, 1897-09-22

was for another deal. When 1t was over
he called another Jack TO the box and
walked cut through the passage way to
the door WIKI me. hardly know wheth>
er the action had any significance; pos
sibly It saved me a petty quarrel on the
street. but 1t was not heroic nor import,
ant.
On Che second evening a drunken man
was throwing away a larger sum than
usually passed owe these tables. and l
no,ed at the end OF a deal that the cards
did not count out right; there was one
missing. II others noted The fact, they
said nothing; but Jack looked at me
very hard, and came as near winkine
as professional dignity wruld allow. |
said nothing. Ell her. But my notes at
The office that night were better receiv>
ed than before. And it is a strange fact
hat, On the third nigh. in spite o. this
dollars was gone. and inves ed as much
more o: my own: gambled away, in fact.
all the money | had-some small bills,
and then a 50-cent piece, and finally
hree dimes and a nickel. | convinced
myself then that This was the last time
| should be such a fool; and one or two
lhings led me to stick to this resolution.
One, of course, was the evidence that
he game was not fair: ano her was that,
when l LEFT, I had to borrow the car
fare 20 take me down to the office. 1t
was Jack who lent 1t to me. City edi-
,Jrs should moi send to gambling dens
a ~yuungster who will go so far as that;
Tor himself. the youngster does well to
EEL that BORROWED nickel burning in his
hand long after he has given 1t to the
conductor.
| did not see Jack again for seven
years. That | knew him is not surpris-
ing: he was one OF the figures in my
early life in the big city. and his a face
hat one would never forget. That he
knew me-that may have been his bust
ness; it seems a little disquieting, how,
ever. to find that there are those who
~ HOL lolStl. L u just Dttl "lutltu
away ON another assignment, very dis-
ierent from that earlier one. Through
he crowd on Park row just after dusk
on a fearful night in November, | was
h%urrying along toward the bridge, when
suddenly l was hailed by a man in rags
(pitifully cold in his RACES, he looked,
who thrust forward a dirty hand and
grasped mine as IL it were the only
means OF warming even a small part of
his poor body. His face was the same
as OF old, but incomparably harder, cold
er, keener than it had been. Yet this
impression was only momentary; as he
called me Pard-he knew no other name,
and | could blush with shame. but not
resentment-there came into this fright
not yet familiar with, with all my nights
"a utility man in the city room. The
immortality was gone from that face
hat night: never have l seen a player
show more variety of expression han
followed from ONE to moment as he
spoke and | answered.
The man was hunted. This was at the
height Of the reformation that began in
New York a few years ago, during the
period when vice was really made un-
comfortable, and especially cheap vice,
such as his. The man was hungry; his
hin, white face was thinner and paler
1han belief. The scar was terrible.
'Pard." he said, give me 10 cents;
You may not believe it. but I'm starv-
ing!"
I have said his face changed as he
spoke; perhaps mine showed some vary
ing emotions. Here in this crowded and
.!ghted thoroughfare, it may not have
been pleasant to meet this man and shake
hands with him and hear him call me
Pard. In the brilliant saloon just there
were perhaps a dozen newspaper men
who would wonder at this as they came
out; the one who had just sent me away
on a confidential mission would pass di-
rectly. And then there is a certain pre-
JUDGE on the part OF the properly in
structed against the giving OF money on
he public street. For an instant l hest
aied. And then-there was something
in that face that no one would have re,
sisted.
Jack" l said. you're thirsty, any,
low." l took him into the saloon, and
when he asked for whisky l told the
Dirkeeper which brand. AS he heard it
his face-that hopeless, remorseless face
Of other days-lit up like a child's at
first glimpse o. a Christmas tree: when
he drank it the face looked almost child
iSh, almost as when the presents are ex-
amined. II all this were not literally
rue l should not think OF putting 1t
down here on paper.
He was telling me Of his bad luck. He
summed it up by saying:
Il haven't tasted that sort OF whisky
FOR a year.
We went out into the street again
the cold. cruel street, with its wind and
and crowds. He tried to thank
me, but the words were not familiar to
him. I was making of when he stop
ped me.
''Pard." he said, what l told you was
Il believe It. Jack"
Blu: I said I was hungry. 1 tell you
I am hungry-starving. Won't you give