The Goodland republic., 1902-07-04
How a Life Was
Lost and Won q

A lhEJ from uEdu 10 1OOG IL
n solemn black, speaking not
superfuOus word to guest or menial,
methodicaI In every movement, Of
presence which at once inspires re
spect and almost reverence-such Is
the personality of an old, white
haired man, who, a few months ago,
attracted the attention of all who
saw him during his sOjoUrn at the
Westminster chambers
From day to day the curiosity Of
the other guests of the hOstelry
grew. Men were sent by their wives
to try to get the mysterious person
age to talk, but in vain They were
always met with courtesy and re-
sPectfuI words, but like a snail the
old gentleman would draw back into
his shell of silence as soon as ne dis
covered that mere curiosity was the
instigatOr of the conversation.
Dick Davis, who covered the
hotels for one of the daily papers,
had laid the most intricate plans, by
the use OF which he hoped to way
lay the silent stranger, but each and
every one was frustrated. At last,
being almost driven to despair, ne
decided to forget all schemes and
plots and simply send his card to the
man in question, with an accompany
ing note, seeking an interview.
What was the surprise of the
young newspaper man to receive an
answer which informed him that the
request would be granted.
He proved to be no less a person
age than Col. Thomas Sheldon, Of
New Orleans, now nearly 90 years
old, who has been first a prosperous
and happy cotton planter, next
dissOlute gambler and spendthrift,
and now is known all over the cOun-
try as phiIanthropist and general
well-dOer.
The colonel rose as the reporter
entered the room, and on motioning
the younger man to a chair, said:
'Of course, Mr.. Davis, after hear
ing my name, you are partially ac-
quainted with the story of my event
full life. 1t was my intention to keep
secret to myself the full story of my
downfall and subsequent rise as long
as life lasted, but when your card
was sent to me to-day realized that
perhaps my story would serve as a
lesson to younger men than myself,
and so I have decided to tell YOU
how my life was lost and won again
4 must ask you to imagine your
self in the beautiful cotton country
of Louisiana as it appeared in 1858.
was happy man in those days, a
prosperous cotton planter of many
acres, and possessing as fine a body
of slaves as ever worked for one
master.
But all this had become mine
through Inheritance, and I was not
so happy on their account as I was
over something which I knew I had
gained by my own individual efforts.
This was my wife-so young and
glorious.
''When she first came into the old
plantation house 1 gave up all the
bad habits which, as a youth, I had
acquired, I thought, never to be re-
instated in my nature, for how could
a man cause such a wife as she to
be sad?
''But my happiness was of short
duration. One morning, less than a
yearfrom the time she had first tripped
up the long stairway, she was carried
down in her coffin.
The days went by very slowly then.
/ had lost my interest in the plantation.
and when the time came for the annual
trip to New Orleans to dispose Of my
cotton crop I plunged with friehtfuI
energy into the life OF dissipation
which had left on being m arried.
As soon as returned to the fields, I
grew restless There is no need to re-
count all my visits to the metropolis. as
no new features developed except a
fOndness for the gaming table, which
grew stronger and stronger. until I dis
covered that all my available funds
had gone and that heavy mortgages had
accumulated on my once prosperous,
but now sadly neglected. plantation.
AT last I decided to have a last try
at the gaming board, and if that were
not successful, to end my unhappy and
unfortunate life and seek rest in the
great unknown Accordingly. I raised
as much as possible on all the property
which was not eneumberes1. When ]
reached New Orleans I had Just ten
dollars IN the form OF a teR-dollar gold
piece, besides IS, 600 in bills of large de-
nominations.
q was TO 60 to the club, the Abe
marie, now extinct, where all the high
playing was being done, and risk all IN
mad venture to win back my honor
and my home. If unsucces sfuI. I de
cided to put an end TO my miserable life