Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-12-05

oOWSt he IeIC That lie was upon Lhc
brink of terrible discovery. What IL
might be he could not guess, but he had
read of opium joints spread with Turk
ish rugs and rich divans, of gambling
dens as gorgeous as the throne room IN
palace, and of grand halls in shabby
buildings where men played with their
souls for stakes. He had also read that
they were murdered frequently and
dropped down trap doors into loathsome
cellars. His reading had been as varied
as his experience had been limited.
He crossed the street and gazed long
and earnestly at the house with the
closed shutters. They were green and
latticed, but no light came through
them from within. The shutters were
all closed. Not one by any chance stood
ajar It wss as if death itself lay within,
so silent and secret and mysterious were
the windows He thought about little
else but his discovery that night, and
next morning he passed the house on the
way to his Office with eyes alert and
watchful. And every other morning
and evening after that he passed it with
an upward glance and with inward sur
Rises. It grew and fastened upon him,
it became his one idea of all that was
wicked in New York and all that was
beyond him. Before two weeks had
passed he had enacted within its walls
every vice aad adventure known to
romance.
And at last he finally determined to
enter the cigar store below and see if by
some clever questioning he might not
learn why the side door always stood
aiar and WHY the blinds were never
opened.
"What sort of a cigar will you have?"
asked the man.
Now, Mr.. Powers did not smoke, SO
he only said: GA coed cigar to which
the man said. tHere are some imported
ones-two for quarter"
Mr.. Powers hesitated. He could not
decide upon which question to ask first.
"Perhaps you like them milder?"
suggested the dealer, putting back the
cigars.
At this Mr.. Powers lost his presence of
mind and said: mo, these will do"
and picking up the cigars, he left the
shop.
1t did not strike him until after he
had crossed tie street that he had gained
but little information. But then the
storekeeper might have suspected his
Grand and these idle questions about the
color of the cigars were only intended
to throw him off. He was certain of
this at last, and the interest in his adj
venture increased.
sented itself and he seized it. He de-
cided that this was his chance and ap-
preached the cabman frankly, but with
much inward trepidation.
''That house." he said, smiling in what
he believed to be a knowing and con-
ciliatory manner, cts a little bit mys-
terious, isn't it-something queer about
it, eh?'
"Its Cases gambling house, said the
cab-driver indifferently, as he tossed the
blanket over his horse. "Why?"
Mr. Powers's worst suspicious were re-
allied and he blinked at this mans mat
ter-of-fact acceptance of the truth.
ooh, nothing much, he said, and
then he asked, prompted to do so by he
knew not what, "Can any one go in?"
"Not any one," said the cabman, after
some consideration; 'you could, [ guess,
if you wanted to-"
"And what's the limit?' asked young
Mr.. Powers. He did not in the least
know what this meant, but he had heard
Or read Of some such an expression and
he thought it sounded we'll. Some evil
spirit seemed to lead him on; he felt that
this was the case and that instead of
lingering here in talk with this man he
should have fed at once.
"Oh, you can play anything you like"
returned the cabman, "anything from
SIS to $500. I'll introduce you to the
man on the door if you want. I guess
you're stranger in New York, aren't
you?"
ono, thank you,' gasped Mr.. Powers
hurriedly, mot tonight, some other
night perhaps"
Mr.. Powers went to bed that night
sincerely thankful that he had resisted
temptation, but he knew in his heart that
it was but for that night and that sooner
or later he would make his protest
against the uneventful life he was lead
ing and enter that house with the barred
shutters.
There was, however, one practical and
humiliatiug safeguard against his begin
ming Il career of crime. 1t was the SIS
which the cabman had quoted as the
minimum. His allowance was small and
it was two weeks-two weeks of great
mental Observation-Disclosures the sum was
ready. While he was saving it young