THE MICHIGAN DAILY.

Saturday, February _l11

_____ D IYud F r f


The Gambler ... By Dennis VanLovelace

Laura Was A
Lady; Stanle y
Got The Gate
Moral Is Clear In This Story Of
A Man, His Secret Vice And
An Unblemished Maid
"Do not think, Cynthia, that because
I am Laura's mother, and a very devot-
ed one, that I have any hesitations con-
cerning her engagement to Stanley,"
said Mrs. Selwyn to her niece as they
returned from the afternoon tea of their
beloved Cousin Alice, "for Stanley is in-
deed a fine young man."
"Yes, Aunt Vera," said the demure
Cynthia, "and gentle, kind Laura will
make him a fine spouse."
"Yes," said Mrs. Selwyn," and par-
ticularly because Stanley's mother died
when he was quite young. Poor, fragile
dear, though she is well schooled in the
domestic sciences I question whether
she can become a mother to him. How-
ever, I feel that I can set my fears at
rest, since Laura is a resourceful girl."
"Yes, poor, dear Laura," said Cynthia
sorrowfully.
But, with the reader's kind permis-
sion we will change the scene of this
tender tale to a booth in Whitman's
Confectionery on 42nd Street and join
Stanley, the young man to whom Mrs.
Selwyn has referred. Stanley sat silent-
ly with his bosom friend, Delwood, who
was a young lawyer with. an excellent
practice and destined to go far in the
world. But today Delwood seems
weighted to the earth with sorrow, as
though the burden of his mundane
cares was too much for him. He places
his hand consolingly on the shoulder
of his dear friend, Laura's betrothed.
"Tell me, dear chum," said Delwood,
speaking in a gentle baritone rich with
musical cadences, "isn't there some way
out of this horrible fix. Surely some-
thing can be done. Why, good --- Stan-
ley, do realize . . . can't you compre-
hend that if your sweet Laura hears
this infamous tale it will mean the
shattering of your beautiful relation-
ship?"
"Yes, Delwood," said Stanley, hold-
ing his disconsolate head in his hands,
"I am only too well aware of the dangers
with which this situation is fraught. If
she were to hear the story of that penny-
cribbage game the other night at Henry
Stapleton's, I fear that the terrific shock

M
0 1
-
would be too much for her dear, deli-
cate constitution."
"It is doubly reprehensible, Stanley,
old friend, since Henry might be tempt-
ed to see that it comes to her ear for a
joke, sport that he is," said Delwood.
"By , if he does, on my honor,
I will see that he gets blacklisted at
the bachelor's club."
"Easy does it, now, dear chum. After
all, one must take into account that
Henry is well-meaning, even though
his callow pranks have caused much
needless anguish in the past. Pray, do
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not crucify the poor fellow for some-
thing he not yet done."
"Delwood,' said Stanley beseeching-
ly, "you, my lifelong friend can see
the specter of this one blot on my escut-
cheon. Just think of my going through
life, married to the sweetest and most
demure woman in the world with this
horrible remembrance hanging over my
head like some gargantuan sword of
Damocles . . ." At this point the un-
fortunate man was racked by sobs,
great dry sobs that seemed to come
from the very wellsprings of his being.
Delwood, unable to bear the anguish
of his boon companion any longer, was
moved to great compassion and set his
mind to work to find a suitable solution

for this dilemma. Racking his brains,
he finally struck upon a plan,
"Stanley, my boy," he said, his voice
quivering under the strain of the grav-
ity of the situation, "I know that you
will disagree with me at this Juncture,
but remember that these are desperate
circumstances, where even a makeshift
solution may be your salvation. I pro-
pose, dear friend, that you make a clean
breast of this affair . . .
"Delwood! Stop!" Stanley shouted,
springing to his feet, his face empurpled
with rage. "Would you suggest that I
sully the mind of that that is dearest
to me with my own words!"
"Patience, pray, chum. Laura is an
understanding girl, certainly you can
(Continued on Page 13)


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