The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-07-29
THE GAMBLERS DAUGHTER.

THE GAMBLERS DAUGHTER.
A True Story Of Love and Rum
"A Pathetic Romance Of
New York Life.
I sing of love and rum, temperance.
fanaticism and death.
Listen!
Among my early friends was the man.
sging editor of great newspaper.
English born, graduated from a uni
versity, fair linguist, fully equipped by
nature. he was my beau ideal of a chief
executive. will call him Boyd. Play
ing about the Office was his nephew, a
boy ten or twelve years of age, his
name-sake, to whom he was greatly at
tached. The boy ran my errands, at
tended me on my reportorial-why not
eporterial?-duties, and wound him.
self about my heart as vine clasps
some sturdier growth.
Time wore on.
The developments of the war induced
the uncle to leave journalism, and to
enter field of governmental labor which
babe fair to be most remunerative, and
was for time very profitable, though
ultimately ruined when fhe Cabinet Of
ficer, in whose range of supervision the
duty was, concluded it would be better
to engraft the service upon the govern
ment itself. Down to this time the
nephew, whom we will call Aleck
Boyd, had done nothing but run er-
rands and play about the office, being
supported entirely by his uncle. A
change now occurred. Mr.. Boyd was
in trouble and pecuniary distress. The
action of the government embarrassed
his company, and young Aleck was
told to look out for himself.
Naturally he turned to reporting.
He was tall, handsome, nineteen, with
big blue eyes. great physical strength,
but not much mental activity, full of
life and push and go in everything but
work. He was very fond of girls and
developed into quite beau. 1put him
in the post-office, but he was too lazy
to work. ! put him in the fire depart
ment, but the work didn't suit him and
he left. l got him clerkship, but he
was careless and inattentive and left.
Always an indulger to an extent in in
toxicating liquors myself, l failed to
notice the early beginnings of Aleck in
this line, and being very busy and hard
at work getting or writing news. 1 con-
tented myself by greeting him pleasant
ly when I saw him, giving him good
advice, lending him money, getting
him something to do, until one day he
staggered halfseas over into my room.
/ was thunderstrnck.
Had he been my own brother
couldn't have felt more keenly the dis
grace, / couldn't have reproached my
self more bitterly for neglect. l talked
With him like good uncle, sobered hin
up and engaged hlm as q reporter
From that hour his life was q co4tip
uous up and down. He went as a re
porter one day on Sunday-school pic
MIC and made the acquaintance of {
meek faced, demure, quiet little lady
daugter of Danser, the gambler. They
were mutually impressed. She was
Christian woman, with character o
most desirable strain. dominating he
entire life, permeating every though
and action, literally going about doing
good. Her father had three passions
He loved his daughter, he loved tt
make money. an9 he hated liquor ant
all who used it. He was sioa beyont
the dream of avarice, fact unknown
to his family. He was hard, harsh
buiietheaded man, who carried his lif
in his hand, ready with alertness t.
meet friend or foe, cool, clear to tn
core. His purposes were always clea'
cus. He knew to hairs breadth tn
path he trod. Success followed every un
dertaking. He made and held enormou
sums of money. He had the intuition
of q woman, and when be saw his pref
ty daughter brought bone by this stall
wart handsome youth, he read he
heart and judged the man. Parepta
decree sent her to her room, and he
escort turned away as though pail o
water had been thrown in his unexpect
ant face. A few days thereafter l re
ceeived visit rs editor of the paper o.
which this voting man was employed
from the gambler. l saw in q znoE,en
that he was angry from head to foot
and had come to settle the affair wit
me, having failed, ~ | subsequently as
eertained, to convince the daughter Z
the Improperly IF her accepting as (
--sssft tAis yoYng nan whom she be-
c. sssfsfs. Twas rs bInnt as be
never me- a. fond of Alec
and although not :. aiaas,9p
Boyd as he was of his Mary,
oned Alexis cause. I showed Danse
the possible course that lay before tn
young man, assured him of my entir
confidence in him and my intentions t.
farther his prospects all that was in m.
power. But" asked l, .'why max
Il serious matter of itp The youn:
people have met but once. He ma,
never think of her again or she o
him.
| "Ah," said he in reply, ''you it'll
know that girl. This young man is tn
first person have ever know her t.
feel the slightest interest in as an indi
vidual. / have had such scene in m,
house as care never to have again.
Quick as flash, turning to me after
moments pause he said, That mai
drinks and hate druEkard.
/ What could sayp
/ THE OLD TALE RE-TOLD.
| To make a long story short, for tn
interview lasted over an hour, / per
suatled Mr.. Danser to keep his hand
of, that if the young man called to Sc
his daughter, she being quite old enougl
to determine, let him do so. If h
didn't why there was an end of it, an
| assured him that in the meantime
would speak to Boyd and would lie
HIM (Danser) know how the boy felt.
> The ''boy," by the way. had got
ten to be twenty-onc years Of age