Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-03-28

| town 10 the m1Ser 8 cave ana 0ScSrIal1
for myself the true cause of his absence.
When I reached the place found
the door fastened and amply secured
within. 1t was in vain that hammered
upon the door and called upon old Mike,
for the only reply ! received was the
sepulchral echoes from the neighboring
hills. 1 was satisfied that he was with
in, and if Ihesitated to apply force to
effect an entrance, il was only because
I feared to trespass rpon his poor and
miserable home. N,hile / stood de-
liberating what / should do, whether
to persist and force Al entrance, or to
return to the village. I thought 1 heard
coming through tho interstices of the
boards faint and feeble groan. It
startled me, for the sun had set, the
birds were seeking their nests, and the
lonely gloom of twilight was settling
upon the face of the earth. Like one
ENHANCED, I stood and listened intently,
when. again heard the sound distinctly,
and in tones that could not be mistaken
or misinterpreted. It was the feeble
groan of dying man.
With an almost superhuman strength
I forced the door and entered the house.
The darkness of the interior of the
cabin was impenetrable for some min
utes, but gradually the objects therein
unfolded themselves to my gaze until l
was enabled distinctly to see everything
it contained. Upon q pallet of straw
in the cave, which had been dug int
the side of the hill, lay the emaciated
form of Mike Callaghan, and it did
not require the eye Of an experienced
physician to see that his hours were
numbered. The hand of death already
encompassed him, and he was passing
away like snow before the warm sun of
spring. He beckoned me to approach,
and fastened to his side.
am glad you came" said he.
feared that after all my struggles I
should be called suddenly to another
world before could make that repara-
ton which was solemnly urged upon
me. 1 am growing very weak, and in
very few hours shall be gathered with
those who have gone before me. Lis
ten attentively to what have to say,
and promise me, by all your hopes for
the future, that you will carry out my
dying request"
I promised the old man, and then he
continued as follows:
81 was once the confidential clerk of
Powers & Sons, of the city of Dublin,
trusted implicitly by my employers, re-
spected by my associates, and with a
fair prospect of one day becoming
member of the firm. Unfortunately /
had my weakness, and the gaming
table, and the society of boon compan-
ions. were sufficiently attractive to keep
me from my bed until the small hours
of the morning.
"One day I had been absent to a
neighboring town, and had collected
| $500, but on my return to the Office at
night found that the doors were locked,
and the members of the firm had gone
to their respective homes. That night,
as usual, I went to the gaming-tabls,
and in an incredibly short time my own
money was gone. Determined to re-
trieve my losses, invested the $500,
and lost. It was all done 80 quickly
that could hardly realize the conse-
quences OF my act, and as nothing re-
manned but fight, I borrowed small
sum of money from the gambler, took
the cars for Liverpool, and the steamer
for America, and here, unheralded and
unknown, I felt comparatively safe.
81 determined to retrieve my char
acter, sought for and obtained lucrative
employment, and by practioing strict
economy I managed, in the course OF
time, to bank $500, intending, when I
had accumulated the full sum that I
had embezzled, to return to my old en-
ployer. Unfortunately the old mania
overcame me, and one night strolled
into gambling house. Once there
the old propensity to invest possessed
me. and before I quilted the table that
night my money was gone.
/" 1t was years before I recovered from
this disaster, but ! persevered until my
handbook showed credit of 81 ,428,
and as had to raise the sum of twenty
five hundred dollars, I began to feel
considerably encouraged, and already
looked forward to the time when I
could go back to Dublin, return the
money had purloined, and see again
my poor old mother, from whom had
not heard word since my escapade.
But the old gambling mania came upon
me. / tried to resist it, but the effort
was fruitless. Next day Withdrew the
money from the bank, and that night I
started for the gambling club, to once
again endesvor to retrieve my fortunes.
AS I was about to enter the door I
heard my name called. I trembled
like leaf, for feared that had been
discovered by detective. I turned
and there beheld my brother. His
manner was cold and distant, and we'll
it might be, for I had brought disgrace
upon an honored name and respected
family. / learned from him that my
poor mother was dead, and her last
words were that he should seek me out
and say to me that if I desired to avoid
her curse / should return what T had
taken from my old employers. With
this he abruptly left me, and I never
saw him after.
"The next day I left the city and
came here. found that could not
resist the temptations which daily beset
me. I found that the money had
accumulated would pay sufficient in
terest in twenty five years to pay the
amount. / bought State bonds, came
4 har ~ 4