Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-12-19
THE QUEEN OF SPADES.

The order of Prince William, forbid
ding the officers under his commans
fuon attending the Union club. wheT'
gambling IS extensively carried on
and following upon the order of Chan
cclior Bismarck in 1S76. closing al
public gambling places in Germany
has led TO many n discussion as to the
extent 10 which gambling is carried OF
in other parts OF the world.
An old diplomat. who had resided q
number Of years at st. Petersburg. be
ing ore of 4 recent company, averred
that the mania which possessed the
military officers. rs well as the whole
Russian ariStOeracy, during his stay in
the country was something terrible.
An ofiicer. he said. who did not gam
Bile. received no credit for it. and the
public man who did not. now and then,
run the risk of being ruined. was con
sielered 10 be 4 Stingy fellow. and was
lightly esteemed by his acguaintances.
4 know of one instance" continued
the speaker. '-truthfully showing the
straits 10 which Il liberal player in
Russia was reduced.
nj grand bali. on one occasion. to
which l had been invited. a lady WAS
pointed OF TO me as the Princess Au-
gUSIinOff. She was n charming wo-
man, in spite OF her age. still pleasing
through her well stored mind and
faGiEleSS manners.
Now let me tell VOC her history.
Ner maiden name was Mary -.
She had been selected rs maid of hon
or 10 the czarina, and was greatly at
tached to her. Her engagement at
eighteen. was. therefore. the natural
consequence OF possessing much beau
" and wealth and holding a high posi-
ton
-PeJerhcff. her affianced. was fne
officer, having reached the grade of
majcr general at an age when most
officers are serving as captains and
lieute1ants- But he did not play. He
was often rallied about it. and the car
himself had expressed wonder thereat,
saying: Come. general, let Us have a
game Of preference
This was an invitation not to be re-
fused; but so great an aversion had
the officer 10 gambling that he did rot
know the rules of the game Not
know the rules of preference:' ex-
Claimed the car. coughing. You must
learn theli, my dear general A little
play drives Of ennui- There's August
inon- who has reached the apex of
perfection in preference. He must in
strict you.-
-AuGustinoff was the gest player at
court-nTTdenT, skillful 5nd irscruta-
bic. Elm 10 be avoided at cards. He
untcrtocz with real zeal the instruc-
tiun OF Peterhoff: but lie could rever
infUse into lis mind his own oolness
AMI prudence. Feterhcff was hot
beaded. and played with dash '. hich
StIentilces made his game famous for
the amount of his winnin IS and losses.
Gambling in a short time became n
nlariI with him. aud had it .leeu Eeces-
Sary lie would have paid men to play
with hIIn- en- the occasion / am about
70 describe lie was found late in the
evening at ne gaming table. where he
hal PASSED most of the day. lie had
wo1 from his adyersaries without in
terrEp.ion. Piled up before lin were
almost 10000 roubles not TO speak of
2lsi DTcalises 10 pay from brother Off
GERS
IN a burst Of exultation he ex-
claimed: 1 will stake my days win
rings upon tie chance Of 4 single
game.
Now EluchT inquired An ustiuoff,
WHO .sd just entered therDoil.
Three hundred thousand rubles,
in r5gad numbers
accept your Offer. exclaimed the
fTHpeTturaJle AucIIstinOff
Tie game. for some time, was
equally well conducted. After an hour
or 50 Gen. PeteThoff was noticed to
move toward Au2r.stinOf 10000 ru-
bles. Hardly had the aiGnt reached
tie hour Of :; when the bewildered cen
eral had lost every ruble Of his days
winnings.
Now for retaking the CITADEL he
exclaimed.
The carsie continued. the gains Of
Au.ustindf continued, and before the
dawn Of day-anh the nights are long
IN Russia the aid-de-camp Of the ear
had parted with his vast landed prCp.
err in the central provinces, his pos
sessions il Moscow anG his castle at
Ukraine.
Rising from the table. lie filed and
eTGpfie1 his glass several times,
walked NJ ard down the room, passed
Il fingers ncfYOusIy through his hair,
h--sLAts AE5ht -ilAl- t-dili 10 lsS scar.
Opposite still sat Augustinoff. who ap-
peared to be amusing himself with
cutting and dealing the cards.
Pending over hin. Peterhoff said. in
q low whisper: 1t is not yet day, Au-
g1stinoff. DO not rise
and IS there yet left some hidd IN
treasure. gcnrral!'
With iiyid lips and contracted brow.
he gasDcd: And are you ready to take
it. Ausustinef? You love the same
woman rs 1.-the woman 10 whom
am engaged
The cards were again taken up. but
both seemed loatll TO begin-Augustin
of, probably at the Thought that the
princess might not fulfill the condi-
tons Of the victory. Peterhoff al The
thought Of his wrecked career and
future despair.
AT the cut the antagonists na,Isn
like wrcstiers overcome with fatiene
and impending defeat. The trick bal
anced at the first deal.
a bold play was now ventured on
by PeterlIOH which should have ,iyon
him yiotorys It brought him defeat.
however His frenzy had pissed
away. He was covered with profusc
perspiratiOn.
sssT.t,e