Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-05-21
CUB M'LEAN.

ed man. He was generous to a fault, and
he gave many young fellow a start in life
where little money or a few encourage
ingwords were needed. Hedrank of course,
but he was connoisseur in liquors, and a
connoisseur never goes in for excess. Few
could tell a humorous story as well as
Mellish, and he seldom dealt in chestnuts.
No man can be wholly bad who never in
ficts an old story on his friends, locating it
on some acquaintance of his and alleging
that it occurred the day before.
III wished to write heart rending arti-
Gle on the evils Of gambling, Mellish would
be the man would go to for my facts and
for the moral of the tale. He spent his life
persuading people not to gamble. He never
gambled himself, he said But if no atten-
tion was paid to his advice, why, then he
furnished gamblers with the most secluded
and luxurious gambling rooms in the city.
It was supposed that Meiiish stood in with
the police, which was Of course a libel The
idea Of the guardians of the city standing in
with gambler or gambling housed
The statement was absurd on the face OF
It. II you asked any policeman in the city
where Mellish's gambling rooms were you
would speedily learn that not one of them
had ever even heard Of the place. All this
goes to show how scandalously people will
talk, and if Mellish's rooms were free from
raids, it was merely Mellish's good luck,
that was all. Anyhow, In Mellish's rooms
you could have quiet, gentlemanly game
for stakes about as high as you cared TO go,
and you were reasonably sure there would
be no fuss, and that your name would not
appear in the papers next morning.
One night as Mellish cast his eye around
hfa Nuaff Gffad rnafY, no N
stranger sitting at the roulette table Mel
fish had a keen eye for strangers, and in an
unobtrusive way generally managed to find
out something about them. A stranger in a
milling room brings in with him a certain
sense of danger to the habitues
"Who il that boy" whispered Mellish to
his bartender, generally known as Sotty,
an ex-prizefghter and a dangerous man TO
handle If it came to trouble. Things rarely
came TO trouble there, but Sotty was, in a
measure. the silent symbol of physical force,
backing the well known mild morality Of
Mellish.
IL don't know him, ." answered Sotty.
"Whom did be come in WITH"
IL didn't see him come in Hadn't no
ticed him till now"
Mellish looked at the boy for a few min
utes. He had the fresh, healthy, smooth
face OF lad from the country, and he
seemed strangely out Of place in the heated
atmosphere Of that room under the glare OF
the gas Mellish sighed as he looked at
him, then be turned to Softly and said:
Just get him away quietly and bring
him to the small poker room. | want to
have few words with him"
Sotty, who had the utmost contempt for
the Humanitarian feelings OF his boss, said
nothing, but look Of disdain swept over
his aorid features as he went on his mis-.
sion II he had his way he would not
throw even a sprat out Of the net, Many a
time be had known Mellish TO persuade a
youngster with more money than brains to
20 home, giving orders at the double doors
that he was not to be admitted again.
The young man rose with IA look Of some
thing like CONSERVATION on his face and fol
lowed Sotty. The thing was done quietly,
and all those around the tables were too
much absorbed in the game TO pay much
attention Look here, my boy" said Mel
lish when they were alone who brought
you to this place."
81 guess" said the lad, with an express
sion Of resentment, Pm old enough to 10
where like without being brought"
"0h, certainly, certainly" said Mellish
automatically, knowing how much very
young men dislike being accused Of youth,
"but like to know all visitors here. You
couldn't get in unless you came with some
one known at the door Who vouched for
you"
"See here, Mr. Mellish, said the youth
angrily, what are you driving ati II your
doorkeepers don't know their own bust
ness, why don't you speak to them about
fl Are you going 20 have me turned QUIT"
Nothing of the sort" said Mellish sooth-
ingly, putting his hand in fatheriy man
ner on the young fellows shoulder. Don't
mistake my meaning. The fact that you
are here shows that you have a right to be
here. Wen say no more about that. But
you take my advice and quit the business
here and now ! was a gambler before you
were born, although l don't gamble any
more Take the advice Of a man who knows
1t doesn't pay"
st seems to have paid you reasonably
we'll"
"Oh, don't complain. 1t has its ups
and downs like all businesses. Still, It
doesn't pay me nearly as well as perhaps
you think and you can take my word that
In the long run it won't pay you at all
How much money have you gotW
Enough to pay II | lose" said the boy
impudentiy. Then seeing the look Of pain
that passed over Mellish's face he added
more civilly:
II have three OF four hundred dollars"
well, take my advice and 20 home
You'll be just that much better of in the
morning"
WHAT Don't you play a square game
heret"
"Of course we play a square game here,"
answered Mellish, with indignation do
you think I'm card sharper"
"You seem 80 cocksure I'll lose my money
that was just wondering. Now, can at.
ford 10 lose all the money I've got and not
feel It. Are you going 70 allow me to play
or are you going to chuck me outi"
ooh, you can play IL you want to. But
do not come whining to me when you lose.
I've warned you"
"pm not wilmer" said the young Eel
low. "Tii take my medicine like man"
Fright you are" said Mellish, with a
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