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

| eye: DO you play poker, Tom?'' OF
course denied that / did, at which she
looked grave and added: 'sPshaw!
! What's the use of denying it? Why.
do you know, II play sometimes my
SELF
Naturally I expressed my horror at
this confession, and told her that I
hoped she would reform and that did
not approve of young girls playing
cards. Then she actually winked: ssOh.
you are too good" she remarked. "Say.
how did you do it?'
"What?''
keep those cards up your, sleeve?
Please tell me. The girls have been
winning my spending money lately and
| | want revenge. Show me the trick,
Tom. and I'll marry you next June
l responded Indignantly, and told her
that | was a member Of the Anti
! Poker society. She said s'Bosh," and
when | got up to leave she refused to
permit me to Gull from her sweet lips
the customary parting salute. The mis-
guided young woman actually thought
! that l was trying to conceal my in
EQUITIES from her. But there was worse
to follow A few nights later when l
called she greeted me with marked
coldness. This I attributed to mere
| FEMININE caprice, and so chatted away
III happy manner about various mat
tiers to which she listened with a sar-
| castle smile upon her adorable face
But was accustomed to doing most of
the talking and she the listening, so
that her persistent silence did not seem
at all remarkable. Among other topics
L preached was description of a tenn
perance meeting had attended a few
nights before [ am a teetOtaller in
very sense OF the word, and [ stated
proudly that I had been elected sec
rotary of the new organization. Then
| her pretty mouth assumed an express
sion OF scorn.
''Oh, you IMPORTER she said.
My darling:' cried in amazement.
Don't call me your darling she re-
torted with flashing eyes. Eve had a
talk with papa, and he says everything
must be off,
"Everything OFF,
Yes, our engagement. He saw you
last night. He said that you'-sob-
were standing on the street corner
| sob-"with your hat in your hand
sob-"hc lding the lamppost with the
other'-sob-''and singing about'-sob
| =" We won't go home till morning - :
! sob.
started in amazement. "My dear
! Lucinda, there is some horrid mistake.
Last night attended a meeting at our
! Sunday school and"
Here she wiped away the tears and
| assumed her indignant attitude once
| more Don't make me hat you,' she
| said. "Why don't You confess and
well, 1 know boys will be boys, and,
II you said you would never do it again,
why. perhaps, I might overlook this
one fault and-and forgive you
| l sprang to my feet in anger Il
have been slandered and
"Is that your reply?' she asked. frig.
idly.
''It is
"Then there is nothing more to h..
said''
With that she took the ring from
her pretty finger and handed it to me-
! Good evening, sir"
l bowed myself out in despair. So
all was over? Those visions Of neat
! little home were lost forever The
next morning when my roommate pre-
scented himself / fancied that he looked
tired and sleepy. He explained this
by saying that he had been up all
|
ticed my melancholy appearance, and,
| when 1 told him all about it, he again
| offered his sympathy and remarked
in a jocular manner: Never mind,
my boy. There are just as good fish
in the sea as have ever been caught.
[ told him there was only one Lucinda.
but he shrugged his shoulders He
: then went out to attend case in court,
and I seated myself in disconsolate
manner in my easy chair in the inner
Office. l had slept little to speak of
the night before and nature asserted
itself in spite of my heartache. 1 dozed
| off. After a time I was aroused by
voices in the outer office and heard a
woman ask for me.
| ''He is not in,' was the reply of my
roommate and I was about to step out
! when few words that followed arrest
! ed my attention and remained where
I was, listening. IF you have come
on legal business, madam, I will an
swer your purpose just as well. am
| authorized to act for him. I am his
partner as you see by my name on the
door," His words filed me with amaze
ment. BE seated, madam and state
your case" The visitor did SO and he
listened with the greatest complacency,
| Offering a suggestion here and there
and occasionally asking a question
| When she had finished, he remarked:
Il think you have a good case. In
this I knew he was wrong. The case
was a bad one and no conscientious
lawyer would have touched it.
"Then would you advise me to take
the matter to the courts?" she asked.
Il would. 1t would be foolish to set
| tle.''
When she was about to leave she
asked What are your charges?'
TWENTY-FIVE dollars retainer fee and
fifty more if we win"
She took out her purse and gave him
the money. You are really to be con-
graduated, madam, that you found me
in instead of my partner he continued.
''He is one of those INSCRIPTIONS law
yers who always lose their cases. Now,
I always win because am full of re-
sources. Ha, ha! I am just smart
enough to dodge all technicalities. That
partner of mine is such conscientious
idiot that I think shall have to break
with him. hate to do it, for the poor
fellow would not make a living if II
Here I broke in upon them. The
scene that followed beggared descrip-
ton, as writer's say, and so will not
describe it. Now understood why my
practice had decreased. 1t also flashed
across my mind that all my trouble
lately was in some way connected with
him. We looked alike and-I saw