United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Juvenile fiction
Unfortunately, he was still successful. He won twenty cents in about an
hour. He did not intend to keep them, for he did not think that would be
right. "I'll play," said he, "and let the boys win them back again." But,
at the next sitting, he won still more pennies; so that he thought he
could well afford to play a bolder game. His success was all the more
gratifying when he considered that he was the youngest of the party, and
that by skill and good fortune he was beating his elders.
One day, after he had won more than a dollar,--which seems a good deal of
money to a boy in his condition,--he began to lose. This was not so
amusing. He had made up his mind that when his winnings were gone, he
would stop playing; and the idea of stopping was not pleasant to
contemplate. How could he give up a sport which surpassed everything else
in the way of excitement? However, he determined to keep his resolution.
And it was soon brought to a test.
The luck had turned, and Frank found himself where he began. If he played
any more, he must risk his own money. He didn't mind losing a few
pennies,--that was nothing serious; but the boys were not playing for
simple pennies now.
"I believe I've played enough, boys," said he, passing his hand across
his heated brow, and casting his eyes around at objects which looked
strange to them after their long and intense application to the cards.
"O, of course!" sneered Jack Winch, who was watching the game, "Frank'll
stop as soon as he is beginning to lose a little."
Jack was not playing, for a very good reason. He had spent nearly all his
money, and lost the rest. He had lost some of it to Frank, and was
consequently very desirous of seeing the latter brought to the same
condition as himself.
The sneering remark stung Frank. He would gladly have pleaded Jack's
excuse for not playing any more; but he had still in his pocket over two
dollars of the money he had reserved for himself when the troops were
paid off. And it did seem rather mean in him, now he thought of it, to
throw up the game the moment others were serving him as he had been only
too willing to serve them.
"I'm not afraid of losing my money," said he, blushing; "but I've had
enough play for one day."
"You didn't get sick of it so easy when the luck was on your side," said
Harris, who had lost money to Frank, and now wanted his revenge.
"For instance, yesterday, when the Parrott was talking to the boy," said
Seth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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