The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-03-19
REAL LIFE.
How Little People Know About The
Neiyhbors.

Neighbors.
Very little is really known of the lives
of many people in New York. Acquaint-
ances are formed and ripcn into intma-
cy among people who know nothing of
one another's antecedents, and there
are many people who pass for being
thoroughly respectable. whose lives
would not bear much scrutiny. knew
family once ON Lexington avenue who
were popular and well liked in the
neighborhood. The wife was pretty
and hospitablc little woman, and the
two daughters. who were Just OF age,
were bright. engaging aud well-hred
girls. Everything about the house was
well ordered. and il was rs happy n
little family as one would wish to see.
The husband, who was tall and rather
gaunt man, was somewhat irregular in
his hours, but this was generally ac-
counted for by the fact that he was sup
posed to be in the Associated Press. |
knew the people for years and never
suspected anything wrong until one
night when | happened to be in a club
i'm Twenty-ninth street, where there was
Il very brisk game of baccarat going on.
There were about forty men, all more or
less known about town, seated around
the green table, and two young club
men who had bought the bank for
$1,000, We're raking in the money by
the hatful. Everybody was losing eX-
cept the bankers. Most of the faces
were solemn and ill-natured, though
there were a few that Were flushed and
five OF six that were rs calm and I'M
perturbable rs though cut out of stone.
The walters stood over the table and
neglected to fill orders, and so great
was the run of luck toward the bank
that the smooth-faced young clerk, who
sat within his big iron cage and sold
chips to the players, had climbed upon
his desk within his cage SO rs to look
over the heads of the players at the
table At one end of the table the cards
were dealt to Il nervous little chap who
had lost very heavily, and whose hand
shook so that he turned over one of tho
cards. The banker saw it. The flushed
player called for another card. 1t was
turned up suddenly, though it was not
nine, and i'm an instant there was a
false play and IN instantaneous howl
from the players | never heard any
thing like il before in my life. The
room was still rs death until the false
play, and then the roar broke out Us
suddenly as though one had thrust a
red-iron into tigers face. All the men
were heavy losers and 4 nasty spirit
pervadcd the apartment. The players
sprang to their feet. everybody shouted
at once and the walters deity closed the
doors. The uproar was ut its height
when the clerk jumped down from his
desk and pulled bell violently, at the
same moment he quickly slammed the
window of his little cage. bolted it.
sank back and calmly lighted cigar
cite. The door of the adjoining room
opened quickly. and was slammed to
with II bang that could be heard above
the din. The players turned their heads,
and there in the door was standing the
tall and gaunt head of the family in
Lexington avenue, whom had known
for live years. He was precisely as
had always seen him. His frock coat
hung in loose folds upon his attenuated
figure, he held a cigar firmly in the side
of his mouth and his cold blue eyes were
utterly devoid of animation: his cheek
bones were high and his head bald. As
he came in he was appealed to by u
| dozen voices ut once. He threw a
glance around, saw the pile of bills on the
table, noted the players. and then asked
| if his decision would be accepted by all
| the parties if he gave it. There was a
more or less general acquicsccnce. and
then he walked to the middle of the
table, placed his skinny fingers to-
| gcther, and. in the tone. of Methodist
preacher. calmly laid down the rule of
| the game. He spoke with labOrcd pO-
| likeness. and looked around from face to
| face with friendly smile us he enlinci-
ated word after word distinctly. He
seemed to be long while getting il
out, but it was evident that he was anx.
iols TO give the players time to cool off a
bit After his haranSuc he solemnly
| added: There can't be a question of
doubt, gentlemen, about this decision.
| have known the point to have come
up fifty times in Paris and so UNIVERSAL
ly is the ruling understood that it no
longer raises even word. 1t is. ac-
cepted at once us final Then he said
something about the impossibility of
everybody being winner. grinnetl
again, asked the players as special
favor to drink the health of Il famous
bull dog he was bringing over from
London, and within ten minutes the
gate of the iron cage was thrown open
by the smiling clerk, half case OF
champagne had been drunk, and the
game was proceeding calmly. AS he
went back into his little room to con.
! finna .. .run,a Of ,nnEar with a faxv