Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-08-18
VOL. NAII.---NO. 80.

Ou'Eef PASSION Tor gambling: one solid
OH leiiow. though, su crested that no
man could maintain his business if he
gratl!l'd al the whims OF a woman like
Mrs. Marsion.
"Ihen why doesn't he explain 20
her asked.
The old fellow gave a hard, dry lang h.
fcace IS cheap at any price," said
But any reasonable woman -" l
began. when was Interrupted with:
"Such women are not reasoning be-
lnmS. No woman is who loves self first
and hushrnI af:crward.
This seemed hard language to use
about so pretty Il woman rs Mrs. Mars
ton, but coUd not deny that the old
fellow WAS right.
Occasionally afterward l met Mars
ton, sometimes at his shop, where he
always was glad TO have me and cirar
drop in uneXpectcdiy; o;,ener, however.
l saw Inn ii the door of the theater or
opcra-house waiting for his wife. He
once explained to me that he could not
;'liord to c,ose the shop and accompany
his wife.
One night. however, returning from a
club dinner at an hour when many peo-
pie were already awake, met Marston
on sIre.t-car. with AZ immense load
OF newspapers from Print ng House
Square, and without an ovcrcoat, al
though the weather was bitterly cold.
He seemed somewhat ashamed of his
appearance and work. bat chatted about
BOOKS more brilliantly than ever before,
and rs we got of the ear at the same
Street, insisted, when we reached nv
door, that he had been very imprudent
to expose himself and that he must wear
my overcoat Tor the rest of the night;
indeed, he must keep ii, if he would, for
rough wprk, and save the better one
that had seen him wear, for mine WIS
old, and too tight for ME, who was much
anu lay awake for an hour wondering if
there Was no possible way OF doing any
thing for Marston.
soon found that there was. His bill
came in on the first day of the month,
and that evening very iine-lookinr boy
OF about ten years, and Enthusiastically
Marston's son, called to say father was
quite sick, and would be glad to have
the amount of the bill that evening if
convenient.
AS had never been able to learn that
Marston had any friends, sent him,
with the money, a note expressing re-
gret at his illness. and asking if could
lie of any service to him.
Within an hour the boy returned with
note expressing Marston's thanks for
my sympathy, and saying that if had
all hour to spare, and would not object
to chatting with sick man, who. new
ertheless, would promise not to talk
about himself, he would be very CRATE
full. His wife was going TO the theater,
and his soE was temporarily in charge
of the shop, so he would be quite alone,
and would not object to tobacco smoke
if would excuse him for not smoking
with me.
accepted his invitation, and found
Marston on lounge in the parlor of Il
little fiat in an questionable street. but
everything about the room indicated
comfort and good taste.
Marston told me that he had suffered
by sudden attack of plcurisy. but be-
lieved himself now out of danger, al
though he felt very weak. l compli-
menied him on the charming effect
of his room, and he was so pleased
that he chatted about one thing
after another on the walls, brack-
cts and mantels, until l learned.
without his intending it, that he, and
not his wife. had selected and arranged
the decorations His conversation was
as bright as ever, so soon forgot he
was sick man. and neglected to look
at my watch. Twas therefore surprised
by the return of Mrs. Marston from the
theater, to learn that midnight was not
an hour distant.
Marston introduced me to the lady,
who gave me gracious smile, and inn
mediately began talking of the play she
had Just seen, asking me if l did not
think that certain actors in the company
one familiar to all New Workers.
were not splendid, and whether the
leading lady's dresses were not ex-
quisite. Her enthusiasm was charming,
and so was the play of her features
while she talked Of the performance;
but when ten minutes after her
arrival. she asked her husband how
he was feeling. she did it so listlessly
and mechanically that l departed with
distinct conviction that Marston's
home-life was not what it should be.
Two or three days afterward, as !
left home before daylight to catch an
early morning train. the newspapers OF
the day struck the front door as
opened it, and l recognized the figure
of the retreating carrier as that
of Marston. also heard cough that
made me apprehensive as to the health
of my newsman. For moment was
inclined to follow him and warn him
against imprudence, but. had no time
to spare, SO l hurried to my train.
On my return, two days later, found
times within few hours. Immediate
iy hurried to the shop, but finding il
closed, went on to Marston' residence.
Mrs. Marston received me at the door.
81 am afraid your husband has suffer.
ed relapse" said /.
| Yes" said she, "and isn't it too
bad? He was to have got me pass to
IS benefit tonight. Pm dreadfully
disappointed"
The moment saw Marston l feared
that the end had come. His face was
strained. his eyes bloodshot, and he
breathcd with difficulty. His boy knelt
by the bedside, with one arm thrown
across his father, and with more sor-
row and apprehension in his face than
l ever saw in human countenance be-
fore.
"Where is the physician?" l asked.
"He-why. Ellis did not think he
needed one, and | agreed with him; he
seems only to have heavy cold, and
has been doctoring himself"
sent his boy for my own doctor,
who lived only two or three squares
away. The little fellow was 10th to 60,
but something that whispered to him
sent him off in haste. only to return
with word that the doctor was not in.
Meanwhile l responded to an invitation
from Marston's eyes, and leaned over
him.
Excuse me-" he gasped. "but l.
have no friends-nO relatives-anv.
where near. VIII you-be-my ex-
ecutorp"