The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-07-02
Colonel Weston Relapse


teAEglftery CORPS .uaQs been an lltVefeFaLe
gambler in his ycunger days and, axe
most men who have seen tstde folly 6f
ii, Became Ii his maturity an inxeter-
ate an opponent OF an games OF chance.
no one could say whether the eoloneIS
Opposition arose from an appreciation
| Of the evil results OF gambling or be-
cause 1t was a passion against which
Pie was constantly caIled upon to con-
tend. Certain It is that he had several
iapses, each of which rendered him
more impiacable toward the vice than
before = 81
ID When Colonel weston relieved Colo
mel Prices In cummand Of Fort sTv..
locRteds near large city, the latter re-
ported that he suspected several Of the
+ Junior officers of spending their
/, Leaves in Crockson's a gambling
house in town. Colonel weston, on MS
Stunning command, Issued an order
against gafnbiing threatening to court
martial any officer! FOUND gambling IN
a gaming house on charge of conduct
unbecomlng ancoftcer and-a gentleman
It As needless to, say that the threat
produced. eonsternation among the sub
alterns aud was the CHIEF topic of con-
versation at the juniors mess for three
whole days. 1t was decided that faro.
roulette and such games, aalide 1fasci.
mating by the-p araphernalid used, must
give place to- small game of poker at
the garrison. Bpt as none Of the young
men had any means except his ply
and winning from one another meant
nothing, the craving for the more sub:
stantfaI game returned lieutenant
Frank Oidershiw, yielding, to- the pas
ysion, having ObtatneEt a19ity leave,
dressed himself in citizep's clothes and
after the shades of hight had fallen
repaired with SO in his pocket. to
Crpcksop's for a little Investment.
+ No one except myself ever knew the
colonel's motive IN going to Crockson's 4
Indeed, the episode was only known to /
two or three of the juniors-f rienls OF
Oldershaw.r The colonel ana L had
been tchums at West Point, and be told
me the whole affair long after it oe- I
Cured. 1t was supposed by Oldershaw
and his friends that the colonel went
ITO Crocison's -as -ans Inspector. 1t was
not so. Weston was far above making
himself a spy to see that his orders
Were not dlsobeyed The truth is his
passion temporarily got the better OF !
him., ana he wanted ITO SEQ q NYlEaei i
once more. s-sargs 1T Il
Dldershaw risked n lot in disobeying.
( the order. He had nothing but his
pay, knew no. way Of making a living
outside the army and was engaged. to
| he married TO n lovely. girl. But no
man Is worth much for soldier unless
he will take chances, and If Older
shaw's fitness Tor the army were
/ gagged by his recklessness ehe would
have stood at the highest notch He /
knew perfectly we'll that If ne was
caught g:unblinai atel Grocksen's. Fhe-
would he court snartialed, vaa& lie be
lieYed that Is colTt nlartialed he would
be cashiered, That meant not only tbe,
loss of his commission. but the l}frdpb-1
able loss of the girl he loved.
Oldershaw was 'Sittintg lit the tfoulette
table. He had wuu-tT4ce on the red
and was about TO ranch forth to taRe
his stake and; WitDli pgs7vlleu he leolzedrI
up fGnd.csaw tile colonel standing OF
posite watching him. Terror stricken, /
the yeEngster-sat paralyzed. The ma
chine spun again, aud The rcd turned
up, whether. Oldcrshaw Was too f.at
tlcd TO see it-or did NOT dare is take
in the money. doesn't linatfGr: hrr sat
perfectly sta. spcissif1iy Inc ,remembeg-
ed tin the coloneHs order referred to
gambling rather than being in Il place
whereqgambling was. going on ard 10
take -the money would he proof against
him. \ fourth Ime the bail fell on
the red, .mahing the maximum The
InacI1ilte was about ID be wHitlediaga!n
when thcfooIonel leaned over nnd.Aa!d i
to1tfe lf6utenanE