Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-06-06
LANE, LITTERATEUR.

sprVHllb. lOD8 uOseu anu Sulltl.
raked into fame the fagots gathered from
III Alban hills, for being the LIST of March,
sur mines and beer were not enough to keep
us comfortable.
,rho told the tale Egadl but he had a
s,rpet voice, and swear it brings the tears
Ssck into my eyes to think of the story he
told Ms in his quiet, hating way between
Tho prfTs of his long stemmed pipe, the
snote curling up in unison from our in
Sirdual bowls as if 1t were incense for
the memory of Jack I4aae. litterateurs
sPoor Jacki'' s
The moment he began to speak we shifted
onr feet uneasly. and the smoke got In our
eyes
Jack was good fellow"
Anain we pulled away in silence, and felt
the terrific portent of bis tone. "a good
fellow u
PUT. puff. A window ratified moved by
eobt spring breeze; the Roman servant
brought in more beer.
II will tell you about him." We braced
mn: the story was coming, and knowing
Dick, we knew itswould be good "Jack
was from the Blue Grass country. and as
fine looking fellow as you would wish to
see, eyes like pieces of sky, and clear cut,
noble features, and yellow hair that
wreathed about his head in way that
drove the girls distracted: fine horseman,
MAGNIFICENT shot, crack chess player, a
gambler duelist, and twenty-five years
4 old when he died Not bad fellow, YOU
will understand, but full of the southern
love for adventures, and with dash of
wild poetry in bis composition, Inherited
from some VI .'s' -e4 ANCESTOR who had
loved life and its ups and downs ere he was
i born
when he was sixteen his aunt gave
him 500 ~
"'You are the only respectable relative
left she said, and sighed as she thought
Of her brother, who had just fed to India
to escape the consequences OF his four
teenth duel.
Jack took the money and kissed the
donor gratefully Then he went out--tLe
gift in his pocket, the words in his mind
"'so The only decent relative left: ac-
counts for my deuced lonely feeling
"Hs reverie was interrupted.
"'Just the man want. am looking for
you, Lane
"Oh, hello, Deanel What's up?
"'We have scheme on hand; going to
start poolroon and need more capital,
y WALL YOU W ~ llltO IL, III you VIII. your
name need not be connected with it, you
know
Jack put his hand in his pocket, and at
the touch of the money the words of bis
+ aunt came tripping back 10 him on the
wings of the devil
81 will 20 into it, he said, and pulled
out the money You can take it, ] ex-
pect some from play next week Never
mind to thank me; it is all right will
be around tonight
might came, and Mt the first hour of dark
Jack Lane entered the door that led aim to
ruin. The associated managers had told
him he need not be connected with the
+ affair, but he came SO frequently that he
was soon estimated. notas stock holder,
but patron ~ e.
"One night the aunt, who had given him
the money he had invested in the scheme,
ded, Just before she closed her eyes, she
murmured: Jack, Jack, you were the
only respectable one left gave you the
money that led you into evil Forgive
b News of the death found Jack in the
midst of game of poker. He had been
f. drinking heavily; his wonderful eyes were
luminous; his ruffled hair lay like wreath
OF gold about his brow yt &9k@.A
Z Dead he whispered hoarsely, as he
dealt the cards, and all the money will be
mine, mine
But the reading of the will proved the
) useessness of his hopes She had left
every cent of vast estate to a convent.
and the codicil attached revoked the main
purport of the bestownent to this slight
degree: To my nephew, John Stewart
Lane, leave. thew bite silk handkerchief,
embroidered with golden L. for on it fell
my bitter tears to think that | had given
MN the key to hell
Jack Lane took the handkerchief and
put 1t IN his pocket. lie left Kentucky
soon alter and went west
IL was some years after that met him
again in Nebraska. He had been engaged
10 lay out some swamp lands; he and his
men were hard at work. He looked sick,
discouraged; he hated the work, and the
ar OF the swamps was undermining his
constitution. He was gambling heavily,
700, IN the adjoining town, and the lamp
vi NE was burning rapidly. He had the
salle nearly hands bake, the same blue
eyes and wreathing hair.
Writing anyp
Some he said. Can't help it,,
u invited him to come to my o1ice-l
was running The Chandelier then-aud
.oia him to bring some manuscript with
him. -
n, lie came one nightw the manuscript
ihe student lamp rained down gentle ri
mahce upon Jus. He began to read his
s'ors'ln voice resonant with pathos and
1So''eninS tenderness, and rs he proceeded
81" III the curling smoke ofmy cigar the
s'"us4eht Characters of the Witch of the
Swamps.' } f
dream first he explained when he
nsu Hhished reading-'a dream that haunt
eu me | saw the figure coming toward
~, ue uewh through the tarns and pools
, !nS'e was seaweed bound about her, and
Ne oahner waved filmy silk above her
neau spangled with golden letters and
eAis IKE hrlliants showered about her
,Inu ABOVE all rose the purple dcnseness of
',e sWanlls, and languid and low in the
'Ns hung nan hooking me.
-, COOK The story and paid him double
mh@V l could afford, ard not an atom Of
"u"I u was really worth, for it surpassed
10y roe mad ever written for witchery and
laeeVness. lie threw up the survey scheme
east.
:, ears passed. Il was in New Mexico
'''"' NEXT saw Jack Lane. In the town
n FAtzcudaro, named by the olkings of
.1lhtzunzan, and meaning place of pleas
ure He was sitting on a stone bench near
ountan, bordering the plaza, a glorious
syea Mexican maid was by his side, pale
o'ue Serape thrown about her head.
=. ner hair rivaled any night ever saw
a aGi oiaekness; it was like a storm at sea,