The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-09-04
A Shcrt Story Of His Short Career
In Some Of Our Secret Dens.
THE TIGERS CLAW ON HIS NECK.
A Vision of wealth That Changed TO q
Nightmare of Horror-A Hint to
Providence Vice suppressors, II They
Are still I'm the Land Of the Living.

When Jim came down town Saturday
after his experience OF Thursday on the
hawker's cart, he was as docile as a
usual. Poor Jini
About noon. he met a spruce young
fellow. a chance acquaintance. and the
latter shouted" While Jim and his
chance acquaintance drank they talked,
Jim, or course, explaining that he was
''out OF work" HIS chance acqualpt-
ance" became SYMPATHETIC. aud in a
confidential manner told Jim OF a
''great snap"-told him how he could
make money without working.
IT'S che easiest thing in the world,
JIM" said he. 'Tve tried it and know
all about it. Have you got dollar?"
Yes, Jim had a dollar.
well, let's go over to 'Steye's' You
buy dollars worth OF chips play the
combination that play aud you'll have
plenty of mon " in your pocket"
IL was great TEN mptation and jim could
not resist It. Both made a bee-line Tor
''Steve's." They climbed the stairs. gave
the bell sigma, and the siark.skinned tel
low behind the peep-hole aud the barred
wicket" admitted them to the Provi-
dence gamblers paradise, place where
hundreds or Sorts" clerks, working
men and others meet day al ter day, week
after week, to buck the. tiger" The
tiger usually downs tn best VI them
That's what he is there for!
W hen jim and his companion reached
the inner door the faro table and 1.-The
wheel" we're surrounded by anxious
faced men, each keeping close watch oil
''the bets" he had placed.
Jim's companion bought "a stack OF
chips" aud jim also Invested dollar.
Soon both we're deeply absorbed in the
game, their eyes sparkling with greed
aud Excitement ms they saw their
pile Of chips growing larger
and larger. Their combina-
tion" was working to their entire sati-
faction. An hour later they ''cashed in"
Jim finding himself the possessor of SIC
more than when he went in. They made
their way to the street. flushed aud h ip-
py. had few drinks, aud then separated,
the parting words Of Jim's fellow gamb-
Ter being:
boy. and you'll be all right; it's nettel
ME SS4 this week"
Jim. during the afternoon. visited sew
erai other gambling places alone, played
that wonderful inclination in each, anu
at o'clock in the evening he
Vas Vas A7 ahead OF the game;
supper and opened bottle of wine.
Then he opened another bottlel Ah, this
was gloriousi No more worry and pow.
erty for Jimi He was now on the sure
road TO wealth, for he was convinced
that his combination" could not fail.
Having filled his stomach with wine
and his head with these eutrancing
Wis ons, Jim decided to return to one OF
tie gambling places and pull out SIS or
$50 just for luck"
He played his Combination, !" but there
was screw loose somewhere Stack af.
ter stack OF chips he bought; dollar after
dollar, went from his pocket into the
"b INK" He became excited aud forgot
everything but the fact that the tigers
claw was on his neck
Every dollar was soon gone, and Jim
fshed out all his ''loose change"-and
lost tt. He went out and pawned his
watch for S., returned TO the game,
played few minutes, AID then left tue
place dead broke"
1t was raining, but Jim didn't have car
fare aud was OBLIGED 10 walk home. The
gamblers paradise now seemed like the
abode OF dark fiends, devils and hobgob-
lins; his beautiful dream of wealth had
suddenly changed to horrid nightmare,
and his soul suffered all the toruures of
the damned
As Jim lay tossing on his bed, unable to
successfully WOO the god OF sound sleep,
some one Knocked on his door, and In re.
sponse to the query "Whos there9"
voice said:
Pm a member OF the committee that
was appoinie ed To close up he gambling
hells OF Providence. VIII you join us in
crusade against them P"
&c away. thou evil spirit" said Jim.
"All the members Of that commi tee are
dead. Why can't you be as quiet in death
as you were when on earth 70
And the spirit departed