Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1897-02-24

git quick r'turns. But I'll tell you some
of EN-. Stay awhile, after they go t
press, some night, an well ehaw IN
rag"
With all due gratitude to Bill for his
kindly interest in my affairs and the
painstaking way in which he impaired
to me those plots of his upon which
such successful bits of fiction were to
be builded, it must be said that his eff
forts to assist me were fruitless. Either
Bill sober forgot the principal features
OF the plots mapped out by Bill drunk,
or his listener was singularly obtuse
and failed to see things as Bill himself
did. AT any rate, am not going to tell
what became of the three or four man
uscrpts in which some of old Bills
ideas were embodied.
This saddened Bill and made him
morose. The last straw came in the
shape of note from an editorial
friend who had published a number of
sketches of mine, in which he frankly
stated his private opinion that | must
have an awful nerve to expect him to
read such rot, much less publish it.
handed the letter to Bill He read 1t
In silence, then, with some lurid pro-
family directed at editors in general,
turned and left the office.
At 5 O'clock In the afternoon he came
back, drunk and abusive, and wanted
what money was due him. | tried to
dissuade him, telling him we wanted
him to stay with the office awhile.
''T HI with you an tn office!" he
roared. Gimme my timer
But the banks closed, Bill" plead
ed Wont few dollars do until to-
morrow
Observation-Disclosures
l went out, cashed check with some
difficulty, and came back and gave Bill
his money. He went out growing.
Next morning he came in, showing
the effects of his debauch, and sat
down by the stove.
Ready to go to work, Bill?" asked
NO. I'm goin' t. hit tn road" he
said, gruffiy. "Cn ye let me have four
bits?"
Great Caesar, Bill! You won't quit
us, with all those jobs on the book %
| cried, in dlsmay.
might as well. Won't be any good
eff l stay" he replied, with considera-
Bile firmness do l git tn four bits"
He got 1t, and after shaking hands
all round, he disappeared In the direc-
tion of the railway station.
About six months later Bill fioated
into the office again. If he had been
sober during the interval, there GER
tainly was nothing about his appear
ance to indicate it. l have seen al
most every variety of bum and tramp,
but in all my experience cannot recall
meeting one of such thoroughly un-
wholesome appearance as old Bill pre-
sented that morning.
"Wie geht's, sonny?" he hiccoughed,
cheerfully, holding out a dirty paw.
Know me-"
surveyed him with ill-concealed
disgust, as | remarked:
1T is possible that bath and a bar
Der might disclose the face and form
of my old friend Bill. But now-great
Scott, Bill! Go and get a bath and a
haircut
He took the dollar gave him, chuck
led hoarsely, and left, to return in
about an hour somewhat improved In
appearance, and ready for work
Say" he remarked. as he took off
his coat, I've got tn best derned plot
f'r a short story We ever heard of. I'll
tell ye might
But, alas! 1t was like all the others
he had given me, and quite as value
less as those he subsequently impaired
10 me during his three weeks sojourn
with us. At the end of that time, he
departed In much the same manner as
before. He got drunk, went broke" T"
borrowed half-dollar again, and
walked out of town.
For the next three years he showed
up at intervals of five or six months
UeDdItluS IT'S lHHOCeil ol lutuuS uS
when he arrived, always, however,
with new suit of clothes. Never did
he fail to announce, upon his arrival,
that he had the best derned plot for
n story ever heard of. And never did
one of his ideas avail me anything.
A year or so after the death of the
always sickly Journal, of which l had
been editor-ln-chief from the begin
ming, l met Bill in Chicago. was
then "doing police" on one of the morn
Ing papers, and 1t was while attending
the Monday roundup at the old Ar
mory station that l became aware of
his presence. AS the police judge. az.
ter looking at the name on the sheet
before him, remarked something about
Jim Jams" being more appropriate
name than "IJams," glanced up, and
there, In the prisoners dock, was OLD
Bill. looking, oh! SO tough!-but with q