The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-02-09
HANDSOME JACK PAYEE.
The Noted PrOhigate OF Ballot College
Found Begging a Meal i'm
San Antonio.
Story of the Descent of Wealthy
Bankers Son From Afiiuence
to Poverty.

n COIllllsSiOutT WAS yesterday nc
costed by an apparent stranger who requested
a donation to obtain meal He was stranger
in the city, his attire was in bad condition,
having shabby, genteel appearance, and his
aspect was that of one who drank great deal /;
yet there was something familiar in his face and
his speech and manner indicated that whatever
he might was then he had in the past moved in
"a higher sphere of life. The commissioner took
the stranger to a restaurant where he obtained
good meal. By cautiously questioning him the
history of his wretched life was drawn out.
My name is-well,never mind what it is, friends
called Inc Jack and under circumstances that
will suit me better and answer all practical
purposes. My age is 80 years. but dare say |
look older for drink and sorrow have done their
work. My father is a London banker, who
comes of an honorable family and who made
their money by trading. There is nothing of
the aristOcrat about our family, but some of
the family ape it. My father is proud of moth
ing beyond his self-won position, and an hon
Orable reputation. After spending the usual
terms at Harrow school, my father sent me to
Oxford and matriculated at Ballot college. |
was an apt scholar, although paid more at
tention to boating, cricketing and chamber
parties than to my studies. | managed at
length to graduate and can append the initials
M. A. Oxon TO my name If ! care so TO dis
grace the university. My father made me.
LIBERAL ALLOWANCE,
which was often much Overdrawn, and with
this | cut a considerable appearance among the
collegians and was then rich, young pretty
aye, you may smile, sir, but was a hand
some man Il don't look it now, / know and
was of jovial disposition. | was much sought
after, and soon Joined party of collegians,
who were richer and who turned night into
day, playing cards, drinking wine, and leading
what may be truly termed the life Of u
debauchee: 1t was here that L acquired the
accused liking for drink that has ruined me.
When l had graduated my father called me
home to take Il position in the bank, and if
had been wise | might now have been partner
in that bank instead of being wretched out
cast. l got associated with clique wilder
than the first; became irregular i'll my attend
ancc; my cash was frequently short, although
l never, knowingly, Incorporated penny,
and my father threatened to send me away and
would have done so but for the influence of my
mother. AT this time one event occurred that
might have saved me from total wreckage in
the voyage of life. / loved girl, my Lizzie,
as | then called her. She was not beautiful,
but so kind and good, and there was an mex
presSble sweetness about her that made her to
me the fairest among women. l told her my
love, and knew then that she loved me, but the
story of my excuses had reached her and She
could not trust me. Moreover, her parents
would not hear of marriage. tried hard to
reform, but failed, and she, the only woman
ever loved, died of consumption, accelerated by
her grief and anxiety for me. 1t was better so
than that l should have dragged her
well nigh broke my heart. Life had
then lost its charms to me, and |
drifted downward to ruin and despair. My
parents did all to restrain me, but failed and
my mother died of a broken heart-at least
that is what they said. hope it was not true.
My father at last got weary of me, and putting
in my hand a through ticket for Texas and
ECO, he said, go there, be good and reform and
will send for you, till then go and never let
me see you again. came; resolved to win his
love and my position back again, and landed in
New Orleans. Here again yielded to tempta-
ton and spent the major part of that which
properly used, might have been the