New-York tribune., 1894-01-07


! II BlagS and his family: an interest whicn va, m%
doubtless stimulated by the curious clscDtJ'SS hiS
that Blagg occupied No 5.0o02 Mission-s', VIII. !.
formed part and parcel of the great basH'"'
estate.
After luncheon. which consisted Of blue points
. pOtted char eggs n Ia ,;enedict, and reniiih-
: able Maraschino Jelly Jimmy announced his m
tention OF taking walk by himself Accord
inSly he selected a large ful-iavored Carohnd'
which he lit and stuck asgressivcly In the cor.
ner of his mouth. then turned up the bottom oi
his pdnts-Jimmy always called them trousers
screwed an eyeglass tightly into his right vye'
grasped Irish blaCkthorn firmly iii the lnii'iie
and sauntercd lcisurely down the steps of the
club and out into the street on his road down.
town he was hailed by several Of his friends. put
! contrary To- custom continued his solitary prog
rcss until he reached the offices Of his lawyer
II Soc" he began. blushing through MS
frcckes. that ? fellow called Homer bagg ives
In one of my flats"
Yes" replied his lawyer land he is one Of the
! worst tenants YOU have" 1000
docs he know that I'm his landord?'
! mo; all your business is conducted IN my
| name"
"Ah" said jimmy. lie settled himself COM %
! fortablv in his chair lighted another Carolina
and remarked genially that it was an uncom-
| monty pleas day.
The lawyer laughed "You've not come here.
! Jimmy to talk To- me about the weather. I'm
busy man. 50 excuse my abruptness. ! presume
you are annoyed about this article OF Blagg's.
lie goes for you without the gloves
"Wcu you have an excellent chance to get
even. lie owes you a considerable sum of money.
/ You attach his furniture, ana MAKE IL gen
orally hot for him He ought To- be made an eX-
| ample Of. and your name needn't appear
Il hear hrs hard up remarked Mr. Bagster.
"Thc Bank Of san Francisco has some Of his
paper" said the lawyer. in the pctulant tone of
man who settles all his bills promptly upon the
first Of the month.
Did they lend him money without securty?'
"Humph. the wiscst max" mistakes. my boy.
They thought The security was good at the time
they made the loan. Blagg was then editor and
proprietor of a society paper that had quite a
and f,.lf an h.
pcrity. The fellow has talent. but his pen runs
away with him He involved himself in a libel
suit that ruined him. ana the paper went to the
boW-wows. The cashier Of the bank, who was
personal friend OF his wife's. took his note for
three thousand dollars. Perhaps. under the cir
cuinstanccs. | should have done the same my
= suppose the bank would be glad to sell
Blagg's papcr?'
al a larl;r discount. yes"
Jimmy sucked silently at his cigar for the
space Of a minute. then he spoke out boldly:
"I'll tell You what want you To- do. Buy this
note from the ban (. find ont all You about
Blagg's out side Indebtedness. do nothing for the
present about selling him up. and advise me as
soon as you have tho necessary information.
The lawyer stared at his trim. rctrcating fig
ure i'm asionishcd silence.
Great Scott he murmured. Jimmy is on
the warpath. Nothing short of llagg's scalp
Will satisfy him Well we'll this world Is full
II surprises. Who. In tn name ~ the SPHINX
would have accused Jimmy l;agstcr If being
Copd-natuIeI fool of my acquaintance"
Before the md Of the week Jimmy received a
not" from his lawyer informing him that
c'rding - instructions he was prepared t. lay
before him "a *ucciuct statement of Homer Hlaggs
hnarcial condition few more days elapsed.
ard lIlagg received a letter from the attorney
asking him 10 meet cliont-no name mentioned
at his office. Thus it came 10 pass that
Jimmy and tn" Juvcndl Of the Pacific Slope met
face - fac. 1t is pertinent - add that during
thr rl"o'oirg week two more articles dealing
with TIE idiosl lucracios of Jimmy and his friends
had appeared In the columns ~ Tho Enquirer"
BDih We're tho fruit Of Ila,;g's caustic pen. Both
w"r" "nonsvely personal Both. If possible.
more cruelty cutting than the first.
