River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-10-17
FORTUNES OF A NIGHT.
BY FRANCIS DANA

by FRANCIS DANA
Or. Thomas Bradbury pulled news
paper out of his pocket. and scanned
the columns mp and down. lie was not
looking for his own card of advertise
ment, for he had none. He was not
looking for some notice of an important
case in MS practice, Cor he had no
practice As he had begun 10 despair
of ever gaining one, he was looking for
Job.
This handsome. ascetic-looxingy young
man o. twenty-five years was dressed
IN a shabby suit that had been fashion
able eighteen months ea~lier. In it he
had come to Boston with his diploma
and youthful confidence that fees and
fortune would visit him But the only
room he could afford To rent was up
six stories in a large business building,
where patients came no oftener than
was natural in a city Astounding in
well-kuOwn physicians with accessible
Offices
DIR. BradbuTy's practice consisted in
waiting faithfully. studying hard, and
eating not much more than his own
Seart. Now he had but a few cents
left of the legacy that had paid for his
excellent education and his meager
sustenance Tor eighteen subsequent
months
The room in which he sat was fur
nishod with little but the s.vOr OF
bsefsteai which had fulfilled the des-
Tsny of beefsteaks 1t had not been DIR.
Brad5Ury's " hen raw. Nor was this
room his 1t WAS the residence of hi
tall and broad Young friend, Jack
Storms, son Of the blacksmith in the
be1iue village where Tom Bradbury
had been the ministers son.
Jack. having graduated from the
high school, had also sought fortune in
Boston. lie, no more than the young
doctor, had found that benevolent lady
at home
But Jack, being big-boned, active
aud ready TO turn his hand to any
ching. had lived somehow. He had
even earned enough that LAY to pur-
chase the beefsteak and potatoes on
which the two had supped after Jack
had brOiled it on his open CRATE. The
young fellows had not eaten 50 good a
meal for months before. II encour-
aged them afresh, and both laughed
with some show OF glee when the doc
tor said:
''Well. l own up beaten, Jack, for
the present forsske my practice.
refuse To wait longer for something to
turn up-I turn to this paper and look
FOR job
''LOOk for one for me too, while
you're about IL" grinued Jack. rub
bling his mighty hands before the re-
mains of the open ire.
THE very thingr' cried Tom. hand
ing the paper to Jack. and pointing to
an advertisement. Jack took it and
read:
WANTED Able-bodied men who
want to earn a dollar. Call at 10 PEN
die street before : p. m Friday. Room
20"
Fridays to-day. Well. Tom, are we
I'm ito" asked Jack.
Certainly, 1 want to earn a dollar"
said Tom
so do l.
well, let's try it together. The
steak has filled me with industry and
thirst for adventure"
''All right, then. Wonder what time
It is"
A clock in near street answered
''Seven" with sonOrous strokes.
IF that's true" said Jack. and that
clock has reputation for veracity,
we've plenty of time to walk to Pendle
street by eight o'clock. Perhaps you'd
prefer carriage. Tom"
Not l. Leave carriages to the poor.
Lets hurry"
The evening VS. cold, after day of
January thaw. They went down tour
flights of stairs and walked bris1ly
forth, rejoicing in their young might
and the breath Of rising storm. At
five minutes before eight they reached
No. 10 Pendle street
There was light in room 20. and on
its glass door, in large black letters,
appeared the words: Levi Ritter,
Constable, Collector and Accountant"
Jack happened to have heard Ritter
denounced as very INSCRIPTIONS ras-
cal. and a successful one. He was
noted for being able TO collect debts
where no ole else could, and was much
employed by other constabloS in work
they disliked themselves Part of his
business was that OF collecting rents
fsnm estates in the worst part of the
city
Il don't like the man, Tom,'' Jack
whispered. But well see what's up.
They entered a dirty, cobwebby
Office, furnished with a desk and table
piled with writS, bills and memoranda,
a great iron safe and sundry chairs.
three of which were occupied by Ritter
and two others
Ritter himself was a short, we'll
dressed, dapper man, keen-eyed and
strongly built in monkeylike fashion,
with long arms. short legs, deep chest
and muscular neck His face was that
of hard. cold money-getter, with no
other interests of heart or mind.
One of the two men with him was
stout fellow with much of the bulldog
in his appearance. evidently rowdy
of the worst kind. The other was
q typical Ioater ~ round-shouldered
lanky, heavy-eyed, with dirty face and
dusty. ragged beard
To Tom and Jack. as they came in,
Ritter nodded.
You advertised for men. Need any
more?' asked the doctor.
The constable stared He was not
accustomed To seeing men of Toms
appearance applying for night work of
dubious kind. As for Jack. he was
evidently a careless. easy-going chap,
who might be found IN sort of scrape.
Yes Short, easy work. most likely,
though there may be trouble" said
Ritter. Fifty cents down. and seven
ty-five more If You do the Job"
"What is it?.
Il manage Gen Bromley Challenor's
tenements- See? There's a man there
who won't pay up. L gave him till to-
night, and as he hasn't paid, ont he
goes See? 'C4lse l promised to put
him out, and I'm man of my word"