The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-04-14
A PLEASANT ROOMMATE.

/ am a plain. honest lawyer, and be-
fore Il certain young man moved into
my double Office, my reputation was
spotless He moved in for the ostensi-
ole purpose of sharing the expense OF
rent. He was a nice-looking young
man and had fair exterior. The day
following his arrangement with me he
moved i'll. That is, he appeared in per-
son. Otherwise he did not have much
to move. But poverty is no crime,
and I took a fancy to him on account
of his principles. 1t is so pleasant to
eneet some one nowadays with princi-
piles. He had plenty Of them and it
aid me good to listen to him. "a law
yer he would say, "has no right to
defend a criminal when he is guilty."
and, although did not agree with him,
respected his extreme virtues. When
he showed me a membership ticket for
the Y. NJ. c. A. I congratulated myself
upon having such righteous room
mate. There was marked popularity
about our being in the same Office to-
gether. People said that we resembled
each other in personal appearance,
which l construed as compliment to
me.
He worked up a good business at
once. for only a week after he entered
the office he had case. Other cases
followed, and at the same time, Singu-
iarly enough, my practice decreased.
When the first months rent was due
he hit me on the back in his hearty,
familiar fashion, and said: you pay
this month, old man, and | will next"
AS that was fair I did so. One day,
when alone in the Office, was ponder
ing upon the vicissitudes of fate and
the scarcity of fees when a man rushed
into the office in an unceremonious
manner and stood glazing at me- Re
jOiced over what seemed to be the inn
mediate prospect Of a client in pursuit
of dishonest partner or wife who
had elCped. assumed SOFT insinuating
smile and politely waved him to a
chair. My courteous invitation was de-
clincd, and the man, taking a step
nearer. exclaimed: 'Scoundrel!'
| presumed that he was referring to
some one who had injured him and
from whom he desired redress in the
courts, and so laughed in conciliatory
manner.
Come, come, my dear sir, you must
not give way in this manner l said.
"Calm yourself, I beg of YOU"
All. you dare jest?' he cried. But
you shall settle with me, sir. Do you
know Maggie k1ien?"
1t CHANGED that did know the young
woman. who lived in our neighborhood.
responded in the affirmative and add
ed something about her being a very
charming girl. "And now, SIR I said
tartly. will you tell me who you are?'
He drew himself up as though about
to impart startling information. Il
am Maggies best fellow. or at least
was before you came along and alien
Sted her Elections from me-"
WHAT"
"Alienated her Affections
~
You. The corner grocer told me
all about it: how you used to meet
Maggie every night near his store and
take her to the theater and other
places Maggie was contented enough
until you came along, and then | be-
gan to see a change that | couldn't
account for until the grocer told me
about you, and now I'm going to wipe
the floor with you
I started to argue the matter with
him in my most persuasive professional
style. but he reSOrted to the tactics OIL
the ring and proceeded to carry out
literally his last statement. My SEN
sations the next few moments were
those of a man falling from balloon
or going through a thraShing machine.
6n I,36 III a
my coat was torn; a chair was broken;
pens, papers and books were scattered
here and there, and the Office looked
as though it had been struck with a
cyclone. Upon my word" thought,
raising myself on my elbow in the cor
ner of the room, "a strange visitOr!'
', aen my roommate came in he ex-
pressed the greatest sympathy, and so
genuine were his words of cOnSOlat ton
that L seized his hand gratefully and
said: Thanks, dear boy, thanks! You
are friend, indeed"
After that miShaps came thick and
fast I seemed to be special mark
for the cruel shafts of fate. One day
a gentleman whom l had never seen
before came into the Office and accused
me of having cheated him at a game of
poker His claim was that had two
aces IN my sleeve. NOW, DIS never
play poker nor gambled in my life.
this was remarkably strange. l told
him that the festive game had no at
fractions for me and he stared at me
in amazement He admitted that he
was rather under the shadow Of the
vine" the night before, but that his per.
ceptions were perfectly clear and that
I had beyond doubt swindled him in
a gentleman's game out of $157. which
I had better return at once. retorted
that did not know flush from full
and I had never sat in jack pot in my
life. at which he looked unutterable
ScOrn.
Then you refuse to return your ILL
gotten gains?" he asked.
Il certainly do
Very well; you will hear from me. :
And I did. The story got around thai
played a crooked game of poker, and
although 1 carried myself with the
bearing Of man who is innocent,
could see that was regarded with sus
picion. Even the young lady, whose
company I was keeping at the time