Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-04-24

walters to conduct him to the proprietor
of the establishment The waiter at once
pointed out to him short, weil-dressed
man, with dark hair and Jewish cast of
face who sat near the door, smoking a
cigar, and looking about him with an air
of seeming Indifference, though I'M reality
he kept a watchful eye upon all that went
on in the saloon.
Evasio approached him and said in En-.
| glish (his German was too broken to be
easily intelligible): You are the proprie-
tor of this saloon | understand"
| The other rose and bowed, answering in
the same language:
II am, sir Can l serve you in any
way?"
''Can you grant me few minutes pri
vate conversational"
with pleasure, sir. Follow me. this
way, please, y
The proprietor ushered Evasio into a
small apartment, which led out of the sa.
| loon, and, closing the door, requested him
| to be seated. He, himself sat down op
posite and waited for the young man to be-
gin.
In confused and nervous sentences
Evasio rushed straight to the point
1.-The fact is" he said, 81 have lost at
your tables all the money that | brought
| with me tonight. But have consider
able sum lying to my credit at Potsdorff &
Guelph's and | thought that perhaps
that isl mean--could you possibly see
your way to cashing draft on them for
me?'
The proprietor raised his his eyebrows
and replied with cold clvility:
sit is an unusual request, sir, even for
my friends to make, and you are perfect
stranger"
Il know | am asking much more than |
can expect. " Evasio replied; but my
father Is a well-known London banker, and
| thought perhaps, that on the strength of
his credit, you might manage to grant my
request. Of course | should expect to be
charged a commission for the accommoda-
ton
The other regarded him shrewdly for a
minute from under his long, dark eyelash-
es. Then he asked: "How much do you
want ?"
ga thousand forms, if possible; but
less if that is more than you can trust me
for
''Write out draft for 900 forms, and
let me see the signature, answered the
proprietor briefly. Il will then decide
about cashing it. y
The young man Immediately filled in
one of Postdorff and Guel phi draft forms,
which he happened to have in his pocket,
and handed it to the proprietor.
The latter scanned it closely. Then,
after looking several times from the draft
to Evasio's face and back again to the
draft, he inquired briefly:
Pardon me, but how much have you
lost?'
about 5000 forins.''
''As you have brought much grist to my
mill and your fathers name is known to
me as one of the leading ones in the f.
nancial world will cash this draft for you
| only make one stipulation namely, that
you mention this to no one else If it
were generally known | should be pestered
with like applications.
Evasio readily gave the required promise
and cordially thanked the proprietor, who
unlocked a cash-boX, counted out notes to
the necessary amount, and handed them
to the young man without word
But about the commission, began the
| latter. Let me-
my dear sir!'' interposed the propriet-
or, setting aside, as it were, the suggestion
with wave of his hand, Il could not
think of accepting commission ON a draft
payable on sight. | shall, of course, pre-
sent this at Potsdorff & Guelph 5 tomorrow
morning
do so, by all means, Evasio returned
And, after again thanking the manager
for his obliging kindness, he re-entered
the gambling-saloon, eager to retrieve his
losses.
But his attempt to do so proved nothing
better than throwing good money after
bad. In an incredibly short time every
fathing of the last thousand aorins had
vanished and he returned to his hotel
broken and desperate.
About noon next day, as he sat over his
untasted breakfast, resting his head ON
his hands, abject and miserable, he
heard knock at his door. Before he had
time to answer it the door was thrown
open and the waiter announced:
"A gentleman to see you.
Evasio looked up with a gesture of ir-
ritation, meaning to say that he could re-
ceive no one just then. But he desisted
from his purpose when he saw his visitor
already crossing the threshold and reeog-
nized in him the proprietor of the gambl-
ing saloon.
pardon me for troubling you with a
visit" the latter began politely, when the
door had closed on the waiter. But
have just been to present your draft at
Potsdorff & Guelph's and
ut was honored all right, was it not?
Evasio interposad, quickly.
lit was, the other returned with a
bow. Il have no complaint to make ON
that score. But I find and pardon my
seeming impertinence In abiding to the
matter-that the thousand forms which
have just been paid on your draft was all
the money that you had left!
Really, that is no affair of yours, the
young imam retorted. He highly resented
such suggestion from perfect stranger.
who had obliged him, it was true, by TAX
ing his check the previous night, but who
still had done nothing to warrant any in
auisitive interference with his private
affairs. However, in moment his curl
osity got the better of his resentment, and
he added: What makes you think 500"
Several things, was the answer. 1.-THE
fact that you asked me to advance 1000
forins and no more-your demeanor while
losing-the conduct of the cashier at Pots
dorff & Guel ph S, who was obliged to re-
fer to his ledger to see If you were good
for the sum-this combination of circum-
stances led me to suppose that you had lost
your all and might now stand in need of
money! Especially he concluded, fixing
his dark eyes full on the young man s face
las something seems to tell me that the
sum which you have gambled away was
not your own
who told you that?' cried Evasio,
adding quickly, as he thought he OWNED
I, oof4b "a,