Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-09-21
The Daily Short Story
WINNING A WIFE.

Il
Russian aristocracy. during his stay
In the country was something terrible.
An officer. he said, who did not gamble
received no credit for ii, and the public
man who did not now and then run the
risk OF being ruined was considered to
be a stingy fellow and was lightly es-
teemed by his acquaintances.
81 know of one instance" continued
| the speaker, ''truthfully showing the
straits TO which a liberal player in Rus
| STA was reduced.
AT a grand ball on one occasion, to
| which / had been invited, n lady was
pointed out TO me as the Princess Au-
gustinoff. She was a charming wom-
/ an in spite of her age, still pleasing
through her well stored mind and fault
| less manners.
Now let me tell you her history.
Her maiden name was Mary -. She
| had been selected as maid of honor to
the czarina. who was greatly attached
to her. Her engagement at IS was,
| therefore, the natural consequence OF
possessing much beauty and wealth
and holding a high position.
"Peterhoff, her affianced. was n fine
| officer. having reached the grade Of ma
jor general at an age when most offs
GERS are serving as captains and lieu
tenants. But he did not play He was
often rallied about ii, and the car him
self had one day expressed wonder
thereat, saying, Come. general, let us
have n game of preference u
This was an invitation not to be re-
fused, but so great an aversion had the
officer TO gambling that he did not know
the rules of the game. Not know the
rules for preference exclaimed the
car, coughing. You must learn them,
my dear general \ little play drives
off ennui. There's Augustinoff. who
has reached the apex of perfection in
preference. He must instruct you
"Augustinoff was the best player at
court, prudent, skillful and inscrutable,
a man TO be avoided at cards. He I'M
dertOOk with real zeal the instruction
of Peterhof. but he could never infuse
into his mind his own GOODNESS and pru-
dence. Peterhof was hot ,headed and
played with a dash which oftentimes
made his game famous for the amount
of his winnings and losses
Gambling in n short time became
mania with him, and had it been neces-
sary he would have paid men to play
with him. On the occasion L am about
to describe he was found late in the
evening at the gaming table, where he
had passed most of the day. He had
won from his adversaries without in
terruption. Piled up before him were
almost 100000 rubles, not, TO speak OF
200 promises TO pay from brother Off
GERS.
I'm a burst Of exultation he eSclaim-
ed, L will stake my days winnings
upon the chance of n single gamer
How much? inquired Augustinof.
who had just entered the room.
"'Three hundred thousand rubles in
round numbers
81 accept your offerD exclaimed the
imperturbable Augustinoff.
1.-The game for some time was equally
we'll conducted. After an hour or two
General Peterhoff was noticed to move
toward Augustinoff 100000 rubles.
Hardly had the night reached the hour
of when the bewildered general had
lost every ruble of his days winnings. E
"'Now for retaking the citadel! he
exclaimed.
1.-THE game continued, the gains of
Augustinoff continued, and before the
dawn of day-and the nights are long
in Russia-the aid-de-camp of the car
had parted with his vast landed prop
erty in the central provinces, his pos
sessions at Moscow and his castle at
Ukraine.
"Rising from the table. he filed and
emptied his glass several times. walk
ed up and down the room, passing his
finally returning again to hisiseat. OPP
posite still sat Augustinof, who ap-
peared to be amusing himself with cut
ting and shuf1ing the cards.
Bending over him, Peterhoff said In
a low whisper: 1t is not day yet,
Augustinoff. Do not rise
And is there yet left some hidden
treasure, general?
with livid lips and contracted brow
he .gasped: And you are ready to take
IT, Augustinoff? You love the same
woman as 1.-The woman to whom am
engaged
"The cards were again taken up, but
both seemed loath to begin the game
Augustinoff possibly at the thought
that the princess might not fulfill the
conditions of the victory, Peterhoff at
the thought of his wrecked career and
future despair.
"At the cut the antagonists paused,
like wrestlers overcome with fatigue
and impending defeat. The trick bal
anced at the first seal.
"a bold play was now ventured on
by Peterhoff which should have
brought him victory. 1t brought him
defeat, however. His frenzy had
passed away. He was covered with
profuse perspiration.
1.-The agreement was carried out to
the letter. The cars aid-de-camp,
however. obtained permission to join
the army in active service. He depart
ed for the front and never returned
more.
And the princess? She paid the
pamhIer,s debt and hecarna the wife of