The Press., 1897-12-23
Number 39.

"Only wish to heaven Harry hadn't been so fervent in his desire to have mo meet the fellow" he observed to him. self. 'sI suppose that. as he says. this man Ferguson is all right, but haven't time to go skating all over this town looking him up. 1 presume l ought to have gone and dug him out for Harry's sake long time ago. but keep forget ting it, and now I've involved myself in foolish mesh of lies about my ex- periences with Ferguson, whom I have not met, and whom, to tell the truth, I'm getting so don't want to meet. "
 Out in Pocatello Harry Howard was delighted with the tidings he received from Chicago. "It's a great satisfao- tion," he told himself, "to bring two good men together this way. It's really . noteworthy thing to be the author of a firm friendship between two first class people. Only hardly think I under stand this last letter of Ferguson s. I thought Walker had only two children, and here Ferguson writes me about his little girl. She must have been born in the last year. There were certainly only two boys when I passed through Chicago last summer. I'll send Ben my congratulations. ''
 When Walker received the sheet con- veying honest Harry Towards good wishes for the best and brightest future for little Miss Walker, he ran his fin gers through his hair and looked dazed. "When did say anything about new baby?" he wondered. "I must have written him some lie about that fel- low Ferguson's child. I think I have described the mans wife and children and father in law and the mortgage on his house in my communications with Howard. Harry's always asking new questions, and the chances are that Fer guson hasno family, and Howard thinks it was 8 slip of the pen and that I wrote about my own new baby-which I haven't got. Heavens, I wish this busi- ness had never startedl I wish I'd never promised to call on Ferguson. wish Ferguson would get run over by cable car or come to some definite and perma nent end. I'm getting to hate the very name of him. I'll bet he's a cheap skate anyhow who has imposed upon Towards good nature. Why should 80 drilling three miles into town just to meet him and say: How are you? I know a friend of yours I shan't do it."
 Ferguson had already come to simi- lar conclusion. Howard s a first class fellow, and he made things mighty pleasant for me in Pocatello," he req soned, "and it would have been no more than white for me to call on that friend of his at first, but I've got so blamed tired of the very mention of the name that it fills me with loathing. believe that If were to meet that pirate of Walker I'd want to throw bricks at him. thought the first lie told about him would let me out, but the falsehoods have multiplied upon themselves until don't remember half the facts I have reported concerning that outlaw whom l have never seen.
 Two weeks ago Ferguson and Walker met. Ferguson, entering the library of his club, was accosted by fellow mem Der, who introduced his visiting friend, Walker. The two glared at each other, and Ferguson hurried into the billiard room.
 "I have changed my mind about pre- senting all application for member ship" said Walker to the man who was escorting him. The next day Ferguson met the member who had introduced Walker and said, "I'm sorry, old man, but if it is your intention to offer that fellows name for membership I'll cer- tainly do my best to get him black balled. <
 And this was the consummation of Harry Howard s kindly designs of re- | viving Damon and Pythias.- Chicago Record.