The Opelousas courier., 1894-05-12
re. A decent mule ought to be ashamed

are. A decent mule ought to be ashamed
to kick you. No sand-ao energy
hardly strength enough to get into your
clothes aud wash up. You and / are
going to have a talk after a bit. Had
no idea where the boys tucked me away
this morning, but | guess this is a hotel,
and Pu order up a bdafe to eat"
Half an hour later the high-roller sat
down to his cigar, and as he smoked he
said:
"What l want to know is how much
longer you are going to continue this
sort of business. You've had six or
seven years of it, and it seems to me
that you ought to be through. When a
young man gets to that point where he
realizes that he is an ass he's ready For q
change. Suppose we swear off? Sup
pose we surprise the Old folks by drop
ping this high-roller business and living
a half way decent life. Champagne,
cards, songs, cigars and all that last
night till you were drunk as an old bum.
That reminds me. Seems to me | had a
streak of luck. Let's sect"
He had money in every pocket-twos,
fves and tens. The bills were crumpled
and rolled, but he smoothed them out on
his knee and counted them over and
said:
"a fool for luck! Here's an ever
$500, and l must have had luck, just
about enough to pay for a wine supper,
and just about a hundredth part of what
I've lost at cards. Well, what are
you going to do about the other matter
swearing off? Strikes you as about the
correct thing, does it9 All right. Hold
up your right hand and repeat after me.
81, James Forbush, being in my right
mind for the first time in several years,
and fully realizing that l am the biggest
idiot in North America, do hereby affirm
and declare that l am no longer a high
roller on wheels. In other words, l
pledge myself to eschew cards, drink and
other rapid transit matters. from and
after this FIRST day of January, 189-, and
if l break my word may l be despised by
men and kicked by animals"
That's all right, old man-all right.
May come hard, but you'll wobble
through. Now, as to the money. You
don't need it. 1t was won at cards, and
there's wine stains on every bill. In
being a high roller you've forgotten all
about charity. You've been ready to flip
q dollar to the waiter who held your
%overcoat, but never a nickel to the beg
gar on the street. Let's take a walk"
WELL, what's the matter with you?"
"Don't arrest me, sir; I'll move on"
''Arrest nothing! What's in the
bundle2"
"Tom's suit. SIR"
"And who's Tome"
"My boy, sir, and he's sick with pneu-
monia, and I'm trying to sell his clothes
to get medicine
"Come off l never heard of such a
thing!"
"Here's the prescription, sir, and will
you come home with me and see for
yourselfG"
She led the way and he followed.
When he saw the pinching poverty and
beard her story-when he stood by the
bed and saw how sick poor Tom was, he
smiled grimly, and said:
''Then there are high-rollers and low
%rollersl lJever knew that before. Never
had an idea that people really suffered
from poverty. So this is poverty, eh?-
nc money-no hopes-boy sick-rent due
coal out-and you trying 10 sell the
boys clothes for medicine!"
At that moment Tom ceased his moan
ing and opened his eyes and saw the
strange man in the room.
81 thought it was q dream. mother"
What, Tom?"
"About the Lord. l was walking the
and looking all over for Him,
and He was right here all the time! Now
we'll have the medicine and a good fire
and something TO cat! You said there
was a Lord, but-I-I-."
"What does he mean?' asked the high
roller.
"lNhy. sir, l told him that the Lord
might raise up a friend for Us. He was
go i'll and we we're so poor that he doubted
the Lord watched over the poor"
One by one he counted the bills into
her hand-just $500, and put on his hat
to 60.
why, sir-but you see-you don't
a Ill this for me2"
Get medicine-a doctor-coal-pro-
visions-saye Toms lifer' he said, as
he went out.
She sat down in a chair, dazed and
faint and wondering if she had not passed
from earth to heaven, and as he clattered
down stairs and got out into the cold and
the night-he muttered:
"Old man; you've made a beginning,
and now see if you can't keep it up
Detroit Free Press.