unds?' 'Not without security,' was the reply. 'Why,
surely, you won't refuse me a couple of sovereigns, after having lost so
much?' 'I won't advance you a couple of shillings without security.'

Still bent upon play, and greedy for the means to gratify his passion,
the unhappy man, as if struck by a sudden thought, exclaimed--'I'll
give you security--the clothes on my back are quite new, and worth eight
guineas; you shall have them as security. Lend me two sovereigns on
them.'

'Suppose you lose,' doggedly rejoined the other, 'I cannot strip them
off your back.' 'Don't trouble yourself on that head,' replied the
desperate wretch; 'if I lose I shall commit suicide, which I have been
meditating for some time, and you shall surely have my clothes. I
shall return to my lodgings before daylight, in the most worn-out and
worthless dressing-gown or great-coat you can procure for me, leaving my
clothes with you.'

The two sovereigns were advanced, and in ten or twelve minutes were
lost. The keeper of the table demanded the clothes, and the unfortunate
man stripped himself with the utmost coolness of manner, and wrapping
his body in a worn-out greatcoat, quitted the place with the full
purpose of committing self-murder. He did not direct his steps homeward,
however, but resolved to accomplish the horrid deed by suspending
himself from a lamp-post in a dark lane near the place. While making the
necessary preparations he was observed by a constable, who at once took
him into custody, and on the following morning he was carried before the
magistrate, where all the circumstances of the affair came out.

SUICIDE AT VERDUN.

During the great French War, among other means resorted to in order to
ease the English prisoners at Verdun of their loose cash, a gaming table
was set up for their sole accommodation, and, as usual, led to scenes of
great depravity and horror. For instance, a young man was enticed into
this sink of iniquity, when he was tempted to throw on the table a
five-franc piece; he won, and repeated the experiment several times
successfully, until luck turned against him, and he lost everything he
had. The manager immediately offered a rouleau of a thousand francs,
which, in the heat of play, he thoughtlessly accepted, and also lost. He
then drew a bill on his agent, which his captain (he was an officer in
the English army) endorsed. The proceeds of this went the way of the
rouleau. He drew two more bills, and lost ag