Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-05-27
@gs IN TElsSIEu ssIERislss
them. and yet. when tAey rose from

L i
| While the "thers we've giving sap
per to the musicians. their chief
came to me again.
Ny little old chap, YOU dc, NOT
eat, you do not drink. you dc, not
dance. How do you amuse sour-
self Are you fond of cards p And
at the same time he drew q pack
from his pocket.
All thought I. now he wants
to know how much money have
with me.
Il don't understand any game Of
cards, | replied.
Il will teach you in a moment.
Ii Is very easy. See | place one
card here. another there; YOU cover
one. | the other. and the first who
draws court-card wins.
He went on explaining to me
from point to point kind of lans-
quenet, as il had not lost two es-
tates at that game ! was obliged,
however. to relearn it from him.
What could | do: Sit down and
play with him. had in my peck
ct certain amount of copper coin,
which decided to risk and which
| spread out upon the table.
What's that You do not in
tend to play with coppers here ?
And he took from his pocket q
handful of Austrian zweizigers and
ducats. also had some sweizigers
in my pocket. | placed one If
them, tremblingly, on card. Il
was a court-card, and won. The
thief paid. For nothing in the
world would have dared TO pocket
that money, so left it on the ta-
BILE. won twice, thrice, and eachs
time ! left my winnings on the ta-.
BILE. The fourth, fifth, sixth time
it was still | whom fortune favored (
l began to feel excessively warns
My position was dreadful playing
cards with q brigand aud winnins
his money steadily. The seventA
time | won again. | had whols
string of sweizigers spread out bf-
fore me. The cold perspiratioa
ran down my brow. Why hadI
not the same luck at Pozoni during
the sitting of the Diet contiA-
ued to leave my winnings upon the
table, while silently murmure,s:
Heaven grant that may lose this
money!
Vain prayer; for the eighth tiiae
| won again. This time ! certain
ly thought ] was marked for death.
The wretch said to me laughingsy.
You are probably one of the iair
Countess's unhappy lovers. for tou
win outrageously, my little old chap
He dared to laugh at me !At
the ninth turn | was trembling in
every limb. | won again. 'fhe
robber struck a fierce blow on she
table, and still laughing, said
Listen, little old chap; if you
go on at this rate, shall lose a
province in an hour
lie gathered up what remaiaed
of his money OH the table, aud RISE.
| offered to return him the INN
that | had won, bnt be eyedtme
from head to foot with the hat.gh-
tiness Of hidalgo.
For what do you take me- Put
up that money, or | will pitch sou
out of doors with your sweizigtfs.
Then ] took the whole lot and
threw it to the tisganes.
1t was only when il was too tste
that ! understood that ! had jpst
committed foolish act: for | Had
myself bad declared my own wealth..
The tisqaRes surrounded me, beg
ging me to let them play the tune
liked best. i got rid of them iby
sending them TO the Countess.
The madcap soon made her choiSe.
With her SIRENS voice she Begin
the popular air ::
Ny home Is In the desert 4
In winter and in summer"
She sang 40 well and with sukh
irresistible charm that fancitd
myself in my box at the Pesth ca
siDo, and set to work to applakd
her. The brigand chief applaudeG
also, and was kind enough, in his
turn, to regale as with tune. lie
drew out a fute and played soms
rustic melody. What il was do
not remember.
1T is your turn now, nv littlf
old chap. Sing us something /.
This demand embarrassed nae:
me. How could I sing when | was.
in a state of mortal anguish