Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-01-21
REAL LIFE.
How Little People Know About
Their Ne1ghbOrs.
Brooklyn Eagle

Very little is know OF Inc lives OF
many people in New York. Acquafn-
tances are formed and ripen into init
macy among people who know moth
ing of one another's antecedents, and
there are many people who pass for
thoroughly respectable whose lives
would not bear much scrutiny. |
knev family once on Lexington
avenue who were popular and well
liked in the neighborhood. The wife
was pretty hospitable little woman
and the two daughters, VINO were just
of age, were bright, engaging and
well-bred girls. Everything around
the house was we'll ordered, and it was
as happy a little family as one would
wish 10 see. The husband who was q
tall and rather gaunt man, was some
what irregular in his hours, but this
was generally accounted for by the
fact that he was supposed to be IN the
Associated Press. I knew the people
for years and never suspected any
thing wrong until one night happen
ed to be in a club in Twenty-ninth
street, where there was very brisk
game of baccarat going on. There
were about forty men, all more or
less knowR around town, seated
around the green table, and two
young club men who had bought the
bank for 50 600, we're raking In the
money by the hatful. Every body
was losing except the bankers. Most
OF the faces were solemn and i'll
natured, though there were few that
were flushed and five or six that were
as calm and imperturbable as though
cut out of atone. The walters stood
over the table and neglected to fill or
ders, and so great was the run of luck
toward the bank that the smooth
faced young clerk, who sat within a
big iron cage and sold chips to the
players, had climbed upon his desk
within his cage so aa to look over the
heads of the players at the table. At
one end of the table the cards were
dealt to a nervous little chap who had
lost very heavily, and whose hand
shook so that he turned over one of the
cards. The banker saw it. The
flushed player called for another card.
It was turned up suddenly, though it
was not nine, and in an instant there
| was false play and an instantaneous
howl from the players. inever heard
anything like it before in my life. The
room was still as death until the false
play, and then the roar broke out as
suddenly as though one had tarust a
| tigers face. All the men were heavy
losers aud a nasty spirit pervaded the
apartment. The players sprang to
their feet, every body shouted at once
and the walters deity closed the door S.
The uproar was at it's height when
the clerk jumped down from his desk
and pulled bell violently, at the same
NOM ent he quickly sIamed the win
dow of his little cage, bolted it, sank
back and calmly lighted cigarette.
The door of the adjoining room opened
quickly, and was slammed to with a
bang that could be heard above tha
din. The players turned their heads,
and there ia the door was standing
the tall and gaunt head Of the famiay
in Lexington avenue, whom I had
know for five ears. He was precisely
as [ had always seen him. His frock
coat hung in loose folds upon attenu-
ated 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 APP
pealed to by dozen voices at once.
He threw a glance around, saw the
pile of books on the table, noted the
players, and then asked if his decision
would be accepted by all the parties if
he gave 1t. There was more or less &C
quiescence, and then he walked to the
middle of the table, placed his skipney
fingers together and in the tone of a
Methodist preacher calmly laid down
the rule of the game
He,spoke with labored politeness, and
looked around from face to face with
a friendly smile as he enumerated word
after word distinctly. He seemed to
be long while getting it out, but it
was evident that he was anxious to
give the player time to cool off bit.
After his harangue ne solmnly added
'There can't be question of doubt,
gentlemen, about this decision. I
have known the points to nave come
up fifty times in Paris and so univer-
sally is the ruling understood that it
no longer raises even word. 1t is
accepted at once as final" Then he
said something about the impossible
ity of everybody being a winner.
grinned again, asked the players as a
special favor to drink the health of a
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 baen drunk, and
the game waa proceeding calmly, AS
he went back into his little room TO
continue game OF poker with few
eronles, the proprietor of the club
which, by the way, is really nothing
more than gambling-house, grinned
pleasantly 10 me and said: "One
pleasant thing about meeting here is
that neither one of us will care to refer
TO it outside" then he nodded. grin
ned lightly again and lounged out of
sight That is the sort of an Assoeia.
ted Press agent he was.
doubt very much if his daughters
knew his business, but 1 suppose his
wife did She was one of the most
homelike and delightful of women. I
suppose it is the gamblers plan to re-