Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-11-07
GWO VISIONS.

towel over the heavy battered cups and
ssucers, Just for all the world like a
Spanish brigand
Just where Matilda acquired her ideal
of Spanish brigand it would be difficult
to explain, since her experiences in life
had been CirCumsCribed by the narrow
limits of the ffth-rate boarding house
/ where she had washed dishes for u living
ever since her earliest reCOllcCtiOns.
! Being of tender susceptibilities, Ma
tilda had been in love almost as many
times rs Mrs. Byrnes had taken new
boarder; being fTeckled and red haired,
no one had reciprOcated her attachment,
/ or if so, had allowed cOncealment To prey
/ upon his feelings recklessly.
"TillyI" called out Mrs. Byrnes, look
/ what you're at, child, or you'll smash
| them aigs. And aigs is aigs, nowadays,
! | can tell you"
Il was only lookin' at Mr.. Jack, " said
/ Tilly, sullcnly.
| well, " said her fat. good naturcd mis-
| tress, don't set too much store by the
/ young men, Tiliy When the right one
comes along you'll know i'm quick
| enough -
Yes" replied Tilly, "but will he
! know nle-that's what want to know. -
! Mis-. ID IlltN Sil'bbh WIN ihuEuNtl NNut
was naturally good tempered, and she
had prospered in the boarding house and
could afford TO laugh even at poor Tilly's
pOintless jokes As she adjusted her dia-
mOnd ear rings and fastened her sealskin
sack to step across the street to the gro
GERS to purchase mackcrel and onions for
dinner. she gave lilly some parting ad-
monitions to grind the coffee and take
ha lnr hpilarfnl of elnthas haf,ra 81 ha
got back.
Not for worlds would Mrs. Byrnes have
set her foot upon the street without the
diamonds and scalskIn.
Villages, as well as courts, may have
their social code that divides patrician
and plebeian, and Silver Gulch drew the
line at a sealskin cloak and diamonds.
Meanwhile Jack MOhr, Tilly's ideal
Spanish brigand, unconscious of the
freckled face pressed longingly against
the speckled panel Of Mrs. Byrnes' pantry
window. went up the hill at swinging
pace, conscious Of but two well-defined
ideas that formed background for all his
minor mental prOCeSSeS-FeliCia Dewey
and the Euchre mine.
In point of Importance to Jack they Oc-
cupied relatively the position here given,
be reversed, since it WAS only on the sue
cess of his mine that Jack could predicate
any hope of winning Felicia.
From the day of Jack Mohr's first ap-
pearance at Silver Gulch the miners, who
took their meals with Mrs. Byrnes, and
lounged around the bar of the neighbor-
ing saloon at evening, were disposed to
treat him with due respect
uaS falt instinriiynly that ha ppr, Ia
be the sort of a man that was troublesome
in a fight. and so he went and came un-
questioned.
Hes fit company for any camp" Old
Sims declared confidentially one evening
to circle of choice spirits in Mike
place, as they stood up To the bar for a
drink all round Hes dropped his man,
and anybody with that record is good
enough for any crowd, and don you for
get it.
Where did that happen" asked
Shorty, the sandy haired bartender, flick
ing off hop blossom from his spotlessly
white shirt sleeves.
He did not say, How do you knowf''
although that would have been the proper
form of interrogatory for wha, he desired
to learn.
Such a question might have been con
strued into a doubt of Old Sims truth
fulness, and thus have led to unpleasant
consequences.
We always guard our weakest point,
and Old Sims was tenacious on this point
of truthfulneSs.
Where did it happen?" repeated the
old man. Lord how do know? There
are some things man can tell without
knowing how he does it, and one of them
is to tell a man who has taken human
life when you see him. It's sort of free
masonry, suppose" Old Sims had once
killed man in a fight. and was disposed
to take on airs in consequence, a superi-
ority none of them felt inclined to Ques-
ton, for obvious reasons, least of all
Shorty.
As for Jack MOhr, the fact that his
language and manners were such Us be-
longed 10 a gentleman might have made
him unpopular with Mrs. Byrnes' board
ers but for one accidental circumstance.
This was lucky game of euchre that
he had played with Col. Dewey, proprie-
tor of the Euchre mine, a mild man
nered, white haired old man, whose style
of playing elected Old Sims warmest ad-
mratiOn.
"A pretticr game | never see, nor any
other man." he explained in rapture Of
delight TO his cronies at the bar.
Thar was the oil man, Carm an cool,
playin' his cards hke-like a parson,
blamed If he didn't. It's your deal, Mr..
Mohr, says he, bowin' like a chestnut
field" and Old Sims made a grotesque
bend in his effort 10 initiate Col Dewey's
courtly grace of manner, an what dye
spose that ere boy done, Scooped the
board, every trip"
And what were the stakess" asked
Shorty, his round, shaven head rising
pink and bare abOve his full white shirt
sleeves, that suggested a whimsical COM
parisOn to a cherub's wings, as portrayed
in medieval art.
THE oil man put up half the Euchre
mine, and Jack bucked agin' 'em with
that oil mule o 'his'n, and blamed if Jack
didn't hold the joker n the right and
left bower three hands runnin'"
''No"' exclaimed Shorty in transports !
at this graphic description; "an' what'd |
the oil man say
Old Sims rose in his seat and bowed, in |
imitation Of Col. Dewey-his contorsons
as he did so a spectacle for gods and men. |
Mr.. MOhr, says he, you are lucky I
man, sir. ! am glad TO welcome YOU
says he, TO half ownership in the |
Euchre mine; as a lucky man you'll |
bring success to the enterprise ~
Very handsome of the old colonel" /
murmured Shorty admiringiy
Handsome repeated Old Sims, /
ait was a picter. \ picter, gentlemen,
high art and religion combined; that's |
what it was
Whether this lucky termination TO the (
game was luck, pure and simple, or
it was brought about by clever
Of the cards, no one in Sill
yer Gulch ventured to hazard an opinion.
And whether it was luck or good man
lgement, from the day that Jack Mohr