The Arkansas Advocate

The Generous Task.—A beautiful lady, of Bordeaux, mourned with the sincerest grief for her husband, as she heard by report, he had perished by ship-wreck. A numerous crowd of suitors attracted by her youthful charms, only waited the confirmation of this rumor. to solicit her hand. She behaved towards them with the utmost decency. and propriety; yet, as she wished to make a return for the politeness they showed her, she made a splendid entertainment for them, on one of the concluding days of the carnival.

While the company were engaged in play, a stranger, habited as a genius, entered, and sat down to play with the lady.— He lost—demanded revenge, and lost again. This adverse fortune attended him ten or twelve times successively, because he adroitly managed the dice in such a manner that the chance was constantly against him. Other players then wished to try their luck with him, but the experiment did not turn to their advantage. The lady again resumed her place, and won an immense sum, which the mask lost with a good humor and gaiety that absolutely astonished the spectators.

Some person observed, loud enough to be heard, that this was not playing but foolishly throwing away one's money; on which, raising his voice, he said, "that he was the Daemon of riches, which he valued not, except so far as it was in his power to bestow them on that lady," and immediately to prove the truth of his words, he produced several bags of gold. and others filled with diamonds and other precious stones offering to stake them, one single throw against any thing of the most trivial value she might please to propose.

The lady startled, and embarrassed by this declaration now refused to play any more, and the company knew not what to think of this extraordinary occurrence, when an old lady present, observed to the person next her, that he must certainly be the devil; and that his riches, his appearance, his dexterity of play, all sufficiently showed that he was. The stranger overhearing this, profited by the hint. He assumed the air of a magician, alluded to various circumstances which could be known only to the lady, spoke several foreign languages, performing many ingenious tricks, and concluding by declaring that he had come to demand a certain person in the company, who had given herself to him and who, he protested, belonged to him; asserting at the same time, that he would take her to himself, and never leave her more in defiance of every thing. — All eyes were now on the lady, who knew not what to think of this adventure: the women trembled, the men smiled, and the genius still continued to excite the perplexity and admiration of the company.

This extraordinary scene lasted so long, that some grave personages at last arrived, who interrogated the demon and were on the point of exorcising him. The Mask, however, turned every thing into ridicule, with so much wit that he had the laughter on his side.— At length, when he found no longer time for raillery, he took off his mask, which immediately, on the denouncement of his extraordinary entertainment excited an exclamation from the mistress of the house. In the gentleman stranger she immediately recognized her husband, who having been in Spain, had gone from thence to Peru, where he had made an immense fortune and returned laden with riches. He had learned on his arrival, that his lady was going to give an entertainment and a masked ball to some particular friends. An opportunity so favorable to disguise, inspired him with a wish to introduce himself without being known, and he had chosen the most extravagant dress he could meet with.

The whole company, which in a great measure consisted of his relations and friends, congratulated him on his return, and willingly resigned to him his admirable lady. whom he had justly claimed as his own.