Semi-weekly herald., 1907-11-28

rdssWent After moment or two of
hesitancy he confessed that he had
absolutely no money, and that his
credit at the cafe was no longer good
His guests were in like plight: but
the young student was determined that
he would dine with the great man.
even II he had to borrow the none
and at once started out TO eject a
loan. He succeeded in raising twenty
francs, and the party started for th.
restaurant
On their way they passed a Gee,
brated gambling house. and, with the
consent OF the other two. Rousseau an
tered and risked ten francs. which he
promptly lost Just then another ac-
quaintance came along. and the three
told him what had been done He
expressed sympathy. but explai1nc
that from the proceeds OF paw1.ps
his watch he had only three ana :,
half francs left.
Better try again. since thirteen and
half francs is OF little use AMONG
four" said Rousseau. and put the tc
naming ten into his hands
Within few minutes the chances OF
roulette had swelled the thirteen and
Il half francs to sixty. TWENTY-FIVE
irancs were spent on dinner, and tue
four returned to the gambling house
with the remaining thirty-hve. The
lucky member of the quartet WAS m
structed to continue the play for the
benefit of all. and in a few minutes
more he had won eight hundred francs.
Each member OF the party thereupnn
took two hundred and began to play
for himself. Ronsseau gaily stakeG
his entire amount. and quickly RAJ. it
up to two thousand francs. Imme-
tliately. his friends laid violent hands
on him. hustled him out of the place
and compelled him to settle his ionG
standing account at the Cafe du Roi
so that he might establish new credit
Tor other rainy days.
Veron returned TO the samL.iGg
house next day and risked one hun
dred francs. winning twelve louis OF.
For nearly three months he continued
10 gamble in this systematic manner
winning about one hundred francs 4
day, and sometimes considerably rofe.
hut never pluuging recklessly. His
luck became proverbial in Paris. 50
that one OF the most notorious pro
fessional gamblers congratulated him
by saying. 1T is impossible to play
with more good luck or with more
good sense"
But the time came when the desire
to play for higher stakes could not
be resisted. He began by betting ten
louis at a time. In a day or two
he had won three thousand francs in
this way. 1t was Only n step to the
next stage: soon he was risking Ave
hundred and a thousand francs at a.
time, and doubling the stake il he
was not Immediately successful. The
end came when, starting in the morn
ing with bad luck. he visited every
gambling house in Paris during the
day, and returned to his lodgings ~
the evening with scarcely enough left
to buy bis breakfast the next morn
ing. With true philosophy, he imme
diately returned to his studies. telling
his friends that he had seen much Of
. side OF life with which he bad been
unacquainted, but that his work had
suffered as he would never allow it
SO suffer again.
Richard Bourchier was by birth
gentleman. but his fondness for the
gaming table brought bis fortunes to
such low ebb that he was glad to &C
cept position as footman to the Earl
of Mulgrave. While in service. he
married woman who had saved a
hundred aad fifty pounds. This was
quickly lost at cards, and Bourchies
found himself in sore straits. He
managed, however. TO borrow twenty
pounds from friend, and Immediately
returned to the tables. But under his
coat was a rope which he had pur-
chased In order to hang himself II
his back luck continued.
Better fortune was in store for him.
on this occasion. however. and the
rope was generously given to another
player who was in need of 1t but had
not the necessary twopence TO buy
one. The ex-footman won. not mere
l. on this evening, but for many even
ings afterward. Adopting safe tactics.
he accumulated fortune, and in
course of time wss admitted to the
prensence OF the king of France, from
whom he won fifteen thousand pie
toles. and TO the circle of the duke of
Orleans, from whom he took ten thou
sand. He gained other large sums.
many rich jewels. and a piece of en-
bergris valued at twenty thousand
crowns, which may be seen at this day
in the museum OF Venice. He Travelled
TO Flanders and won twenty-five hun
dred pounds from the king, and thirty
thousand from the duke of Bavaria.
He then returned to England and set