Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-16
HIS PLUCK AND HIS LUCK
A Western Judge Tells a Little Story of
His Early Experience.
He BorrOws Enough Money to Go East
md Get Married and How His
Fortunes Changed.

| fortunes changed.
| A Star writer was talking to a western
Judge who was on a business visit to Wash
| ington. They had been friends and school
| mates, and naturally were interested in
| each other.
| well, said The Star writer, after an
exchange Of personal news, I'm glad to
hear you are now rich and respectable, not
10 mention the judge part of 1t, which is
more than respectable"
1T is we'll enough now, my boy" respond
ed the judge, but dozen years ago it was
not we'll by any means"
| Go on with the story" said The Star man;
| that's what I'm here for"
| You remember when 1 first went west
| Knocked about Colorado for some time doing
| what law business 1 could pick up, and at
last got settled in a good town and began to
make some money. got into mining on the
| side, and it wasn't long till had a fair repu-
| tation in manipulating that sort of thing
| FINALLY L ran down a fine snap, and with
| three thousand dollars borrowed money and
| all my own pile, stood to win a hundred
| thousand. While l was trying to get rich
| L was also maintaining a correspondence
| with sweetheart in Indiana, and once or
| twice we had set day when I should re-
| turn and marry her, but 1t did not even
| trate, owing to the slipping Of some of
my schemes.
| This one. however, had no slip to it that
| L could see, for the men and the money
were in sight, and on the first of October
| we were to turn the property over and get
| the cash. On this L wrote to the girl TO be
ready by the fifteenth of October and that
would be our wedding day, rain or shine.
| Everything went beautifully until the last
| day of September; the men were on the
| ground, the money was in the bank waiting
| for us and we were flying high. On that
| day strike occurred and that night he
| streets were full of angry miners, there
| was an ugly feeling in the air and by morn
| ing our men were so scared that they picked
| up bag and baggage and with all the money
| that was to have been ours, they went back
| to New York.
well. you can imagine how 1 felt Every
| thing gone, three thousand dollars in debt,
my law and mining practice ruined and a
wedding to be met twenty-five hundred
| miles away, and not enough cash on hand
to buy a railroad ticket half way there. For
a day I was utterly crushed, and then
| rallied somewhat and made UP my mind
| that would trust to Providence and marry
| the girl anyhow. So borrowed enough to
| get me to her, and without a word as to my
| financial condition, 1 went right ahead and
married. In the meantime, though, l had
| given an uncle of mine brief explanation
and borrowed two hundred dollars of him.
Then 1 went on my wedding trip, just
around the state to visit friends of hers
and NINE and think was about the ,yor-
riedest groom that ever went on such an
IL,
kept on hoping for something to happen that
would relieve the pressure. Fortunat ely,
something did-my new-made wife was
taken quite i'll and the physician forbade
| her going west at that time. Then had
strange mixture of feelings. I was sorry
| that my wife was sick and 1 was glad, but
| you can't fully appreciate those feelings
until you have tried it.
1.-THE doctor said it would be at least six
weeks before she could undertake SO long
trip; she had something like pneumonia.
and he was afraid to risk exposure; and 1
| told him / would have to go, as nv bust
ness imperatively demanded my presence
| ethe Lord forgive me for that lie, for had
no business) in the west; and away I went,
| taking what would have bought her ticket
to get me there. and going fiat broke. I
promised to send for her as soon as she
could come, if found it impossible for me
to return for her. Think of that sort Of
talk in the face Of the fact that all the
| money l could raise wouldn't buy meals
along the road if we walked. When. 1
| reached my Colorado town again I was as
nearly wreck as a man could be and get
around.
MY office rent was paid to the end of the
year, and thither 1 went as soon as 1 left
the train, and when 1 sat down in its
dreary loneliness there wasn't a ray of
light anywhere in all the world for me-
Even my wife seemed a burden, and 1t
hurt me that l hadn't told her the true
condition. For week 1 went to my Office
every day; for two weeks, for three, and
there was nothing for me to do. The only
comfort I got was from the friend who had
loaned me the three thousand. He told me
he would extend the time until 1 had a
chance to catch on again. But the strike
had caught on. and there was desolaton
everywhere.
Then came letter from my wife, say
ing she. was so much improved that the
doctor had told her she might come as
soon as 1 would send. and would 1 send
right away, or, better, would 1 come for
her. This was the straw that broke the
90 nal g hnp and
next morning fully resolved If nothing
turned up that day to kill myself and end
1t all as fac as was concerned. Sitting
there alone at IL O'clock with nv head on
the table, utterly broken in purse and
pride, was surprised by strange visitor
l explained in minute that 1 was not feel
ing WELL and asked what 1 could do for
him. He told me he had been sent by a
friend of mine to consult with me on some
mining claims the company he represented
had out there, and showed me the papers,
~ In second took new hope, for knew
all about them, and in a few minutes he
said he would turn over to me the six
claims he had. and let me look after Them
He told me that would expect a retainer
in each case, and he asked If a hundred
dollars in each one would be sufficient 1t
was, amply, and when he went out, a half
hour later, L was new man, with six
hundred dollars in my pocket. Then 1 sent
for my wife, and together we pulled all
that year. trying to get in shape once more
and l guess my luck had changed, for
within two years We had paid the three
thousand, the other borrowed money, and
owned a NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. house and
a fine baby. My luck stayed with me, too
for I've been making money ever since, and
am a judge, with a chance for Congress
if l want to take It,"
And your wife?" queried The Star man.
Finest woman in the world; and never
would have ceased regretting 1t II 1 had
killed myself, and never found out what
admirable qualities she possessed. Come
up to our parlor and let me present you to
her." and The Star man went willingly
NEW SCHEME