The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1881-01-23
A STRUGGLE WITH FATE.
A DiScouraging Mixture Of comedy.
Tragedy, and Farce.

The STORY Is told in San Jose that one even.
ing IN August, some three years ago, a
stranger made his appearance in that city,
and shortly thereafter created breeze in
society circles. He had wandered aimlessly
about the streets for two or three days
speaking to no one, caring for nothing. He
was young man and might have been con
sidered unusually handsome il his clothes had
been good, but they were old and faded and
threadbare. There could be no mistakine
the fact that he was an adventurcr, who had
succeeded in finding only disappointment and
poverty. He was tall and straight and had
a distinguished look.
On the evening of about the third day he
was accosted on San Fernando street by a
man exceedingly drunk. This man was
called "Tarantula Juice mot a very inap.
propriate appellation, but one which was
Indignantly resented by Joe, who was a
fighter from Tuolumme, and who boosted
among his numerous other exploits, that in
early days lie had frequently rolled barrel
of whisky fifty miles day, and taken drink
every time the bung hole turned up.
Hello, stranger - he cried to the seedy
young man. Joe was everybody's friend,
but had strange way of showing his friend
ship when he was drunk. "What's yer
prowlin' round here in that hang dog style
Ter, skeerin people!'
" It's none of your id business re-
piled the meek-louling stranger.
Joe was not the man to brook such an in
suit. The stranger attempted to pass on, but
Joe stopped him.
" See here, young Teller, do yer know that
yer tacklin' the wust man in this town |?
An Pm OH the fight bigger'n wolf. Yer
mis- 'rable cockroach- eater, Ill"
Rut he npypr did Ha thourbt n br;cl, u n 4
struck him, but it was only the stranger
fist that laid him out OH the sidewalk. II
there was one thing that Joe respected above
all others, 1t was a man who knocked him
down. As he scrambled laboriously TO his
feet, his breath considerably shortened, he
found himself face to face with the stranger,
who had done the square thing in Joe's opin-
ion, by not following up his advantage while
Joe was down, but who nevertheless assumed
posture SO aggressive that Joe became aware
of gloomy possibilities. So he began TO tenn
porize.
Don't yer take a joker" he said, hold
ing out his hand, which the stranger
grasped. Joe eyed him in sober admira-
ton.
"Who'd a thought" he said, "thet a
slim spider like you-beggin' yer pardon fer
calm yer spider, which yer ain a spider
'o"iN q icV oup So stIOHS anu WIFI HIS
left hand he felt the strangers right arm,
gauging the muscle. "Quickcr'n grizzly,
too,' he added.
So they immediately became fast friends
Joe proposed that they take drink The
stranger acquiesced, saying he hadn't had a
square drink for some time; but he was con-
siderably shocked when he discovered that
he had to pay for the liquor, Joe being in his
chronic condition of pocket emptiness, and
the stranger evidently hated to part with the
money. Then they became very commune
cative. The stranger told how he had such
run of bad luck that the world seemed
dreary, and there was nothing to live for.
Joe spoke words of encouraging consolation;
and, as a last and purely conventional expe-
dent, urged the stranger to marry some rich
girl and settle down. Joe explained how
easily it could be done. His friend had
brains, good manners, nerve, and good looks
all the necessary requisites for doing "the
correct thing" The stranger was modest on
that score, but. Joe chung to the PROPOSE ton,
saying that man with so much style could
marry any girl in Chrstendom-and half a
dozen, in fact, if he wanted that many. All
that was necessary was unlimited cheek and
well-arranged plan. They parted late.