Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-06-24
DAILY STORY.
COLONEL WESTON'S RELAPSE.


it." became in his maturity an tnveter-
ate an opponent of all games of chance.
No one could say whether the cOlonels
opposition arose from an appreciation |
of the evil results OF gambling or be
cause it was Il passion against which |
he was constantly called upon TO con-
| tend. Certain it is that he had several |
| lapSes, each of which rendered him |
more implacable toward the vice than |
| before.
When Colonel Weston relieved Colo |
mel Price in command of Fort W., |
located near Il large city, the latter re-
| ported that he suspected several of the |
junior officers of spending their |
''leaves' IN CrocksOns. a gambling |
house i'll town. Colonel Weston, on as
Stunning command issued an order
against gambling, threatening To court
martial any officer found gambling i'll
a gaming house on a charge of conduct
lunbecoming an officer and a gentleman.
! 1t is needless to say that the threat
produced CONSERVATION among the o3b-
alterns and was the chief topic of con-
versation ut the juniors mess for three
| whole days. 1t was decided that faro,
roulette and such games, made fasci-
mating by the paraphernalia used must
give place to small game of poker at
the garrison. But as none of the young
men had any means except his pay
ana winning from one another meant
nothing, the craving for the more sub
stantal game returned. Lieutenant
Frank Oldershaw. yielding TO the pas
sion. having obtained Il city leave.
dressed himself IN citizens clothes and
after the shades Of night had fallen
repaired with SO i'll his pocket to
Crockson'S for little Investment.
No one except myself ever knew the
coloners motive i'll going to Crockson's.
Indeed, the episode was only known to
two or three of the iuniOrs-friends of
Oldershaw The colonel and | had
been chums at West Point, and he told
me the whole affair long after it oc-
I Cured. 1t was supposed 10y OlderShaw
5 and his friends that the colonel went
to Crocksons as an Inspector. 1t was
: not so. Weston was far above making
= himself a spy to see that his orders
d were not disobeyed. The truth is his
g passion temporarily got the better Of
70 him, and he wanted to see Il wheel
J once more.
OIdershaw risked a lot in diSOheyinS
the order. He had nothing but his
pay, knew no way of. making living
outside the army and was engaged 10
n be married to a lovely girl. But no
man is worth much for a soldier unless
J. he will take chances, and if Older
II shaw's fitness for the army We're
} gagged by his recklessness he would
: have stood at the highest notch. He
. knew perfectly we'll that if he was
e caught gambling at Crockson's he
: would he court martialod. and he be
Y lieved that it court martialed he would
be cashiered. That meant not only thl
= loss of his commission. but the prob
lie able loss of the girl he loved.
el Oldershaw was sitting at the roulette
T. table. He had won twice on the RED
b and was about to reach forth to take
If his stake and winnings when he looked
n up and saw the colonel standing OF
is poSite watching him. Terror stricken
the youngster sat paEalyzed. The ma
lie chine spun again. and the red turned
o. tied to see it or did not dare to- TAX,
De in the money doesn't matter; he sa
o. perfectly still. Possibly he remember
III ed that the coloners order referred T.
III gambling rather than being in plac
n where gambling was going on and f
n take the money would be proof agains
ee him. A fourth time the ball fell OF
o. the red, making the maximum. Th
machine was about to be whirled agall
when the colonel leaned over and sat
to the lieutenant:
lie Take up your money and GO
RS Oldershaw grabbed fistful Of coins
is showed them in his pocket. then al
'ir other and another fstful till he ha
", them all. and left the room. When b
le' reached the garrison he called scvera
~ of his most Intimate associates into hi
III quarters. told them that he had bee
nj caught by the colonel and the least h
on could hope for was permission to n
as sign.
The next morning shortly afte
guard mount the colonel's orderly NJ
peared at Oldershaw's quarters an
H. told him that he was wanted at heaC
us r,rortor., oI1o,sb,u ,,.bo was bo
vi dressed. would have preferred compile
~ ing his costume with sackClOth an
10 ashes, but the instincts of Il SOldit
~, prevailed. and he got himself in propt
, uniform to report in person TO his col
mel. When he entered the office IL
colonel was sitting at his desk. Ode
mis- shaw saluted and stood before IL
ast desk waiting. The colonel made ce
it'll tain figures on a slip of paper, toe
az. out checkbook and wrote a check.
1:v "Mr Oldershaw," he said, last nigl
6 ;. at Crockson's after you had won Il
W maximum l ordered you to take yo'
9TH money and go. After you left the RI
turned up four times | prevented "
from winning four times the MAY
mum, for you would certainly-as
courageous man-have staked. I sa
you make your first bet, though "
were too intent on the game to s.