The Penn's Grove record., 1896-05-29

Bill looked nard at the aim nRnL
There was a silence, and Jim drew
closer to Bill and laid q hand on bis
knee.
"Blll, let's reform"
Bill looked into bis friends face
blankly.
Mean it?"
"Do I mean it," repeated the other,
slowly. "Bill. 1 have no other profes,
sion but that Of gambling. ! was never
taught an honest trade. and that came
easiest for me to learn myself. TO
night l dropped my cards into the river.
Perhaps l can turn cowboy or miner.
and make a living for the lad and my,
self"
Bill went to the door, drew something
from his pocket, and Jim heard a crash
Of breaking glass outside.
mo more whisky In mine," said Bill,
as he came back and caught Gentleman
Jim's hand. ''1'his is another partner.
ship, heyF"
Yes" replied the gambler, quietly.
.
"Jim, are We thar"
"Ycs."
kid asleep?"
Yes"
Come out and let me swap q few
words with ye."
Gentleman Jim got up and went out
of the cabin.
What is it, RillT' asked Jim, as he
I gt.f,,A oV,t tnto 1ln -a,nrl1rhk
did yc notice my breath"
Yes" was the low reply. You've
been drinking, BILL"
You bet | have" returned Bill, de-
finntly, AN Pm goin' ter keep 1t right
up till the jim-jams git MT an choke off
! my wind. Durn 1t, | amt fit ter live. I
amt got no moral right ter look the
kid In the face arter this. For the last
ten days life's been a reglar hell for
mel wanted drink an | wanted 1t
bad. Seemed like the devil was grip.
PIN at my insides. When l felt the
worst. If I'd come up here, an go 10
funnin' with the kid I'd forget all bout
!t-bless them dancin' blue eyes O. his!
But the kids got ter sleep-he eau
stay up all night Jest ter fun with me
IN fight off the whisky habit. Two
hours ] came here an peeked in
the winder. He was asleep an you set
by the table with yer head In yer bands.
1t was either fool with the lid er go to
boozin' at Forty-rod Fred's, an'-an'-
well, l didn't want to disturb the kid,
so 1 rushed back to Dickinson an tossed
off a couple o. glasses of Jersey light
min, an l wish ter Gawd l was dead.
| aln't no more fit to come up here fun
nln' with that kid than the kid it tit ter
fool with IA rattler-not a bit. Aims dis,
yusted, are YET"
NO"
The only bright spot In this rough
life o. mine has been the time | spent
with the kid. Now, l amt got no part.
nership III him-I throw 1t up. Pm new
rr goin' ter see him ag'in-only Jest
once. The mint | teched likker, after
swearin' off-that settled it. Good ly
to the kid. want him to grow up right
without bein' hampercd ny a worth
less sot like me. l Jest want ter SEE
him once more as he sleeps, Jim. Can
| go in?"
yes; but wait a minute. We under
took too big a contract when we started
In to raise the y%oungster. Not that our
Intentions weren't good enough, Bill,
but II morals were lacking. Suppose
he should grow up to have my reputa-
ton flung in his face Mt every turn?
Once a man establishes a bad reputa.
ton, nothing he does afterwart can
i've 1t down"
Bill made no reply. After a short 81,
lence Jim continued:
Il was thinking tonight, probably as
you looked through the window aud
saw me, that the boy should be taken
away"
Wharf"
II have a sister-an honorable and
upright a woman as the sun ever shona
on. She lives in"
Don't tell-on yer life! Never even
whisper her name. nor where she lives. |
cause II 1t was a thousand mbiles of, |
an l knew the place, the time 'u'd come |
when I'd crawl on my knees all the way |
Jest ter see the kid. You take him, |
Jim. an take him to-morrer. WIN YEP
Yes"
"Will We come back3s
Eat once"
AN go to gamblln' ag'in"
Il suppose So"
Bill fumbled in his pocket.
sITarnJc pnuAu l ~.-A l
I've got in the world. / sold my pistol
belt to Ole Kanuck. That moneys for
the kid, Let yer sister keep 1t for
him."
"Win you see us in the morning, when !
we take the Blue Mountain stagep
Eyes, I'll be on hand. Goodnight
jim"
Goodnight, Bill"
A week had passed after the depar-
ture of Gentleman Jim and his protege,
and Oklahoma Bill was anxiously
watching for the Blue Mountain stage
to bring back his friend, with later It'd.
tngs of 1.-THE kid" One morning the
stage failed to pull into Dickinson, and
the citizens of the town gathered in
groups to discuss the unusual occur
renee. I
III bet a dollar ag'in a dime that
thar's been a hOld-up," said One-eyed
Billings.
This was the general opinion until,
late in the afternoon, Nat Palmer, the
river of the stage, rode into Dickin-
$on supporting the form of a man across
he saddle in front Of him. He was in
'tantly surrounded by a mob of curious
cIuZens. |
What's the matter. Ned?" asked Old
kanuck.
Stage tipped over on Blue Mountain
spilled me an the only passenger
| had into Hazard Gulch. lift him
down, boys. I reckon he's mighty neal
done up"
why" exclaimed the bystanders, as
iueKless passenger was taken out
OF Palmer's arms; 'it's Gentleman
Jimr'
Gentleman Jim was carried into For
IW 49, ~