The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-19
A NEW GRAVEYARD.

~ WAS dlluoSt ~ YEAR, broi NhSh viz
club was young and had more hot blood in
IL than now, though we arc not quite
set of Miss Nancys yet, think. But from
the first we resolutely kept out men we
were not willing our wives and sweet
hearts and daughters should know. Some
times such fellows got In In spite OF our
care, but they did not often stay long.
As have said, there was more hot blood
among us then. More than one Of us
knew q horse, and from talking horse we
came at last to starting race course. 1t
was very private and very select. But
am almost ashamed to tell you how much
money changed hands on some or our Little
events held there.
II was soon after wo had started this
that Charley Howard applied for member
ship In the club. You may think am
mixing two things up in this story, but
you will see presently how they dovetaii
into each other. This man Howard was
Of good family, moved In the best society
and was on terms Of more or less intimacy
with several fellows In the club, yet he
was hardly the man you would want to
see with his arm about your sister In the
ballroom. And he was black bailed. 1
guess there was feeling that he cared
more about the privilege of the race course
than for any other feature Of the club, and
that he would utilize to the utmost the op-
portunities it offered for plunging. And
some of us had begun to think 1t was quite
time TO call halt in that direction. We
had been thinking that ever since Bobby
, Nichols went wrong because of 1t. But
will tell you about Bobby some other time.
Let me keep to my text now.
Howard vowed that he would be re-
venged for the insult, as he termed it. and
for awhile 1t looked as though he would
fight us, taking the entire club by turns.
But finally he gave this up and went to
work along another line.
We did not own the ground where our
course was laid out, but held 1t on lease
which contained a peculiar clause compell-
ing us to relinquish possession at once II
the owner should have an opportunity to
sell at certain figure. This clause had
been a standing joke with us, as the figure
named was so high that in the natural
course of things no such offer would have
been made in hundred years.
As said, we were beginning to think
the club had done about enough in the
racing limo, bat we were not ready TO b
driven out Of the game.
So we were up in arras at once wher
Dick Hunter came into the club one nigh
with q copy Of The Tattler In his hand
and stood up on tho billiard table anS
read this item:
1T Is rumored that n very pretty figh
is on between we'll known man abou
town and certain popular club, the rea
son being that the said man about tow
has sworn that he will turn the club s rae
course into graveyard within year.
Some of the men laughed at this, 70
they remembered the clause in our leas
and did not think 1t possible that Howar'
would pay so high price for his revenge
But one or two of us who knew something
of his nature decided that wo had best no
! be caught mapping and agreed TO Loo
] into the matter carefully the next day.
! But the next day was day too far
trust" as the poet has It. In the mornin
came n notice that our lease was up, tn
land having been sold to Mr.. Charlie
! Howard for the sum specified in the claus
of which l have spoken. There was moth
ing TO do but give IL up. OF course W
had not peg to stand on, SO there was n
use fighting. think you know the clu
does not back down easily, but this was
clear coup d'etat. Howard had stolen
march on us very cleverly. Twill give hir
credit for that. But no laughs bsst VIII
laughs last.
The Tattlcr's story about the graveyar
scheme was true enough. 1t was n sigh
ly place for such an institution, and How
ard had no trouble in organizing oem
tory association, and the work of layin
out tho grounds and preparing for the n
ception of the new tenants went merrill
| forward Although Howard had bougi
the land from pure spite and had pal
pretty dearly for his whistle, he did M
intend to stand any heavier loss than w,
necessary. When everything was read,
trees planted, walks and drives mad
flower beds laid out and all that sort
thing, he held an auction sale and mai
aged the affair for all the world like tl
sales at boom town down In Tennessee
The club was there In force to sec tl
play out. / think Howard expected v
would be buyers for old aSsociatfon's SAX
But that was not part Of our programm
We made a bid on but one lot. That OF
was the largest and handsomest and bc
IA the whole outfit, lying right In the col
tar and at the top OF the ridge, and q
ono we knew Howard wanted for his owl
I nearly said fer himsclf--but no OF
wants a cemetery lot for his own use:
buys 10 for his family, considering the
all mortal brt himself
Well. when that lot was put up we h
and bid and bid We knew Howard wou
not let us have it n IL broke him up
keep IL. But We made him pay the ass
citation well for It, And when the N
was over the ieud between himself ar
| A. ri.,h ~roa xx oxo s~rk~vs~ Aha. ~v~x