Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-11-24
WHO WAS IT?

was in jubilan; spirits. He even cracked
jokes, for the roulette was winning
largely.
So absorbing was it that the small fry
gamesters abstained from risking their
petty dollars and goldpieces and gazed
with a SOFT of awe at the heavy pile of
bank notes that accumulated in front Of
the croupier, as rich harvest under the
reaper's sickle. The excitement was at
its height when. just as midnight struck
on the bell of the neighboring cathedral,
there stood side by side with those mag
mates of the roulette table, without any
body having noticed how he came, gen.
tleman apparently 25 years of age. 1t
was such an apparition as could not but
compel instant attention. He was Of
middle height, fragile and spare of body
and elegantly proportioned in form.
His features were almost feminine and
of classic beauty, and yet, at the very
first glance, there could be detected in
them an undeinable expression which
gave warning that under this mask of
softness there lurked something to be
guarded against-hard iron or sharp steel
within an envelope of velvet or silk. In
tensely black were his hair, the beard on
LIS upper llp anu luSt4ouS Ss oA&NA
was his whole dress from head to foot,
its neatness evidencing the unmistakab Bile
cut of the fashionable artist. Black also
were his closely fitting gloves. His coat.
OF the finest cloth, was buttoned up TO
his chin and showed to advantage his
statuesoue bust. Altogether there could
not have stood in any princely hall
more aristocratic looking parsonage.
Id hn I'D Of
darkness.
This stranger - for nobody present
knew him-seemed to abstract himself
completely from his surroundings and
for awhile looked intently at the gaming
board, as if he meant to impregnate Ii
with the magnetizing fluid Of his will.
Then, suddenly addressing Sterlain, in
front of whom he had stationed himself.
"Sir.' he said in Spanish, with courte-
Gus bow and musical but somewhat me
tallic voice. ''are the stakes imited!,
NO briefly answered the surprised
croupier.
The unknown deliberately took off his
right glove, showing a hand which wo-
man might have envied. with long nails,
exouisitely shaped and pearly in color.
With it he drew out an apparently well
filed pocketbook Of black morocco, orna-
nented with gold clasps. He extracted
from it few bank notes, which he laid
on the table, saying calmly:
"My deal is for $4,000"
An electric shock seemed to have struck
the bysta1ders, and thrill shot through
every ones heart that almost stopped its
beating.
The wheel turned. The bank lost.
Take your plunder," shouted Sterlaln
with an oath.
NO. Let it stand. go the whole"
The ball was again set in motion, and
again fortune favored the Spaniard, who
by this time had become the only player,
all the rest gazing with absorbing inter-
est at the terrible duel which had evi-
IDENTIFY begun between the two adversa-
ries. Unused to such bad luck and to
such crushing loss, Sterlain appeared be-
side himself and. growing like an angry
mastiff, jumped up.
Excuse me, gentlemen" he said, Il
am out of funds and must apply to MIR.
Davis to replenish my bank"
A few minutes elapsed, during which
the Spectators remained clustered toseth-
er in profound silence and staring at the
lucky gambler, who, meanwhile, without
taking the slightest notice Of the sur
rounding crowd, kept his eyes steadily
fixed on the roulette as if buried in the
deepest meditation. @
Sterlain returned with his hands full.
"Why have you not removed your trash
and cleaned the board?' he said grutiiy
to the stranger.
Because" replied he, 81 choose to
leave it where it is and stake the whole
Sterlain, turned very pale and breathed
heavily, as if something pressed against
his chest. Again the ivory ball of fate
twirled in the bowl. Again it stopped.
The bank had lost. Up started Sterlain.
frenzied with rage, to get another supply
of those ample funds which Davis and
his associates always kept in reserve. On
his coming back Sterlain was SO demoral-
lied that all he could say to his adversa-
~, on whom he cast a bewildered look,
was, in a tone of frightened interroga-
ton, "Well, what next?"
81 stake all have on the board" was
the short reply.
Round and round went the roulette,
and for the fourth time the mysterious
stranger won. The total gain was enor-
nous.
''The bank is completely broken and
closes for tonight" Sterlain announced
with emotion, rendered almost inarticu-
late, and, vaulting over the table, he
rushed upon the Spaniard, brandished his
closed fists and exclaimed:
"In the foul fend's name, what have
you eaten today?"
The stranger had retreated few steps
at the threatened assault and stood still.
waiting for closer approach. With a
diabolcal, sardonic smile on his lips, with
look which froze the blood of the spec
tators and made Sterlain reel back as if
stiletto had struck him full in the
breast, the Spaniard, with perfect COM
posure, answered in his rich native Ian
guage, IF you are, amigo moi, interested
in knowing what have eaten today,
have no objection to telling you that it is
chocolate, senor."
The reader may laugh at this ridiculous |
finale, but we were assured by one of the
spectators than none of them was so dis |
posed at the time, so tragic was the in
tonation with which the stranger pro-
aounced in Spanish the word chocolate.
1t never was known who this man was
When he retired, he was followed By |
many who wished to crafty their curl
Dsity on that point.
But on reaching the street he jumped
into carriage which seemed to have
been improvised for the occasion and
drove furious.y away. That was the last |
seen of him in New Orleans. The prince |
of darkness was never better personated. |
Was he Mephistopheles? - American
Magazine.
Preserved Soap Bubbles.
IF ono xUiShoc fo r,,alyo SOan hys,b1pr |