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Show 12G RICHARD HURDlS. princi11lcs is smal l. All principles arc significant-nrc essen~ tial- in the formation of truth; and the neglect or omission of the smallest :unong them is not one C\'il merely, or one errorbut :t. thousaud- it i~ the pnrcllt of a t!J onsand, CHch, in its turn, endowed with a frig!Jtful fecundity more producth·c than tJ 1c J1l.ngucs of _l~gypt-morc enduring, and not less l1idcous n.ncl fngl1tful. 'I'ako care of small princi}1lcs, if you would preserve great tl·utlJS sacred. As I klVC sa id, I sull'crcd myself-it matters not with wlw.t t~otivcs or feeling-to be })CI'Siu:tdcd hy my friend to piny with !'1un :md the str:wgcrs. I took my sent opposite to Carri11gton. I he strang~rs plnycd together. " TJ1ist ·wns the game- a gamo w~ botl'1 ,dchglttcd in, and wl1ic11 we both pbycd with tolerable skd l. l he cm·ds wcro thrown H}lOn the table, and we drew fOr the deal. "\Vhnt do you bet 1" said one of tl10 st r:mgcrs addressing me. At tlte same moment, his com11anion adtlresscd a like inquiry to nty partner. H Nothing; I never bet," was my reply. "A Mexican!" said Carrington, throwing tl1e coin upon tho table. 1\Iy opponent expressed his disnp})Ointment at my refusal. ::'!'here'~ no fu:: in plnying unless yon bet!" You lllJf:itake, wns my reply. "I find an interest in the ?a~ne wLich no risk of money could stimulate. I do uot Let; 1t 1s a resolution." . l\[y _manner was such as to forbid any furtl10r prosecution of lus ObJect: He wns compelled to content ltimsclf ns lte migllt; nnd dmwmg for the deal, it fCll to him. He took the cnrds, nne~, to my surprise, proceeded to slmflle them after a fa shion winch I had ~con always taught to rC"gnrd as disiJOJJorable. llo w~uld draw smgle cm·ds alternately from top :UH.l bottom, and brmg them together; and, in this w11y, as I well knew, would thr?w all the trump-cm·ds into the ll::mds of llimself and }Jnrtner. I did not scruple to oppose this lllOdc of shuflling. "'rho efl'ect will be," I told him, "to briuo- the trumps into YOI~r own. and partner's hauds. I Lave seCJ~ the trick before. It IS a tnck, and that is enough to mnke it o1jectionnble. I have no pleasure iu11lny iug a game with all the cnrds against me." Till~ 'l'R.\\'F.LLF.nS FALL AMOYO TIIIEVES. 127 Jle dcnicll the cC'r1ainty of tl1e result wl.iclt T predicted, and persistrd in finiHhing as he had Lcgun. I would l1nYe arisen from the table but my friend's eyes appealed l!l me to stay. lie was anxious to play, and quite too fond of the game, and, perlHl}lS, too dull where he was, to heed or in sist upon any little improprieties. The r esult was as I llred icted. There was but n single trump betwC"cn myself nnd }):lrtner. "You sec," I exclaimed, ns the hand was fini shed, "such den ling is unfair." "No! I sec not. It so happens, it is true; but it is not unfair," was the reply of the dealer. "Fair or not," I nnswercd, "it matters not. If this mode of shuflling- ll:1s the effect of throwing the good cnrds inYnriably into one hand, it produces such a dispnrity between tiJC pnrtics as takes entirely from the pleasure in the game. There js no game, indeed, when t!Je force is purely on the one side." "]~ut such is not iuvnriably the result." \Vonls we re wasted upon them . I saw then wltat they WC'rc. Gentlemen disdain the ndv:mtngc, even wltcn fairly obtninC'd, which renders intelligence, skill, memory, :Ul(l rcflcction -iudced, all qunlitics of miml-rntirelr useless. As players, our opponents had no sk ill; like gamblers usually they reli ell on tri ck for success, and strOYC to oLtnin, by'misC'rable str:1tngem, what other men sock from thougltt and honest e11dC'nvor. T would have ri sC'n from the table :1s these thoughts pa ssrd through my mind. "\Ye hat\ lost the ga.u1c, and 1 l1:1d l1a<l enough of them and it. nut my friend t'ntrcat cd me . "\Vltat mattcrl:l one game?'' he said. "lt is our turn now. 1\T c shall do Letter." The stake was rcmo,·cd by his OJlponcut, nnd, wlJile T sltufflctl the curds, he wns rcquirrd to renew It is bet. In doing so, hy n siugular lapse of til ought, ltc drew from a sitle-pockct in )Jis Losom, the large roll of' mOll C)' with whid1 he traYclkd, forgetting the Slll<lll purse which he had prC'parcd for his traYclling expenses. He wns conscious, wbcu too late, of his error. lie hurried it L:~ck to its place of concealment, and drew forth tho pnrse ; Lut in tltc one momcut which he employed in doing so, I could sec that tlte eyes of om companions had caught sight of the treasure. lt may have been fnncy in me, the result of my |
