The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-10-24

moment. The cory, well-furnisaed.
room, the pictures on the walls and
Jim's sad face showing up distinctly
with the red glow of the freight on
it'll tell you that scenes photographers
on my memory.
Il should think we sat like that for
close, on half an hour and then Jim sud-
denly sprang up.
81 have IA he shouted. Iknow what
III 40. Look here. I've got 6 10000
left. Well, Pm going to try my luck on.
the stock exchange. If things turn up
trumps THsanarry and try and live ade.
cent life. If they don't, well, hang it,
I'll keep my vow and have done with it.
They tell me that a revolver bullet
doesn't hurt much. It's so soon over.
'By the time 1 had left him Jim and
I had agreed to go and see a very clever
stock broker-a friend of mine-the
next day, and ask him to do his lest.
Its suchsa funny world Jim said,
as / shook his hand. Perhaps J may be
lucky, and then my VOW can go to the
devil and my revolver into the gutter
"Well, you know what a queer jade
Dame Fortune is said to be, and in Jim's
case she lived up to her reputation. Ny
friend made money for him hand over
fist. Every company he put money
into seemed as if it couldn't go wre
and, as things were booming, Jim made
about 100000 or 100000 in three or
four months. But he wonldn'tgbe vAt-
isfied with that.
"'Ill go on he said, till the day be-
fore that on which I was to fulfill my
VOW, and on that day, no matter wht
the conditions of the market, III sell
every blessed share I've got; and then,
if all goes well, I'll be married the next
week 4
II didn't see him much during the
succeeding two months, as I was very
busy at the time, but he kept sending
me notes telling me all was going well;
and, knowing what shares he held, /
could see on reference to the papers
that he must have made a pot of money.
SAT last the day came on which he
was to sell every share he held. He
came into the club-this very club, by
the way-about two in the afternoon,
and I could see by his face that things
had gone all right with him.
Congratulate me, old chap he said,
that's ALL l wrung his hand. When
you've done squashing my hand, old
boy" he said, Iwant you to come round
to my place.
"We took a cab and were o there,
"'Now,' said Jim, Tn going to chuck
this revolver away, and then | shall feel
as free as a lark
"He took the pistol from a drawer,
opened one of the windows and threwi it
far away into the park below.
"'And there goes the last of my bad
luck, please Heayen!' he shouted, gayly.
And tonight you and l and the flu
ture Mrs. Barham shall have a dinner
together to celebrate the event, and on
this day week I'm going in for matri-
mony.'
"'And bliss, I hope 1 added, laugh.
ingly.
81 don't hope, old boy, / know. Jim
said.
| We lAACS NAAC0 fOSGOANA ekNN YAS ~
and JimAYas in the best Of
seehsd 70 have takssRFaf the woma he
was going to marry really cared for
him. She seemed, too, as good as she
was lovely.
"Jim and Invent on to the club after
ward and sat up late talking.
"sDo you remember this day five
years ago. he said, as we parted on thu
doorstep. | nodded.
swell, isn't it a funny world% h
answered, laughing.
"He was right, poor, dear old chap
And it was even funnier than he eN
pected, for that very night the Thre
Sisters held a consultation over him an
before dawn broke Antropcs had Gu
in two the thread of his life"
y y :
! II say, it is late,' Vernon broke Of
( and his voice was rather husky. "Yo
go my way. don't you? Well, com OF
2 I'll drop you."-Pick-Me-Up.