Year: 1868

Behind one of the largest monte banks
in the room sat man who had won for
himself honorable mention, and an off
GERS commission was given him for his
bravery at the storming of Monterey
but preferring the climate Of California
and its golden prospects to a more north
ern home, he embarked for that country
at the close of the war with Mexico, and
upon arriving he opened gambling sa-
loon. The emigrants came in by thou
sands, and few nights after his arrival,
young man entered the saloon and
seated himself at the bank, and staked
various sums upon the cards until he had
lost nearly all the money he possessed.
/ Excited by the play, and maddened
with his losses, he accused the dealer of
cheating; the dealer replied sharply to
the accusation; the lie passed, when the
young man struck the dealer a severe
blow upon the face. Quick as thought,
the sharp report of pistol followed, and
the gamblers clothing was covered with
the young mans blood-he had shot him
through the right breast The room was
cleared of the spectators present, the
door closed, and medical attendance
called in to aid the wounded man.
| The gambler sat moodily over his bank,
running the small monte cards through
his fingers, and perhaps thinking Of the
deed just perpetrated, when the wounded
man gave moan of agony as the doc
tors probe reached the bottom of the
wound.


The doctor inquired what state he was
from, and the wounded man replied


From Vermont"


The gambler raised his head, for it had
been long time since he had seen a per-
son from the home of his childhood, and
Vermont being the name of his native
state, the mere mention of the name in
terested him.


The doctor next inquired the name of
the place where his parents resided, if he
had any. The wounded man replied


Montpelier"


The gambler sPrang to his feet, his
limbs trembled, and his face was as pale
as death, for Montpelier was the home of


his youth, and perhaps the wounded man


might have been his playmate in child


hood perhaps schoolmate--knew his
parents, his brothers and sisters. He
clung convulsively to the table, and, with


contending emotions of rapid thought


and the weight of injury inflicted, he


could scarcely keep upon his feet.


A stimulant was given to the wounded


man, and he was momentarily relieved


from that weakness the body is SO subject


to after severe wound, when the doctor


inquired if there was any friend in the


city he wished to send for.


Yes" he replied, my wife. She is


at the City Hotel, on the corner of Clay
, and Kearney streets. Tell Mary to has
ten, for am badly hurt"


A man was sent to bring his wife.
, Doctor" said the gambler, save that
mans life, and there is my bank, and
| s10,000i in Burgoyne, and you shall have


it all"


: The doctor felt the pulse of the man.
and probed the wound anew. The gam
, bier watched him with the greatest anx.
) iety until the inspection was finished
/ when the doctor shook his head in token
Of impossibility. The gambler sat by
| the side of the wounded man, bathed hi:
) head and staunched the flow of blood
E from his wound, until the arrival Of hi'
wife. She came, accompanied by few
} friends, and as heroic woman bears hel
S misfortunes, she bore hers. Not wore
s of reproach escaped her-words of cheer
e fulness only came from her lips, as tear
a coursed down her cheeks To her inqui
ry as to the chances of her husbands re
n covery, the doctor assured her there wa
}. no hope, that the wound was mortal, an'
e that in few hours the wounded mai
t must die. She sank down upon he
s knees, and invoked the mercy Of fol
/ giving God upon her dying husband an
r his murderer.


: The gambler knelt at the bedside Q
s. the wounded man, and asked his forgive


ness for the wrong he had committed
5, and also that of his wife, which wa
e readily granted.


= "This," said he, is for disobeying tn
y sacred injunction of my aged father an
G mother. l have faced death thousan
'f times, and still have escaped; the bal
p of an enemy have whistled past my eal
n as thick as hailstones, and the burstin
of bomb has exploded at my feet. Still
l. have lived; o God, and for this! Hig
n above the red tide of battle / have ca
al ried my country's ensign, and that wo
" for me q name among men. When M