The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-09-05
THE "ui.IsER,S'' STORY.

nlcaiive- and | tell you that some o.
them are regular trump- The fire
light shining upon his handsome. steel
gray eyes and snowy beauty Of feature.
had suggested - me the question to
was gambler and blackleg. and that |
ought hot 10 be IN his company, but as
long as it was too late to think Of bed.
and too early TO think Of breakfast. |
was glad Of even bis company for half
al hour.
NOW. once knew girl. he con
tinued. glzing into the fire and stretch
ing out hi, legs and softly'chinking my
lost shekel.. who came near making
me wish | never m.ie mash. Ii don't
matter who she was-'taiut square to
give the business away, you kuow-but
she came # first class stock. and was
what you could call lady, every inch
of her piped her off as she came
along one morning when | vas taking
the sun on kearney street. She WAS
put up to the Queens taste bright
eyed, clean-cut and as fresh as daisy
That's my game. said TO myself, and
but you know how we do these things;
or, if you don't. | amt goin TO tell you
We became acquainted. OF course, and
she soon got over her shyncss with
me II doesn't take long to make the
most squcsmish of them tumble to the
racket when a fellow knows how to do
it. We met when they least expected
it-her people, | mean. wasn't fool
enough to come the sneak dodge and
make assignations in out-of-thc way
place-. or at times that were inconven>
lett for her. A mans sure to be drop
ped on If be tries that game. Not at
all. We met in the most public thor
oughfarcs, and walked here every body
could SEE US Take my word for it,
that's the true business If you want TO
be safe. | had some trouble 10 make
her believe this, and she wa, scared at
first; but after time it was oil right;
for. do you know, the poor lite fool got
awfully swee. on me-on me. She was
about the grcenest little mortal | ever
struck ! told her all sorts of whop-
pcrs-that Twas on IL visit from Boston,
but the police will tell you that's true);
that my hther MAS pars0n, and so he
may havc been for all that | know
about him); that | had been little
wild. but that she was reforming me
and all the rest of II; she took il all
in as natural IA could be But you
must remember Nas on my best be-
havior with her, and maybe l acted
pretty much like what | said | was.
There was something about her which
kept fellow in check. never looked
into her eyes without feeling as mean
az dirt She seemed to fear no harm.
and to suspect none; and | give YOU my
word of-weli, my word for what it is
worth-that did her o greater wrong
than dehlc her with my company
dared not. She said she knew it was
very wicked to speak to gentleman
she didn't know but this was all the
evil she saw 1t troubled her though.
and she used to ask me to get acqualnt-
ed TO her family, but knew better
than that. and excused myself.
This grew tlresome after time of
course. She got awful spooney. aud |
had other affairs of the sort on hand.
and-all, | didn't want to get the ohIld
into row. anyhow | wanted to give
her the shake. but how to do it was
what puzzled me. played thu cold
and indifferent game. but she was too
patient and loving for that Then
got cross and scolded her, but she cried
and l weakened. Then l made an ap-
pointment to meet her. and intended
not to be on hand-nothine makes most
woman SO mad as that. you know. But
couldn't help going to a place where l
could see how she took it; and she look
SO sad and waited 80 long that had to
walk up and lie about being detained.
She forgave me 50 reSdily that | felt
like brute. and determined that come
what would the thing had got to stop
right there. | thought it over that
night, and made up my mind that next
time | saw her | would tell her who
and what wss-if that didn't sicken
her of me, what would? 1t wasn't a
pleasant thing to do. but knew it was
best for her. and somehow felt as if
oughtn't To spare myself
We'll. told her US we walked along
the street together-told her that was
a gambler and bIackguard. that / had
AS sociAted all my life with prostitutes
and thieves. that had been imprisoned
for forgery. that l had deliberately
plotted her ruin; that-but perhaps |
needn't tell you all told her. When
began the confession she laughed,
thinking was joking. but when she
looked in my face and knew WAS in
earnest. her hand trembled on my arm,
and she got as white as sheet. We
were close to G.'s drug store. and | led
her in. &. is q little fond of bucking
the tiger, and owes me several favors.
When told him the lady was i'll, he
looked very wise and showed Us into
the little room at the back of the store.
| gave her a chair aud glass OF water,
and waited for her TO speak. She looked
at me steadily and presently said, in a
strange sort Of voice: Is this true.
} ohm Il had told her to call me that
1t is | answered. wishing the earth
would swallow me. Then she buried
her face in her hands, and sobbed out;
'Oh. John. John. why didn't you tell
me this betoye?' Because l am con-
,emp,ibls cur Ireplied; the only APP
preach TO anything good that | have
ever done in my life Is to make you
hate me and leave me before it is too
late. l shall never forget the look
that sprsng into those wonderful eyes
of hers as she rose and placing a little
hand ON each OF my shoulders, looked
mn into nv face. Haze YOU, leave you,