Year: 1859

1t was matter of surprise to all, for during

 the past month he had never lost an evening

 and having lost enormous sums of money, (the

 whole of his aunt's legacy, and much more, every one thought he would endeavor to re- deem himself but hour after hour passed away, and still he came not. The game flag ged, and a gloom seemed to settle over the spirits of the company, while the spirits at the bar were in active demand "Wonder what 1 could have become of Charley" mumbled the dentist, raking in few quarters and pufing vigorously at his cigar II won of him last night, and he demanded satisfaction, which promised to give him." Various were the con jectures offered, and though all in their minds knew the truth, they dared not speak it. At length loud rap was heard at the lower door, and after the money had disappeared into the pockets of the respective owners, the proprietor went down stairs to open it, while the party were immediately engaged in reading the Sun day papers, and no vestige of card playing could be seen in the room The proprietor re- turned, and with him policeman and one of the clerks in the bank where Charles - was employed. The company looked up in appar- ent wonder at the intruders.

 "Have any of you seen Charles - this evening"" inquired the policeman.

 No one had seen him since the night previ- ous, and all inquired the reason of the strange proceeding. When told that he was default CT for over three thousand dollars, and had not been to the bank that day, they gazed at each other in blank amazement with guilt stamped upon their conferences. The policeman soon left. and the party, after endeavoring to ease their conscience with expressions that had they known it, they would never have played with him, that they supposed it was all right, &c, retired to their respective homes. Field in par. ticuar, seemed to feel the disgrace that had been brought upon promising young man and his friends by the cursed habit, which he found was gaining strong hold upon himself and the writer, in conversation with him then, heard him resolve that he would never play for money again. How much misery he might have saved himself and friends and family had he kept that resolve and TO dolbt had he turn from the p~ecip;ce over which he was then impending, no disgrace would ever have been attached to his name. But his companions, some of them, w~re constant winue.s, and not desiring to break mp the p,rty so soon, Field found the serpent folds entwined around him, and break. ing all his well formed resolves, he again plunged into the deep abyss Tearing from his mind the lesson he had just learned, he blindTy plunged forward in the blackest of all nights. The friends of Charles - paid up his defal- cation, and he left for tour in Europe.

 The game continued with the balance of the party, with the exception of three or four, who arrested their steps in time After a few months had passed another of the party, James -, also a bank clerk, was arrested on q charge of forgery, and ere his trial took place, the dentist left Brooklyn for Ohio. He has never since been heard from It has been cal cuated that he must have made over six thousand dollars out of the party S's arrest broke up the party for the time. He was sent to the State Prison. Of the later history of the party, the writer has nothing but rumors to guide him, and fearful that some of them may not be true. he omits writing them down. Oscar Fields brief career was short and bit ter one. In the year 1854 he was young man, esteemed by all his friends and acquaint- ances, sober in his habits, gentlcmanly in his manners and possessing no attributes but those of gentleman. In 1859 he is fugitive from justice. wanderer, with the mark of Cain up- on his brow, leaving behind him loving wife and children The story of his keeping fast woman the writer doubts, for his tastes and inclinations were not of that nature.

 Of the four young bank clerks who met eve nings during the winter of 1854, '55 in 1859 one is the young man before allnded to as tra. yelling in Europe, the second is James -, an inmate of Sing Sing State Prison, the third is Oscar Field, the fourth is the writer; and as the latter casts glance over the past, shud- der creeps over his frame as he thinks over the fate of his companions, and thanks a merciful God that saved him from the abyss into which he had plunged himself.

 There were other bank clerks among the party. and ere long their defalcations must come to light. for they have been possessed with sums which they could not have come by honestly.