St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-03-22

hkif the time. His eyes were shifting.
never steady, and partly discolored.
Unrest and The fever of speculation left
their traces--stamped-I should say
branded him as an unsuccessful man.
once heard a man land he belonged
to my own guild, more's the PITY, say
that all labor was degrading. He cited
our great manufacturing centers-pointr
ed to the homes of the workers whose
products are the very pillars of the
earth, so far as its commercial, monicd
and many of its social institutions are
concerned, and proved to his own salts
isfacticn that the tendency of all labor
was to brutalize; to harden; to destroy
the sensibilities. He made the too COM
mon mistake of confounding effects
with causes.
wonder what this student would say
if some one should cite to him the case
of Eugene F.. 1t might puzzle him
to define the precise value of the patent
of NOBILITY he derived through two
years intercourse with the men who gov
ern the world marts, and represent the
ramitied interests of trade.
Eugene was rushing-he never
walked as other men walk now-past
me one day. when caught his arm.
.'Hello. Howd'y old bov?"
That's precisely the question have
determined to ask you. Come in here
and have glass of wine" As l led
him into a little snuggery few frequent
ed, he answered.: Permit me to NOM
mate brandy or whisky for mine
Looking him in the face as of old, ]
said
1.-The battle has gone against you"
Eyes. haven't 4 dollar to my name,
Ned
| l was amazed thought there was
something left that he could turn into
cash, and could net help expressing
my thought.
! mo. no. Nothing of the sort. ]
could HAVEN fact l should have
managed differently. and put aside
something a little bit in real estate, or
few bonds-but | didn t.
"What neNt?''
"What next?' he repeated dreamily
and drearily. .'Oh. rve not made up
my mind
Eugene. said briskly, ego back
and ask for your old place. l believe
it's there for the asking. And in six
months You will look back on your ex-
perience in oil as bad Dream
''You are right. Ned. | always
thought'you slow goer. but you are
right nine times out of ten. I'll act ON
your adyice-and thank you from the
bottom of my soul for the interest you
have shown in me-
He was as good as his word. But be-
fore the month was out he joined forces
with another clerk. and made !, hum
| dred and fifty dollars on a turn in oil.
He WAS bobbins up beside the dashing
operators inside of month.
A month later there was battle roy
al lasting three days. in which the bulls
and bears were so thoroughly mixed
and blended that il was with extreme
difficulty the best-informed observers
could determine the relative positions
of the horned and clawed competitors.
Immense sums were made and lost. On
the first dav it was reported Eugene
F. cleared forty thousand dollars. On
the third ii was rumored he had accu-
mulated two hundred and fifty thou
sand. At noon. in the presence Of
throng Of men whose frantic actions
and feverish faces exhibited every
phase of gamblers experience. Eu-
gene announced himself s'ahead of the
game three hundred thousand;" Mt two
o'clock he had not enough money to
pay for his lodging.
was coming out of the Era office
about two o'clock the next morning.
Somebody telephoned from livery
stable there was a good ''item" in
SHADES building. a locality well known
to the police and press gang. The last
were disguised with the sameneSs
of the items the premises furnished.
and concertedly called for strenuous
action on the part of the authorities.
The morning was wet and chilly: one
of those sleety. dismal mornings that
drives man and beast into hasty com
mon shelter. refused to stir at first,
then something I have never
been able to explain TO my
self certainly it was not the fear
that our contemporaries would Sc
cure an item the readers of the Era
would be deprived of, caused me to
change my mind. made my way to
the notorious premises indicated. and
stumbling into the hallway ran against
policeman.
Hes had an awful time, poor devil.
never saw anybody suffer so much.
/ 1t was awful--awful
"Here's what's the matter, l guess,
said another policeman as he picked up
a small label marked rat poison. The
/ wretch at my feet suddenly drew up
! his knees, groaned in horrible man
ner, and turned fairly upon his back.
looking straight upwards with an eN-
preston so CHASTITY that we were awe.
stricken as his soul took its flight.
| 1t was the face of nv friend. Eugene