The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-08-13

Ing up" as we used to say, with 90 many
good fellows, we sometimes overlooked
the little formhlities Of conventional as
sociation with our fellow men, 90 l did
not even ask the new man his name un-
til the next evening. We chatted In .
desultory way about Q score Of common
place things connected with our work.
He said he had Just arrived from "up
country" and I took 1t for granted that
he had drifted down from Chicago or St.
Louis, on the regular fall campaign,
which always wound up in New Or
leans. 1t was plain enough that he was
not an ''old rounder;" but he did not ap-
pear q novice, for he did his work very
well, as things went in those days. No
very heavy assignments fell to him at
first. In fact, think be was kept among
the cotton factors, looking up the new
crop, which was Just beginning to move.
l was home before him the second
night, for having shown him the way
and given him . nightkey, which the
landlady relinquished with more or less
reluctance, took It for granted he could
find his way In himself. Feeling In .
reminiscent mood, l was sitting by the
open window taking good night smoke
and looking out on the magnolia trees in
the garden opposite. where the moon
light shone 80 brightly that one could
see the red and waxlike berries that sue
ceed the perishRble blossomA I was
wrapped pretty deeply in thought and
nodding q bit, maybe, when my new
chum came in, and, throwing Of his hat,
stretched himself wearily In big arm,
chair near by.
1--WE have been in the thick Of the
work, ," said, land that must be my ex-
cuse for not formally introducing myself
10 you. Then we haven't seen much Of
each other and are not likely to, except
rs we meet at turning in time. Ny
name Is Gilman, and yours is"-
Brigham, Jason Brigham" he re-
Piled.
"Well, now that we know each other
we will get along better" said. 81
suppose that, like the rest Of us, you are
merely drifting through"
"Yes, merely drifting" was his an
swer. I looked at him. His face was
in the moonlight, and it wore q curious
expression Of unutterable sadness, such
as l have never seen since on any mans
face. Yet there was not the shadow Of
an emotion about 1t. It was negative
sadness-a mere deepening Of its normal
expression. We sat silent for some time,
he looking ont in the peaceful moonlight
scene, furtively studying his counte.
nance. Then he said:
~ wish the city editor had assigned
some one else to do the Sufferers ball
tomorrow night
"Oh, you are booked for that, are your
Lucky fellow. There will be fair maids
galore, gallant men, plenty Of dancing
and no mean spread in the supper room.
Brigham, you are to be Congratulated.
I'll stay up to hear you 60 into ecstacies
over 1t when you get back here"
at is not exactly in my line," re.
sponded Brigham, "and I am not pre-.
pared to present myself in evening dress" :"
"Give yourself no uneasiness on that
score. Wiley has dress suit, and 1t will
Just about fit you. He will be delighted
TO loan 1t to you-if for nothing else, to
let you know he has it."
"Well, I'd rather stick to the cotton.
It has been long time since I moved in
feminine society, and fear I have lost
the fne art Of making myself agreeable" {"
"rll trust you for that. Where was
your home originally I take 1t you are
an eastern man-a New Yorker, per-
haps?"
As asked the question he looked at
me quickly, as though seeking to divine
my purpose-as 4 man might who had
some reason for not caring 10 have his
past probed into too rudely. Then he
passed his hand across his forehead in .
vacant way, and said slowly and with
evident effort:
lyon must excuse me, but-but some
how my memory IL strangely treacher-
Gus, and-I-do not remember-I can
not tell you"
81 beg your pardon" replied. LET
me assure you had no intention Of pre-
suming upon our short acquaintance to
seek TO know anything Of your affairs
which you would rather should not
be known. The question was asked
thoughtlessly enough"
"And Il was . natural one," he said.
II wish I could answer it, but Icannot."
"Say no more about It," replied,
knocking the ashes out Of my pipe. "The
morning stars-thAtis Is, the vegetable and
hsh venders-will soon be singing to-
gether under our window. Let rs 60
TO bed and get well to sleep before the
chorus begins"
Deuced strange, I thought, that this
man should be 90 manifestly reluctant
TO tell me Of his past. What secret did
It hold that he was 90 chAry Rboutl He
did not look like Q criminal-like man
who had done something which made
him Q fugitive or an Ishmael. But there
was the hard fact Of his evident embar.
rassment when the question was asked.
II aroused my curiosity, but It did not
make me shun him. had nothing to
lose-perhaps that was the reason only
felt piqued at my guests disinclination
10 talk about what men most glibly talk
Of under such circumstance But that
was his affair, not mine.