Tho contrast between stout smiling. rcl-faced
Jimmy and Blagg impressed tho lawyer who
albeit was no s"uiim"ntast. as pathetic in the
extreme" Jimmy. lying back i'm his chair. clothed
in spotl"ss homcspun. smoothing his blond
mustt' ID" ana ina 'l"utlN SurV' wing Homer l}agE
through his '}"glass looked the incarnation of
we'll -srr,fIcd. wcll-frd prosperity. Poor Bagi.
dark and saturnnc. ont of elbows and out ~
temper. sat rigidly upright I'm his chair scowlinG
h'tf'lN al Jimmy and chewing the cud Of bitter
inir'sI"ci"n. Physically h. was the wreck Of a
puc" handslm" man. Tho hahitual stoOp Of the
hack writer had twisted his slender. graceful
ngurc. insufficient nourishment had followed
ms cheeks and temples. care and dsappoint-
mont had traced their indcliblr lines upon his
suukcn features. but his fine eye stllI glowed
with the dro of intense vitality.
The lawyer addressed him IN the bland tones
Of the advocate.
Mr. l}lasg my client. Mr.. James Bagster holds
Your mote of hand for three thousand dollars.
principal and interest unpaid What are You
going 10 go about IL t'''
II thought the Bank Of San Francisco held IT,"
They nav" assigned IL t. Mr.. Bagstcr. My
client also holds certain orders on you payable
~ sight. and representing in the aggregate some
Si'j. He wishes To- know }. you are in a position
t. meet TINS Indebtedness. Lastly. he is your
l. !"nIlnfd ana ! ma you are in arrears to hi!n
Is Mr. Bagstcr my landlord"
lie is"
Klagg glanced at the two men in consterna-
90 A low bpf I..I
I'm spite Of his Efforts To control it:
am completely IN your power. For myself |
! ask nothing. but in the name Of my wife and |
Give me timer'
II have one more question to ask YOU. Mr. |
BIagg What excuse can you offer FOR rerserrit |
ing my client and his friends through tn, medium
OF the metropolitan prcss?'
l'lase, galvanized into passion sprang 10 his |
curse YOU" he cried you have conspred to
ruin mo see the trap into which / have fallen.
but II III" game You wish t. know the motive
mat inspired those articlcs?"
lie turned u Jimmy who met his furious
giance with half smile.
II d. Mr. Blagg. r. my knowledge I never
injured You. ! IN harmless sort Of chap | be-
licVc. What have done To- bring an this m
Kind rdiculr upon my hcld?"
le gods. cried Blagg. "lIc asks what he
"Yes. what have done? Tell me-"
You exist hisscd Homer You cumbcr the
ground You rot at ease like the fat weed You
a
hundred times your brains and a thousand limos |
your energy and ability starvc. Al. Heaven, the
injustice of it,
APO You blame me for "a in and drinlin' and
maxim merry"
I bidin" you because yOu belong - a class
thdi Is trying T. corrupt Western SIMPLICITY !
''lv" tho markD with the vices Of .f(nte mon !
arches because You are trying 10 introduce for
'lSn customs and manners that may not be |
tolerated here. ii"causc. in shoyi. YOU are a snob
sir from tn" up Of your t"n-dollar shoe to the
crown ~ your t'n-doar hat. II is not your
nls"rdbl" carcass that cXcitos my spleen. but
me ihlh'llr you represent the principle of
monopoly and greed Tell me of on,. good deed
You have done. and ! will beg your pardon"
j cannot lay claim 10 even one" said Jimmy
slowly thr sam" hall smile lowering around the
'oihrrs OF his mouth. "lvc had good time So
dr. ana IN my humble way tried 10 give my
pals a good time. ana the people generally whom
We rubbed up against. It's true enough that
we not hunted out misery. I'm not buut for
ilumnn. II may surprise you. but I'd no idea
hat clever man like yourself could bc knocked