St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-25

genial face was so welcome tnaG lie
shock his hand most cordially.
Heard today that you'd left u.s."
said Jim in an off-hand way. Have
cigar?"
"What are you going to do now? Got
another place yet?'' he went OH.
NO" replied William. 81 have tried
everything = been everywhere. 1t
seems impossible to find anything to
dow
"Well. never mind; better luck to-
morrow" Jim answered; then looking
sharply at the Others face, he added:
"You look rocky. old man, - rocky;
let's go in next door and have ball"
Parlee followed him, wondering at
himself as he did so. jim took whisky,
SO did William. for the first time in
seven years. AS it went to that
mysterious region termed 1.-THE spOt'
he felt glow of warmth steal
through him, and Hope, which had for
Saken him held out once more beckOn-
ing finger, and Resolve arose within
HIM again, STRENGTHENED by Rum.
He lighted the cigar at the gilded
altar Of vice, and actually smiled a
weak, thin smile as he pulled it and
realized that it was good. They
walked out together and when they had
"Well, cheer up, old man. Something
will turn up before long. you know"
Then. after pause. adding: Ppm going
over to Number eleven to play the
wheel. Don't you want to come along
for a whilt?" Not supposing for mo-
ment that Parlee would accept the ill.,
yitatiOn, nor indeed at all anxious that
he should do so.
But to his surprise William answered
quite promptly" Yes, I'd besglad to CO."
He knew that the place would be warm.
brilliantly lighted, and there would be
good, regal supper spread for all who
wished to eat. He was full of a dreary
reluctance to return home and face his
wife's look Of inquiry. She, who had
started him off SO confidently in the
morning. She must not see him so wan
and haggard as he had seen himself in
the Darr0Om mirror.
So. slightly to Jim'S discontinue, he
followed across the street and around
the corner to where stood big brown
stone house, over the door of which a
huge gilt ZIP glittered.
Up the steps they went. and Jim
touched the electric button beside the
door. An instant after the panel in the
door opened and colored man peered
out. Seeing who it was he opened the
door. admitting them to a handsomely
furnished hall. In an adjoining parlor
several men in evening dress sat talking
and smoking. Parlee gaZed furtively
about HIM. He had been in gambling
house years before, but never in one so
Iuxuriously equipped. The colored man
looked him over curiOuSly. William
saw at once that without jim he would
never have been admitted in his present
attire, but he did not feel abashed. He
had such lofty intolerance and moral
contempt for the character of the place
that even in his Seedy and bedraggled
condition he felt superior to his sur
roundiags and held his head up proudly.
They went up stairs at once. The
second floor was one long room, brill
liant with chandeliers, gilded mirrors
and pictures, A few good statues stood
in several corners; the floor was deeply
carpeted and many handsome rugs lay
about. At each end was a faro table
surrounded by men intent on the game.
In the middle or the room, at one
side, was the roulette wheel. its whir-
ring hum dominating the slight noises
in the room. About this table clustered
perhaps a dozen men playing or watch
ing the play of others. The voice of
the dealer rose and fell as he cried out
the number and color in monitone,
and over all could be heard the steady.
constant click of the ivory "chIps" as
they were nervously handled by the
PLAYERS.
One or two men glanced at Jim and
his companion, several spoke to him,
and an attendant came and took his
Overcoat, Parlee preferring, for obvious
reasons, to keep his on. While Lush
ington bought chips and began to play,
William stood behind him and watched
with great interest the varying fortunes
of the players.
The rapidity with which the piles of
chips were increased or depleted, the
marvellous QuickneSS and accuracy OF
the dealer as he paid the winners the
many different multiples of the various
bets without an error or protest, the
Dealers imperturhable face betraying
no emotion whatever, all excited his in
tereSt and helped to make him forget
his misery mOmentarily. In about five
minutes Jim rose from his seat and
turnef to William, saying: didn't
win bet" in careless voice.
"Have you lost?' inquired Parlee.
anXiously.
"Oh, dropped hundred" replied
Jim.
Good heavens I'm that little tme?''
said William in horror, as he gaZed into
his friends face in an endeayor to read
his feelings.
"Pshaw, that's nothing-I'll get that
back and more. too" answered Jim,
easily. You just watch your Uncle
Eph awhile"
He then bought more chips, and while
his friend watched him place them upon
the numbered spaces on the table with
far more solicitude than any player
present, he felt touch and looked
around.
Hello, Parlee-what are you doing
here?"
IL was the voice and the person of one
Sammy Barclay, who al remote period
in his past has been one of Parlee's
Sunday school scholars, but who had
long ago drifted away. Pvrlee said,
with a slight blush and some confusion,
that he was there with friend.
by the way" remarked Sammy, "do
you remember my borrowing a dollar
from you at the picnic three years ago.
Pve never seen you since, you know.
but I'll give it to you now" He handed
him silver dollar and turned to look at
the game again.
Parlee held the coin in his hand and
turned it over nervously. Something
whispered, @"Play, pay-that's your
one chance" and the eleven over the
door seem to come before him in lurid
figures. A short, stout man with a
checked vest stood near him, regarding
him with an interested air. On his
watch chain hung a coin with ZIP in
enameled figures upon it. He looked
again at the table. All of the chips had
III stamped upon them, and his eye
tell by some queer chance on the same
figure painted upon the LAYOUT" In
moment mole he had given way to the
impulse and laid his coin upon the
number.
Jim. whose shoulder he has touched
in reaching over. looked at him in sur