The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-07-22
POOR LITTLE KITTY.
Her Reward for Making a Man OF
Jack Hope.

Some years ago the Frozen Barr was
very favorite house of entertainment q
Kimberley. At first mere bar, rooms ha
been added to it, and it had prospered an
grown into hotel. So far as it was poss
bic for an iron house on the Diamond Field
to be kept cool it was worthy of its name
There was plenty of ice there when ice wa
to be obtained, and even when the ice ms
chimes had broken down, as they CONSTANT
were doing, the bottles were kept cool b
cunning devices known to its propIietres.
However dusty and hot il was outside
pretty little Kitty was behind the bar look
ing after her business, fresh, bright, clean
and cool, and the sight of a clean and coo
human being in a Kimberley dust storm
was always refreshing.
She was nearer thirty than twenty, anC
her life had been rather a hard one thougl
1t had left very few traces on her bri.n
little face and her troubles had not mad
her laugh less CHEEKY or her smile less kind
though perhaps they had caused that dasl
of cynicism which sometimes showed itse
in her talk. She had begun life as balle
girl in London theater had travelled hal
over the world with a theatrical company
and at Cape Town had married a Diamond
Field man, who had taken her up to Kim
berley and soon after he had heartleSSly
deserted her, leaving her. however, sons
money. She started the Frozen Bar anC
prospered there and if she had only been
good at saving would have become quite a
rich woman.
Has Jack been in here tonight. Kittv.'
said n man who, with some others, had
come in one evening before going home
he has come back from the river and is in
the camp again" A troubled look came
1 FNrTZ. Nsg.
(which Jack. there are SO many Of them
about" Jack Hope" All / saw your
friend Mr.. Jack Hope just now at tn }
Corner Bar as l passed. said another
man; ''he was with a nice crOwd-Jim Pal
latter, Ike Sloeman and all that lot. He
has become a regular loafer. | Shouldn'
be surprised to hear that he was run in any
day, for he is always with the bad lot"
What do you mean by talking about my
friend!' said Kitty. Il have no friends.
only customers; but he used to be friend
of yours. Why don't you fellows do some
thing to keep him straight"
No good' Gone too farn Ought 10
.rlear out, " were taeir answers to Kittv's
question: but one or two men looked rather
guilty, for JACK Hope once had been pop
ular man on the Fields and had good
many friends.
Clear out, indeed, where to? That is
so like you men: that is how you stick to
q friend"
Listen to Kitty; why, she seems to be
quite sweet on Jack Hope Look out Kitty
he would drink up the profits pretty quick, :"
said a little Jew who had been listening
to the conversation, though no one had
been speaking to him.
An angry flush came across Kitty's face
For onceshe could not think of a neat re-
tort and she answered, showing that she
was hurt: Look here, Mr.. Moses or Abrams
or whatever your name is, l never spoke
TO you; he wouldn't take your help, and
no one expects you to help a man"
Don know about not wanting my help;
he is glad enough to be helped By soma
very queer people, - said the little Jew as
he walked out OF the place, grum5ling out
something about never coming in again.
Hope may be a fool. and he may have
gone to the bad, but l hate to hear a little
cad like that sneering at him." said Kitty;
and then feeling that she had perhaps made
rather fool of herself she changed the
conversation, and in minute was laugh
ing at some rather pointleSS story, chatting
another man about some joke there was
against him, and seeming to be in the wild
est spirits
What good fun that woman is; such q
dot of go in her" said one of the msn who
had left the place 80 another as they
walked home together. II don't like to
hear her." said the other, a man whose
ideals were somewhat higher, though his
than those of most man on the Diamond
lFieklS. She is such good little woman
"a deal too good TO talk as she does"
These men would have been surprised il
they had seen the woman they were talk
ing about whom they had left in such high
spirits. The place was empty, she leaning
with her elbows on the bar and her shape
ly hands covering her face, sobbing as if
her heart would break. Yes, she thought
she was fool to have cared for him or
any other man. He seemed to be going
the road which has taken so many Kim
berley man to the prison, yet she couldn't
leave him to travel it. All, what a fool
she was, she thought. She had forgotten
TO call her boy to shut the place up, though |
it was late, and she hears a step at the |
door. At once she wipes her eyes and |
looks herself again. The late customer is |
a man about five-and-twenty. Once he |
must have been very good-looking, and |
even now his face has some of its old grace |
about it. Now, however, it tells very |
ugly Stery plainly enough. 1t is haggard |
and worn with drink and dissipation and |
he has a reckless, defiant expires sion, as il |
he refused to show a shame he felt. Even |
for the Diamond Fields his dress is rather 1
careless. Staggering up TO the bar he asks |
Kitty how she is and calls for a drink. |
There is rather a sharper tone than usual |
in her voice as she tells him that it is too |
late and that she is going to close. ''You |
had better go back to the Corner Bar |
that is more in your line than this place, |
isn't it?'i she adds.
"All right he says, 81 will clear out. |
suppose am not good enough for this |
shanty. So good night"
stop she said, changing her mind as |
he turned to 60 away; You needn't be in |
such hurry; want TO ask you something |
What are you doing-where are you stay
ing now"
Veldt last night; l am going to sleep at old |
Sloeman's place tonight. He is a good |
sort, is old Sloeman-don't turn his back
on man because he is down on his luck. l
am going to work with him"
Mr.. Sloeman was the owner OF some
claims in one of the mines which nobody
out doing much work, he managed to md
q great many diamonds. He also was the
proprietor of q canteen of more than shady
reputation, and had an interest in one or
two Kafir stores. Some people were un-
kind enough to suggest that his diamonds
were bought at the canteen and stores from
Kafirs who bad stolen them from their
masters. He had been from time to time
very charitable in finding work for young
men who were out Of employment. A good
many of these young men had afterward
attracted the attention of the detective
police and found their way to the prison.
s'Stop, Jack, you are not going up there
tonight. One of my rooms is empty, you
can have that. Iwouldn't go up there to-
night, - said Kitty.
Jack said he would go-he was expected
there.
stop, Jack, you're not so bad that you
cant talk sense. You know what old Sloe