Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1916-05-05
A SOCIAL GAME OF CARDS.


sion in c., Missouri, on a
pleasant October evening some
ten or twelve young people were
gathered from the wealtlficst
homes of the elite of the city.
Among them was a young lady
who, though always genial and
S ,cial with the young, was ever
clad in mourning earb, and bore
the name Mara. chosen by her
self to express the grief and BIT
terness of her life, since the tin e
when she, some seven or eight
years before. had been bereft of
her family.
The pleasant hours flew past
with mirth and fun, till about
half-past ten in the evening,
when, wearied with the trivial
talk. one of the company pulled
out pack of cards and flung it
on the table where Mara More
was sitting. The effect was
startling. Her face took on a
deadly pallor, she began trem-
bling, arose from her seat, stag
gered across the room. and took
a chair in the remotest corner.
So great was her agitation that
every one saw it but none were
ware of the cause.
One of the party who had been
reading law for some time, no!
ina ginlng the seriousness Of her
anguish, went to her, and in a
bantering way threatend her with
4 legal prosecution before an ion.
paneled jury in case she refused
to return to her place at the ia
bic, and submit to the regula.
lions of the evening. While the
lawyer was urging her to d.
this, a thou & htless young mar
OF the company stepped up 10
them and placed few cards in
her hand as it was lying across
her back. She jerked her hand
way and gave it sling as if to
rid it of the communicating filth
of cards, and with an agonizing
scream she began weeping as
though her heart would break.
Surprised at this new outburst,
the lawyer sought to soothe the
wounded spirit and when she
had become somewhat quiet he,
with the rest, began to entreat
her to give them the reason for
her terrible agitation. This sl,s
at fist refused to do ; but being
urged very strongly by all til.
company, she at last consented.
AT the first word slludder pass
ed over her whole frame but
pausing to regain her self-con-
troll. shd began
When l was nineteen years
old l was living in an eastern
civ, in one of the happiest
homes within its limits. A rich
and tender father, with a loving
and gentle mother, and as bright
and true a brother as ever a sis
ter could want, were my com.
panions in that delightful home
OF nv childhood. Wealth and
comfort smiled upon us, ard with
my own hand, l plucked do VII on
US all the greatest curse mag
Unable.
"Twoof our cousins-a brother
and sister-came to visit us, and
we spent the evening in pleasant
conversation as we did this eve
ming and just as those cards
were thrown upon the table, ant
about the same hour, my parent
having retired, our cousin threw
a deck upon our table.
The two and 1 sat down to
play, while my dear and tender.
~ loved brother, not liking the
idea of playing cards, turned to
his music which lie was compos.
irg as a graduating exercise for
examination day and went to
work at that. We three needt d
fourth one to make the game
go properly, and we began try
ing to persuade my brother to
come and take part with us but
lie declared he thought it was
not rig hit to spend time in card
playing-that it was an amuse
inent of the lowest characters
md belonged to them-and h.
aidn't want to get into it.
After using all our argument.
to induce him to assist us, but t.
no purpose, ! went to him, put
my arms about his neck, ant
told him I was a Christian, t
ing to get to heaven. and