Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-02-20


My DEAR FRIEND -Inclossd you
win find check for the 5000 you 50
generously let me have Do what /
may could never repay the kindness
you showed me when was sorely in
need of a friend | am a changed
man now and shall never be tempted
again. Father has forgiven ne and ]
enjoy his fullest confidence. Healone
knows of my trouble. Thans God,
my mother and my sister have never
learned of my disgrace.
Ny friend, want you to come
up and spcDd the hunting season
with me. | can assure the best of
sport and viii take no excuse.
Having little spare time ON my
hands Just at that time determined
to pay my friend a visit. arrived at
the little station on a cool bracing
evening in the latter part of October.
was met "a ] ahghted from the cars
by my young friend and | could not
have been more cordially received
had ! been a long absent brother.
When we reached his home | was
ushered into a coy sitting room,
which was made more cheerful by
the cracking flames of a huge hick
DRY fire in an old fashioned fireplace.
His father, a perfect type of the
old time Kentucky gentleman, met
US at the door and bade me welcome.
To the left Of the fireplace. in an easy
armchair. sat a gray hairoi, sweet
faced old lady quietly knitting. She
remained sitting as ! entered and !
saw at glance that she was an in
valid. She received me with a sweet,
motherly smile. and trusted my visit
would be a pleasant one. l heard
some one enter the room just then,
and looking around, my eye rested on
n slender, girlish figure.
1T was my young friends sister,
and there standing in the middle of
the room saw my wife for the first
time. | thought she was the love
hest girl my eyes had ever beheld,
with her graceful figure and rich
brown hair and big blue innocent
eyes. and there and then fell head
over heels in love with her Her
mother being an invalid, the girl
had assumed the duties of house
keeper and had entered the room to
announce that supper was ready.
The family did all in their power to
make me feel at home, and after the
evening meal was over | felt as if /
had known them all my life.
Next morning the son took me
over the plantation. 1t was typical
old southern home. The house was
in the center of large lawn carpeted
with blue grass and made bright
with brilliant colored late fall flow
ers, and magnificent forest trees dot
ted the place here and there. The
house itself was large and roomy,
with numerous broad and inviting
galleries was shown the well kept
paddocks and given a look at the
rare specimens of thoroughbred
horses, descendants of the equine
wonders that have made Kentucky's
name famous the world over. Then
we went out into tho pastures and
inspected the herd of fat. sleek Jer"
seys. 1t was a magnificent old place,
and | wondered as | gazed at its
beauties how even the passion for
gambling could have induced the boy
to leave such home.
J II remained with my friends al
, most month and was always treat
ed as one of the family. In fact, the
father could not have treated me
kinder had been his own son. His
boy had doubtless told him of what
had done for him, and the old gentle
| man could not 90 too much TO show
} his gratitude.
THE daughter of the family and
/ myself were thrown much together,
and before was ready to leave / had
told her of my love and she had
promised to be my wife | led her
blushing to her father and mother,
and they with smiles of approval
gave us their blessing. We were
) married the next fall. Now you can
understand how a game Of cards led
} to my winning wife,
= my wife and land, of course,
, the children always spend October
and November at the old home. The
old people are dead, but my brother
in-law never fails to give us a royal
} welcome. He, too, has married, and
} there is not a happier man in the
commonwealth and why shouldn't
he be happy, for he has a charming,
: loving wife, three bright, beautiful
| children and one of the finest stock
! farms in Kentucky What more
! need a man wantf Nashville Times.
How n Room Is Filled with Pure Air.