THE CONFESSION OF A CHEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10407, 3 April 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE CONFESSION OF A CHEAT.

About the middle of August there arose a rumour of a new star in the billiard world. Thi« was a young Russian, who was said to have reaped the highest honours in St. Petersburg, and to have beaten every opponent who had ventured to meet him. As usual, the most exaggerated reporte were circulated regarding him, and he musb have been a magician, working his enchantments, if half that was said were true. It was inevitable that I ehonld be pitted against him. Everybody talked of this consummation, and was eager to brine it »boufc. Crnnnel did nob start any objection ; and my admirers making up a considerable puree, the affair wa3 decided on. The match was to come off in the Palais Royal by daylight, on the Sunday. 1 had never seen my opponent up hour of our meeting, and when, with Crannel, who had betted liberally on my side, I repaired to the spot, what was my astonishment in recognising in the renowned Russian ray once shirtless antagonist, Put Meagher, whom, as a lad, I had defeated at Bath. It is true he looked the Russian well in a pair of dark whiskers and a Coesaok moustache j and he talked Russ most glibly with a friend who accompanied him. Still there was the unmistakable Irish face, and the undeniable brogue flavoured bis Sclavonic speech. I was glad to see that he did not recognise me; but I was determined to seek him out and have a private conference if possible. In stripping for the match after Wβ had shaken hands, he droppel a card from his vest-pocket, and in a moment I had secreted in uuobserved, and the contest began. But: for my previous knowledge of Meagher's play, and the points in which his strength lay, I might possibly have been beaten, and that summarily. As it was, the contest was a succession of wary sparringe, in which nothing brilliant was either done or attempted. Had a drawn match been possible in billiards, this would have been drawn, It ended in my winning, through the failure of an altnoec impossible stroke which, ab the last crisU, my adversary was compelled to attempt, and which left the game in my hands. I was immensely pleased with this victory, on raore accounts than one. I had not only gained reputation, but I had convinced myself that the quasi-Russian was incapable, in the long run, of holding his own against me.

One night Meagher'e patron, Mortier, who came to the caf6 where we played with the scowl of a fiend on his brow, and in a state of furious excitement —ae wae always the case when ho drank freely—begun to rociferate violently and to bet heavily on hie M. Florian, who was present, immediately indicated that I w to win, and accepted all Mortiet's proffered beta in addition to those he had already made. It chanced that ho had scarcely accepted these pledges, when one of those accidents, which are always contingent on the board of green cloth, and which the most experienced players cannot always jjuard against, gave Meagher luoh a decided advantage in tho game as should, and would under ordinary circumstances, have secured his winning it. Mortier now redoubled his clamour, and offered very heavy odds, challenging the whole room to accept them. Florian instantly did so, and they were accepted by Crannel also to a very unusually large amount. The game went on, and I recovered my lost ground so far that, as it drew towards the close, I had scored as many points as'my opponent, and two points more scored by either of us would win the game. It was Meagher's turn to play, and bis ball being under the cushion, he gave a miss, which, while it was the right play, was also good policy for us, since, had any accident sent one of the balls into the pocket, all would have been over. It was now my turn, and there was a winning hazard on tho bulls, which at any other time I could have made with ease and certainty. Up to this moraont of ray life I had never known what it was to bo nervous; bub now a panic fit seized me— the cue trembled in my hand. If I did not win I knew that Florian would logo more than all three of as could pay. I essayed to make the etroke; but there wero two hundred thousand francs depending on it. I felt the oye of Crannel upon me, and every sinew of my frame vibrated. Calling or a glass of iced water, I drank it off, and ;hen, ondeavouring to think of something else, haetily struck the stroke. The red ball, instead of dropping into the pocket, struck the small angle of the cushion, rebounded, and kissed my own, the two then stopping, one on each eide of the pocket, with a spnee between them barely wideenough for a ball to poos through. There were a hundred eyes looking on, but not » ip moved, only a suppressed groan arose for an instant among my partisans. It was now Meagher'e turn to play, and it was almost impossible for him to strike either ball without winning the game, in which case we were ruined. He did not seem at all disturbed, but lowered his.cue to play. I thought he would take tho only course open to him, anil make n foul stroke; instead of that, ho drove his ball sheer between the other two without) touching either of them, and ran a " coo" in the pocket, thus losing the game. Affecting the utmost horror at what ho had done, he dashed down his cue and began tearing hU hair and blaspheming. I, of course, know chat he had done it on purpose, but the thing was so difficult, ao apparently impossible, that the spectators (lid not suspect foul pluy—none of them, with the exception of Mortier, who, havingalroady hissuspicions aroused, was now convinced of the justice of them as well as enraged to madness at the heavy losses he had incurred. With a countenance livid with fury, he rushed towards Meagher, and, yelliug a desperate oath, dealt him a savage blow on the face. A horrid scene ensued. The Irishman flew at his aggressor's throat, and would havo strangled him on the epot but for the interference of a dozen strong arms, which tore him away. Frenzied beyond all control of himeett, he burst out with a torrent of invective abuse and rabid curses, and, leaping on the table, called heaven and earth to witness that he would not movo thence alive without the heart's blood of the villain who had struck him. Mortier at first responded only by a sarcastic aneer and turned his back upon him, But the Irish blood was not to be so appeased. Branding his patron as coward, and heaping on him the foulest charges, Meagher continued' to denounce him aa robber, assassin, traitor, and forcat, and called on the company to listen while he gave them the veritable history of the monster. Mortier, who had started at the work forcat, again winced, and, turning sharply round, "hot us have weapons," ho said, "the fool shall have bis way." Springing on the table, he folded his arms, and awaited the issue with a suppressed eagerness which showed how deep should be his rovenge. Rapiers were brought; it was notified to both that if either of them quitted the table he would be instantly disarmed, held to be defeated, and incapable of resuming the strife. Then M, Florian drew a chalk line across the centre of the cloth, the weapons were delivered to each, and the duel began. Meagher, to whom the delay had afforded a moment for reflection, which ho wnsted in fuming and stamping, advanced boldly to the encounter. Mortier, who was the shorter by nearly a head, instead of opposing him in the usual attitude, stood bent forward in a halfcircle, with his rapier-point quivering above his head. Some rapid passes took place, and Mortier was seen to be bleeding from two slight wounds; bat he wae cool and wary in proportion to the peril, parried the deadly lunges of his tall foe with unvarying certainty, and at length, springing forward within his guard, instantly shortened his weapon, and thrust it sheer through the breast of the poor Irishman, who leaped with a wild cry into the air, and fell on the table a corpse. Poverty, tbe ultimate lob of nearly all gamblers, has been mine for many a weary year. With mature age came dyspepsia and nervousness, and then all reliance on my skill as a billiard-player vanished. Of all accomplishments, this is the one that requires the most perfect condition of tbe physical faculties, and no man who is conscioue that he possesses either nervous system or Tentral organs need expect to excel in it. My confession may well eid here.

J. Tonwn Garlkk, amongit other mmooable goods, hu juit opened up a nlendid lot of eider down quilu and printed plushettea, very bandiom* »nd datable far k»nj!ings; also printed and plain art tergei in variQUi colours. Beautifal aiaortment of tapeetry and chenille table ewer and coloured curUioi, ,,oFttWi*i«tWMehotini ■" '\ ■' ■ ' ■ '■'■ ■ ■(.■■ -■■: : I ■'>'■ ;•■■ .•' ■■ ■■. f '■ ■■ ; ' ; -' ' '•■'