The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-09
THE GAMBLERS REVENGE.
Too Late He Found That His Wife Had
Been Slandered.

Been Slandered.
Night after night in large gambling
house in San Francisco may be seen n
gray -haired man whose sad face tells the
story of some great trouble. He never
plays, but seems always there, ever ready
to speak kind word to the unfortunate
youth who has staked his all and lost,
and by good influence start him auew-.on
the right course. Many are the young
men whom he has saved from suicides
very firm friends since then, and one
night he told me his life story, which 1
put in his own words:
"Many years ago, my boy, I, like you,
was constant habtue of the gambling
table in the very house where first met
| you. Success seemed always to attend
me, although had large fortune, and
could afford to lose occasionally. An
other frequenter of the place was man
named Allen Richmond, who, one even
ing, invited me to his house. 1t was
there l met the original of that picture
you see there, who was introduced as
Miss Aline Richmond, the daughter of
the old man.
II did not notice the apparent poverty
of the house in the presence of this beau
| tiful girl. Words failed to describe her
loneliness. Eyes that shone like stars, a
perfect complexion and features and n
superb figure, whose beauty was enhanced
by her dress, plain, though neat. Needless
to say that L fell deeply in love with her,
and the play was no longer an at traction.
Very soon I asked Richmond's consent
to win his daughter, which was given af.
ter a little seeming hesitation. Then pro-
| posed to Aline, and was made supremely
happy by her confession that she loved
me and would become my wife as soon
as wished. In n month we were mar
ried, and then followed year of such per
feet happiness-happines that was too
perfect to last. 1t is the only bright.spot
in my life, and my own folly destroyed it,
| 81 had been constantly supplying Rich
mond with large sums of money, but had
lately refused to give him any more
Had 1 only kept away from the gambling
house all my subsequent misery and re-
morse might have been avoided, but one
night the old mania came over me and L
could not resist. AS in the old days, l
| won steadily. Richmond stood near.
Wife, home, time, all was forgotten in
the excitement of the game. My oppo.
nent staked his last dollar and-Iost. He
rose from the table, his face white as
death. Listen, he said, you win and 1
lose. That means hunger and rags for
my wife, but diamonds for the woman
| you call yours. God alone knows whose
| wife she is, for Richmond took her from
the streets. 1t was plot between them
to gain possession of your wealth. His
daughter! Richmond was never m, arried
in his life.'
s'For moment was stunned; then 1
looked at Richmond One glance at his
face was enough. My God what fool
had been, and / thought her so pure, so
innocent. But one thing was sure, she
should share my wealth no longer. AS
in dream l left the place and went to
q hotel. Fromethere | dispatched note
to my wife.
Richmond has told Inc your past
shall not return to my house until you
have left it forever Go back to the
streets. l never wish to see your face
again
"When had returned home she had
gone, never knew where. Months pass
ed into years and no one knows the an
guish..of that time. Then one day came
a letter from Richmond-a death bed con-
fession. He had paid the gambler to
speak the words that ruined my life in
! revenge for my refusal to give him more
money Aline was innocent of any plot.
She was his sisters child brought up as
his own, because of her mothers wick
edness. He knew through my blind
wrath and her pride his infamous plan
would succeed. My poor, wronged wife,
hired private detectives, advertised, did
all that any one could do to find her, but
! in vain. Then at last, after all but my
self had lost hope, she came home.
Zone evening as returned home from
day OF weary search for her a servant
met me in the hall, and, pointing to the
door of the parlors, said in broken
voice; She is in there, sir, but, oh, so
, changed With q bound was in the
room. Oh, my boy, she had come; and
gone again. found her cold and dead
on the carpet, crimson stain on her lips
Beautiful still, even with that dreadful
look of suffering on her face I cannot
speak more of that time. Until they
carried her to the grave never left her.
knelt by her side, begging her to for
give, but the loved voice could not an
swer. Then she was laid at rest and
was alone, alone with the burdens of re-
morse and grief. / must not forget to
tell you that she left note for me, say
ing that when she knew death was near,
she must come back to die in the home
that had been so dear.
"This is the story of my life-a life
darkened by too hasty judgment. This
is the secret of my interest in all young
men, that by helping others may, in a
measure, atone for my own sin, for my love
and life was lost at the gambling table. -
Boston Post.