New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-28

I rckIessness and extfsvsgsnoe returned
He began to chackle-6nally to laugh ~
roariously. ~
man, withdrew the hand with which he ha
| taken his. ... sr jsF4atl L i s.s =
"Dida't we fool 'em nicely, eh, Yorky
He! he! The biggest thing ever yet playe,
in this camp! ] always said I'd play Zen
| all some day, and have played 'em Tor 81.
months. Amt it rich-ain't it the riches
thing you ever seed3 Did yeu see Abner'
face when he spoke bout that man as see,
me in Sonorai want it good as the min
strelsi o, it's too muchr' and striking hi
| leg with the palm OF his hand he alm0s
threw himself from the bed in paroxysn
OF laughter paroxysm that nevertheless
! appeared to be half real and half affected
| lis that photograph hers" said York il
| a low voice, after a slight pause.
| "Her'sf MOI It's one of the San Fran
| cisco actresses, hei hei Don't you see
bought it for two bits in one of the boob
| stores l never thought they'd swallal
that too! but they did Oh, but the ole
! man played 'em this time, didn't he-eh 3
and he peered curiously in York's face
Yes. and he played me too," said York
looking steadily in the old mans eye.
"Yes, of course" interposed Plunkett
hastily, 'but you know, YOrky, you got out
of it WE'LL You've sold 'em too. We've
both got 'em on a string now. You did il
well, Yorky, you did it well. Why, when
you said You'd seen me In York City, I'm
id if didn't -"
Didn't what ." said York, gently. for the
Old man had stopped with pale face and
wandering eye.
"Oh?"
"You say Ehen said l had seen you in
New York YOU thought"
You lie T. said the old man fercely; IL
didn't say l thought anything. What are
You trying to go back ON me fort Eh a.
His hands were trembling as he rose NUT
tering from the bed and made his way to.
ward the hearth.
Gimme some whisky, ," he said, presently,
s'and dry up. You oughter treat, any way:
Them fellows oughter treated last night.
BY hockey, I'd made 'em-only fell sick"
York placed the liqnor and = tin cup on
the table beside him, ard going to the door
turned his back upon his gnest, and looked
out on the night. Although it was
clear moonlight. the familiar prospect
never to him looked so dreary. The dead
waste of the broad Wingdam highway
never seemed 80 monotOnous-so like the
days that he had passed and were to come
to him-so like the old man in it's sugges-
tiOn Of going sometime and never getting
there. He turned, and gong up to Plum.
kett, put his hand upon his shoulder and
said:
Il want you to answer one question fairly
and squarely3"
The liquor seemed to have warmed the
torpid blood in the GOLD mans veins, aud
softened his acerbity, for the face he turned
mp to York WAS meliowed in its rugged out.
line, and the more thoughtful in its express
sion, as he said:
$50 on. nv how
"Have you a wife and-dauxhteri'
"Before God havep'
The two men were silent for moment;
both gazing at the fire. Then Plunkett be-
gan rubbing his knees slowly.
"The wife, If it has come to that, amt
much" he began cautiously, "beiDg a little
ON the shoulder, you know, and waDtin', 80
to speak, a liberal California education-
which makes, you know. q bad com alton.
It's always been my opinion that there amt
any worse. Why. she's as ready with her
tongue as Abner Dean is with bis revolver,
only with the difference that she shoots
from principle, as she calls it, and the con
sequence is she's always layin' for you It's
the etfete East, my boy, that's ruinin' her
it's them ideas she gets in New York and
Boston that's made her and me what we
are. l don't mind her havin' 'enl ii she
didn't shoot. But havin' that propensity,
y
loose no more'n firearms.
"But your dang hterf" said York
The old mans hands went up to his ewes
here. and then both hands and head drop
ped forward on the table. "Don't saw any-
Thing bout her, my boy, don't ask me now"
Wit one hand concealing his eyes he. FUN |
bled about with the other in his pockets for |
his bandkercdief-bu vainly. Perhaps it |
was owing to this fact that be repressed his |
for hov, ha 10 l
his eyes they were quite dry. Then he |
Ound his voice.
'She's beautiful girl, beautiful-though /
say it, and You shall see her, my boy; you
hall see her, sure. Eve got things about
liked, nov. l shall have my plau for re-
incin' ores perfected in day or two, and
I'VE got proposals from all the smeltin'
works here" here he hastily produced
bundle of papers that fell upon the floor,
and I'm goin' ~ send for 'em. I've got
he papers here as will give me $4,000 in
he next month" he added, as he strove TO
collect the valuable documents again. "I1l
ave >, m here by Christmas, if live, and
ON shall eat your Christmas dinner with
ne. York, my boy-you shall, sure"
With his tongue now fairly loosened by
lQuOr and the suggestive vastness Of his |
prospects, he rambled more or lees inco-
erently. celebrating and simplifying his
lans. occasionally even speaking of them
s already accomplished, until the NOON
ode high in the heavens. and York led him
gain 10 bis couch. Here he lay for some
ime muttering to himself, until ut last he
ank into heavy sleep. When York had |
own the picture and frame. and. going to
be hearth, tossed them on the dying EN-.
ers, and sat down to see them burn
The fl cones leaped instantly in,o flames;
hen the features that had entranced San
Francisco audiences nightly flashed up and
assed away-as such things are apt TO
ass--and even the cynical smile on York's
ps faded too. And then there came sup
ienental and xptcted fash rs The EN-
paper upon the floor. L. was one that |
ad fallen from the old mans pocket As
Q picked it up listlessly n photograph
tipped from its folds. 1t WAS the portrait
young girl, and on its reverse was
'ritten, in a scrawling hand, melinda to |
,ther" 1t was at best q cheap picture,
ut ali mel l fear even the deft gracious
ess of the highest art could not have soft
ned the rigid irregularities of that youthful
CURE, it's selfcomplacent vulgari,y, its
heap finery, it's expressiOnless i'll favor.
ork did not look at it the second time.
+ turned to the letter for relief.
1t was misspelled, it was unprecedented, |
WAS almost iliegible, it was fretiul in
me and selfish in sentiment. 1t was not,
fear, even original in The story of it's wees.
was the harsh recital OF poverty, of sns-
cion, OF mean mskeshifts and cOmpro. ,
i.es, OF low pains and lower lOngings, Of
'rrow, that were degrading. of grief that
as pitiable. Yea it was sincere in q Ger I
in kind at vague yearning for the pres |
ICE of the degraded man to whom it was
ritten-an affection that was more like
infused instinct than sen iment.
York folded it again carefully and placed '
beneath the old mans pillow. Then he :
turned to his scat by the fire. A smile I
al bad been playing upon his face, deep
ing he curves behind his moustache and {