The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-27


count of very pious deacon of the
methodist persuasion, a cigar store
lottery, bicycle, silk hat, a collision.
ana that very pretty word d-n. (Not
the mother Of gelding, but another
kind)
PROLOGUE.
1t Is the purpose Of this story to
give little touch Of life in a big city
and the many pitfalls which surround
the unwary, especially those who are
so hemmed around with sacred influ-
ences that they see not the little temp
tations which surround them. and real
lie only the whoppers. There are but
two characters in the story, man and
bicycle. The first was old and Of the
model Of 1872. The latter was mod
ern, new tangled arrangement Of the
pattern Of 1896. Both wore rubber soles,
and in addition to that the former has,
or had until he met the bicycle, a
rubber soul. The word rubber is used
In the last connection to signify elias
ITCHY and flexibility. For the purpose
OF brevity the story will be divided into
chapters. The name of the principal
will be Deacon U. r. Hardpressed.
The name of the bicycle is omitted for
advertising space costs money.
THE DEACON.
He lived under the shadow of the
state capitol building and was a man
of picturesque personality This, now
ever, was not his fault so much as it
was the legitimate result of his cell
bacy. Since time immemorial Deacon
Hardpressed's clothes had not seen the
loving touch Of the clothes repair
bureau. He was man of iron nerve,
iron constitution, iron-clad beliefs and
iron-bound purse, although the con-
tents of the latter were more sugges-
tive Of aluminium, owing to it's light
weight. If eny one had told the dea-
con that he SO far forgot the narrow
path of rectitude as to patronize
game OF chance, his wrath would have
caused him a surfeit of cerebral agita-
ton. The deacon's only extravaganza
was now and then a copy Of a secular
magazine, too worldly for him perhaps.
but OF course he only bought it to look
over the advertisements.
Not more than a fortnight ago the
deacon went into a WabaSha street
cigar stand and bought copy of a well
known periodical. The bill was 25
cents, and, as the deacon turned to
leave the place, the proprietor thereof
hung over to him little white ticket.
You have all seen them. On top there
are numbers in red. Under the num-
bers are few words which explain
that the holder of the ticket IS en-
titled to one chance on a bicycle which
Will be drawn on the steenth day of
Septober. Below that the ticket re-
minds the purchaser that the White
Caulif1ower is the best scent cigar on
the market.
What's this. what's this 'seiecu1atad
the deacon. HFaugh, a lottery ticket,
an instrument of the world. flesh and
the devil Do they take me for =
gambler. I'll throw the thing away"
But did he? Nit. Into the innermost
insideness Of his shiny black coat went
little Mister Ticket, with a sudden
thrust which being interpreted mean
much. The deacon decided to think II
over, and after communing with him
sell Tor few moments, came to the
conclusion that it was no sin to merely
carry lottery ticket in his pocket
especially in view of the fact that he
did not buy it, ask it, seek it or paw
for it. He searched through his con-
science to find If there was any ruling
on such cases made and provided. But
the deacon's conscience was like a
modern dinner tablet could be ex-
tended or contracted to suit occasions.
Ihe deacon went home to his scam
meal and fumbled the ticket like a
miser fumbles the pIunks which a
single gold standard have amrnassed
for him. In his dreams he saw the
ticket with its mystic number 1913. and
the advertisement for the White CAN'T
flower cigar. The next day was Sun
day and the deacon fretted his falls.
teeth into nervous prostration because
he could not go down to the news
stand. Even when perusing the Old
Testament he read something about two
men drawing lots and wondered if they
had wheels in those days. That night
he was feyerish and could not sleep
Monday morning he called early at the