Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-02-26

a long timeAcoming, though, and Plug !
had almost begun to believe thai it,
never would come, when, behold, here
it was!
When lie hadsfrst thought OF the pos
sibility of his p resent posit ion Plug hads
grimly resolvedt that when that time
came ne wouldAquietly and with the
nerve becoming IA gambler put himself
out of this miserable world; but now
that the time hadireallyi come at last, he
hesitated. HIS hesitation was not born
of fear, however. Plug did not know
what fear was. 1t was merely the
strength 6f'rulinglpossionj that is said to
be so strong in death. He was merely,
revolving in his mind a.problem. The \
problem was a simple one. In his hips
pocket he carried the only bit of per-.
sonal propertylhe hadmot as yet pawned. A
1t was a pretty little silver-mounted re- =
volver that girl had, given him years .
before in the West. He had always
promised himself that if the day should}
ever comeit would be this souvenir off
his only romance that should do the 4
business. But nowhe found that,he was I
tempted to pawn the revolver, try his
luck once more, and then, if he lost
well, the river was quite handy. The
problem was never solved, however, ifor
Plug was reused, presently, from his
meditations by the happy|vOlce of 4
child singing in a high key,a silly but /
popular song. He looked 'around, al
most wondering lhow even archild could
could be so free from care as to sing,
and he observed the little girl crossing 4
the street toward him, swinging tin
pail in one hand and tripping auiim-
promtu dance-step to the song she was
singing. "Humph!" thought Plug,
rushing the growler for some 'bcastly
father or mother. That's what's the
matter with the world. That's what's
been the matter with me. It's 'sibringing
up. No wonder we all go'tO the bad"
He had barely concluded the pdilOsophi-
cal thought when the child, "a rather
ragged little girl, even though she did
appear happy, reached the conner where
he stood, turned and made for the side
door of an all-night saloon few doors
away. She did not even glare at him,
but tripped on under the gaslight, and as
she did SO something futtered from her
disengaged hand. Plugs quick eyes
knew that it was a'dollar bill, even be-
fore it reached the ground, and with an
impulse that was absolutely uncon troll
able he stepped quickly forward, picked
it up, and was secure in the entrance to a
gambling-den before the child had
opened the door of the saloon.
The time had been when he would
have felt disgusted with himself for the
act. But that time had long passed.
1t had gone with his old bravdo and
his old ideas about gamblers honor
it had gone with'h his youth and his re-
membrance of his mother and with his
capabiiity ofifeeling shame. He rushed
up the stairs, burst into the smoke-flled
room. and even before he thought placed
the bill on the "high card" 1t won.
The dealer laughed good-naturedy. An
acquaintance cried out, jokingly, "Good
boy, Plug" Another asked him where
ne had borrowed the money, and then |
there was a general'laugh at his expense.
He did not mind it. Perhaps he did .
not hear it. He looked stolidly at his |
bet and left it on the ''high card"
Again it won and now it amounted to
four dollars. Again the dealer laughed |
and so did the rest. There are strange
things about luck. Any gambler will
tell you so. The "high card" won six /
times in succession, and Plugs stolen
dollar bill now amounted to the
respectable sum Of sixty-four dol
lars. Phe crowd ceased laughing.
The dealer, out of pure charity, asked
Plug if se wanted to let the bet.stand.
Plug had been playing such small
game for so long time that the dealer
hardly believed he had sufficient nerve
left to take such a risk He
received no answer, however, and as
silence gives consent in a gambling-room
be proceeded to draw the cards. Again
the "high card" won. 1t was one hum
dred and twenty eight dollars now that
Plug had on the table. An irreverent
youth burst out laughing and said
"Plug's luck must have been turned at
last" But Plug was still silent. The
next turn made his original dollar two
huddred and fifty-six dollars. The
"high card had won eight times in sue
cession. 1t was becoming so interesting
that the other players forgot to make
their bets until sharply reminded to do
so by the dealer. Even ne was a little
nervous as he drew the next two cards.
He muttered something under his breath,
too, when he saw that Plugs money had
doubled again. "Great guns" said the
irreverent youth, who had been figuring
for minute with a pencil, she's won
five hundred and twelve dollars" The