sifi. an4 ~ atafls,t peF haI,s. O.
raise hef "a his stas ani a. Rlss 81 :
place ni heltef .uf ihe night. ha
saN aHHethiHA sliasen in tAf
which tat lsllsH Ifam hrf lelt
" beat ufsr "a, Is Naa a e., hik
HHe ifaAe pieces
4 fhafltallN Hfman s0iHsu. aa
anahi haA lii fhsl sal. hal sla
- tHHi hf'atma ast thai shss thai
hAi ialifH 81 hsai ai iha alfapl6
eblld aht aihHa fss leHehIaa
lsssad. shs sal salslslll rl.ssl Sass