The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1895-07-19

himself. a cheek signed 81 the vel
known firm Of Grackett e Charges, 10
EDO, was found on his person. The mag
lstrate remarked that this was a SUE
4 piciOus circumstance, and decided t.
remand the cas- till these gentlemen
could be communicated with. One o.
the partners appeared at IL, and de
posed that the prisoners real name wa
Luke Lucraft, that he had been III
actor. and that the check was givef
him by the firm, acting for q client who
wished to be anonymous, but whose
motive was pure benevolence.
THE magistrate, on hearing these
facts Of the case, addressed the prison.
er with a suitable admonition. He
babe him remember that such an abuse
of a good mans charity, as he had been
guilty of, was the worst form of in
gratitude. 1t appeared that on the
very day of receiving a gift, which
was evidently intended to advance him
in life, Or to find him the means of
procuring suitable employment, the
prisoner deliberately made himself SO
hopelessly drunk that he could neither
stand nor speak-where, it did not ap-
pear. The magistrate could not but
feel that his conduct showed the grav-
est want of moral principle, and strong
" advised Mr.. Crackett to cancel the
check until further orders. AS, how
ever, it was a first offense, and in con-
siderati0n of the prisoners youth, the
fine inflicted would be a small one Of
ten shillings with COSTS"
That was the newspaper account of
the affair. On his way out Of the court
Mr.. Crackett stopped me.
young man." he said, shaking his
head, .sthis is very doubtful. l warned
my benevolent client against this act
Of generosity. You are the fifth young
man whom he has assisted in this mag
n%ificent manner. The former, all four,
took to drink, and died in a disgraceful
manner Take warning, and stop while
it is yet time"
l got away as fast as l could and
crept back to my lodging after the
necessary miserable breakfast.
I am not ashamed to. say that l sat
down and cried. The tears would
crowd into my eyes. 1t was too dread
full. Here l was, only "A years of age,
with my life before me, doomed,
through my own folly, to a miserable
ending and a ~disgraceful reputation.
What good would come of having mon
ey under these dreadful conditions?
Money, indeed! What had become Of
the fifty pounds given me only two
days before? Gone. All gone but one
single sovereign which served to pay
my fine. Some one had robbed me.
Perhaps the %constables. Perhaps a
street thief. 1t was gone. The sorry
reward of my consent to the unholy
bargain was clean swept away. and
only the consequences OF the contract
remained.
In the afternoon, as l fastened home
along the darkening streets, hoping to
reach my lodgings before the daily
gorge began, a curious thing happened
to me. On the other side OF the street,
in a dark corner, standing upright, and
pointing to me with a finger of deris-
ion, I saw Boule-de-neige, the negro
servant. l rushed at him. blind with
rage. When l got to the spot 1 found
nobody there. Was it a trick or a dis
ordered brain? | had seen him, quite
plainly, grinning at me with his
Wrinkled features. AS l turned from
the place l heard his familiar "cluck-
cluck."
Twice more on the way this strange
phantom appeared to me; each time ac-
companied by the "cluck'' of his voice.
1t was a phantom with which l was to
become familiar indeed, before 1 had
finished with Boule-de-neige and his
master.
1t was clear that the demon to whom
l had sold myself was incapable of the
slightest consideration toward me. He
would eat and drink as much as he
felt disposed to, careless Of any onse-
quences that might befall me. 1t was
equally evident that he intended to
make the most Of his bargain, to eat
enormously every day, and to drink
himself drunk every night. And l was
powerless. Meantime it was becoming
evident that the consequences to me
would be serious as if i were myself
guilty of these excuses. One drop of
comfort alone remained; my appetite
would fail, and my tOrmentOr would
be punished where he would feel it
most. l lay down and waited till
luncheon time; no sense of replention
came over me; it was certain, there
fore, that he was already suffering a
vicarious punishment, so to speak, for
yesterdays debauch.
The next day, however, / really did
meet my negro.
1t was about 5 in the afternoon-the
time when / was tolerably safe, be-
cause my owner, who took a plentiful
lee * -. 80 ## n ~ U.s. ,,oA ,o~s hsc
nightly orgie much before seven. !
upos Jo;tny,;n q about RroklorShy,ru NV