The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-02-27
THE ROMANCE OF HIS LIFE.
Out of Poverty into Wealth. Out of
Wealth into Prison.


Having been left an orphan at the early
age of nine was thenceforth compelled. as
the saying is, to ''hustle for myself" The
acquisition of a fortune of twenty thousand
dollars. by the death of an old and almost
forgotten uncle in the Oil regions of Penn
turned my head
How to be gentleman, how to be man
of means and how to spend my money to
derive the greatest benefits and pleasure
from it. were the questions that raclled my
brain. And very weghty questions they
were too to man of very moderate educa-
tiOn who had always been compelled to
earn his bread by the sweat of his brow.
But man with superfluity of ready
cash need never be without plenty of
friends. SO it proved in my case. In
very short time was hail fellow well met in
a crowd of the best young bloods and was
equally welcome in society.
Among my acquaintance was young
fellow of one or two and twenty to whom
was particularly attached. Arthur yelling
ton was the son OF retired merchant with
a liberal allowance. and not care in the
world except to dress and kill the time.
Well educated. handsome as Adonis. and
sufficiently travelled to converse intimately
of many places of which | scarcely knew
the location on the map, it is easy to imag
inc how agreeable his society was to me;
and. of course as | enjoyed it SO much. L
took particular pains to make myself agree
able to him. So from casual meetings about
town and i'll society we got to enjoying little
social SupperS in my rooms. at my expense
of course after reception or the opera.
where over our wine our acquaintance
quickly grew to friendship; and many a
time tided him over little monetary diff
culteS until he could draw his quarterly al
lOwance; when. however he always in
sisted on dischargng his obligations.
And so things were going along smoothly.
and with Arthur for a companion. [ was
enjoying life hugely and spending my
money judcOusly. until one morning about
eleven O'Clock, as l was sitting at breakfast
in my room, Arthur sauntered in and
dropping INTO chair, asked if l had re-
ceived card for Mrs. Adams ball in the
evening. | replied that | had not unless
by the morning mail which had not looked
over yet. But" said [. ''here it is and
you can look through it while | finish my
chocolate" He picked up a bundle of let
ters. saying: BE too bad if it isn't here. for
the beautiful Miss Pinckney, of Chicago,
is visiting the AQamSeS, ana ali the men
who have seen her are wild over her
beauty. But here it is.'' he exclaimed a
moment later land we will 90 together
Wait for me and l will call and take you
in my coupe" | of course agreed and so
we sauntered out for a stroll.
Evening came. and although grand balls
were getting to be quite common thing.
was for some unaccOuntable reason some
what nervous and was not yet ready when
Arthur called.
''What. not ready yet?" he called in a
CHEEKY voice. Il hope you are not getting
wOmanish. Bert Il will be with you in
just minute. my boy" l replied. Just
a minute. he laughed. "well if | needed
anything to convince me that you are grow
ing effemlnate that would be enough that's
what they always say. and" putting on a
rueful expression. Il ought to know: have
not heard it from those sisters of mine
every day since was big enough to draw
them around on hand sled, down to
the present day."
But by this time had him by the arm