Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-11
who had tasted the cup of life with discre-
Writes Himself q Wise Man.

% Writes Himself Wise Man. ~>sSs
All this pleased me, and in measure
numbed the suspicion that was thoroughly
aroused. Eventually the blue-eyed one
discovered, nay, insisted, that had taste
for cards (this was ciumsily worked in, but
1t was my fault, for in that I met him half
way and allowed him no chance Of good act
ing) Hereupon laid my head upon one
side and simulated unholy wisdom, quoting
odds and ends of poker talk, all ludicrously
misapplied. Ny friend kept his counte-
nance admirably, and we'll he might, for
five minutes later we arrived, always by
the purest of chances. at q place where we
could play cards and also frivol with Louisi-
ana State Lottery tickets. Would play?
MAY" said I, for to me cards have
neither meaning nor continuity, but let us
assume that am going to play. How
would you and your friends get to work.
Would you play straight game or make
me drunk, orwell, the fact is I'm news
paper man, and I'd be much obliged if
you'd let me know something about bunko
steering"
NY blue eyed friend erected himself into
an obelisk of profanity. He cursed me by
his gods-the right and the left bower; he
even cursed the very good cigars he had
given me. But the storm over, he ouieted
down and explained. I spologized for
causing him to waste an evening, and we
spent a very pleasant time together.
He Accepts American Hospitality.
Next morning had entered upon the de-
ferred inheritance. There are no princes in
America-at least with crowns on their
heads-but a generous minded member Of
some royal family received my letter of in
PRODUCTION. Ere the day closed was a MEM
ber of the two clubs and booked for many
engagements to dinner and party. Now,
this prince upon whose financial operations
be continual increase, had no reason, nor
had the others, his friends, to put himself
out for the sake of one Britton more or less;
but he rested not till he had accomplished
all in my behalf that a mother could think
of for her debutante daughter.
Do you know the Bohemian Club of San
Francisco? They say its fame extends over
the world. 1t was created somewhat on the
lines of the Savage by men who wrote or
drew things, and has blossomed into most
unrepublican luxury. The ruler of the
place is an owl-an owl standing upon a
skull and crossbones, showing forth grimly
the wisdom of the man of letters and the end
of his hopes for Immortality. The owl
stands on the staircase, q statue four feet
high; is carved in the woodwork, futters on
the frescoed ceiling, is stamped on the note
paper and hangs on the walls. He is an ancient
and honorable bird. Under his wing twas
my privilege to meet with white men whose
lives were not chained down to the routine
of toll, who wfote magazine articles instead
of reading them hurriedly in the pauses of
Office work, who painted pictures instead of
contenting themselves with cheap etchings
picked up at another mans sale of effects.
Mine were all the rights of social inter-
course, craft by craft, that India, stony
hearted stepmother of collectors, has
swindled US out of. Treading soft carpets
and breathing the incense of superior cigars
wandered from room to room studying the
paintings in which the members of the club
had caricatured themselves, their associates
and their aims. There was q slick
French audacity about the workman
ship of these men Of toll un-
bending that went straight to the heart of
the beholder. And yet it was not altogether
French. A dry grimness OF treatment, al
most Dutch, marked the difference. The
men painted as they spoke-with certainty.
The club indulges in revelries which it calls
'jinks"-high and low-at intervals-and
each of these gatherings is faithfully por-
trayed in oils by hands that know their
business. In this club were no amateurs
spelling canvas because they fancied they
could handle oils without knowledge of
shadows or anatomy-no gentleman of leis-
ure running the tempers of publishers and
an already ruined market with attempts to
write because everybody writes something
these days"
Ny hosts were working or had worked for
their daily bread with pen OF paint, and
their fa liz rr1nc NJ of "a ehor,
-shoppy-tha; is to say, delightful. They
extended large hand of welcome and were
as brethren, and I did homage to the owl
and listened to their talk. An Indian club
about Christmas time will yield, if properly
worked, an abundant harvest of queer tales;
but at "a gathering of Americans from the
uttermost ends of their own continent the
tales are larger, thicker, more spinous, and
even more azure than any Indian variety
Defending Client
1.-THE prisoner is undefended, SAM" said
the Court. 1.-THE square thing to do would
be for you to take him aside and do the best
you can for him.. Court, jury and witness
then adjourned to the veranda, while Sam
uelson led his client aside to the Court
House cells. An hour passed ere the law
yer returned alone. Mutely the audience
questioned. "May it p-p-pleas. the
C-court," said Samuelson, "my clients
case is b-b-b-bad ope-a d-d-d-durned bad
one. You told me to do the b-b-best I
c-could for him, Judge. so I've jest given
him y-your b-b-bay gelding an told him to
light out for healthier c-c-climes, my
p-p-professional opinion being he'd be
hanged quicker'n h-h-hades if he dallied
here. B-by this time my clients bout Is
miles out yonder somewhsres. That was
fhoh h y Anrf ar1l L. g
p-p-pIease the Court" The young man,
escaping punishment in lieu of the prisoner,
made his fortune ere five years.
Other voices followed, with equally won
drous tales of RATA throwing in Mexico or
Arizona, of gambling at army posts IN
Texas, of newspaper wars waged in goddess
Chicago q could not help being interested,
but they were not pretty tricks), OF
deaths sudden and violent in Mon
tans and Dakota, of the loves of half
breed maidens in the South and fantastic
huntings for gold in mysterious Alaska.
Above all they told the story of the building
of old San Francisco, when the finest col
lection of humanity on Gods earth, sir,
started this town, and the water came up to
the foot of Market srteet." Very terrible
were some of the tales, grimly humorous the
others, and the men in broadcloth and fine
linen who told them had played their parts
in them.
How It Impressed Him.
"And now and again when things got toe
bad they would toll the city bell, and the
Vigilance Committee turned out and hanged
the suspicious characters. A man didn'i
begin to be suspected in those DAYS till he
mad committed at least one unproyoked
murder" said calm-eyed, portly old gen
tlemen. 1 looked at the pictures around
me, the noiseless, neat uniformed waiter be
hind me, the oak-ribbed ceiling above, the