The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-29
T opiics Of
The Town

1t is not the custom to gamble IN any
form on Sunday in Butte. The cigar
slot machines even do not toss up any
royal fiushes on that day and dice con-
tests are not numerous. Yesterday
however, the air was full of gambling
sentiment and nearly everybody MAGE
some kind of a combination on the
weather proposition. All kinds OF pets
were made. Some men bet that II would
snow before shutdown and others olter-
ed big odds that it would rain, Whlle a
strong wind was the favorte. Inc sun
shone brightly and it was altogether
fine day. Many bikes were out, an ur-
failing sign OF a storm. AS II TO hauha
the red rag in the face of the bull, some
men had the temerity to appear at MD
day with their bike suits on. me
weather beheld the scene with mlld res,
ignation Occasionally the sun dropped
out of sight just long enough to set the
people to thinking. There were at least
800 boxes of cigars bet on the weather,
the pessimists, however, taking the
small end every time. The odds were
two and three to one that to-day would
be a wretched affair compared with
yesterday. There seems to be little talth
in the sincerity of the weather, which
at present does promise to be good, MI.
Johnson.
1t is while the, major portion OF
city's population is asleep, when the
hustle and hum of the busy thorough
fares is Subdued to a starlit pallor OF
quietude-then it is the narrowing side
of life is brought out in all it's hideous-
ness and startling effects. 1t Is not
necessarily the hour for the murderer
or the thug, the burglar orr the sneak
thief to ply his vocation, for the Grim
inal will as readily do his work in the
light of day as under the cover or dark
ness-it is the opportunity he seeks, not
always the hour. After midnight IN
Butte the army Of unfortunates, the
denizens of the slums, the hollow eyed
harlots, hungry saloon loungers, the
wretched opium, morphine and cocaine
fiends-all these living examples OF dis
tress, aimless wanderers on the face OF
a civilized, Christian world, emerge from
their hiberna ton and begin their V1gl
in the stiffness of the night. The NOISY
dive with it's gaudily dressed vampires
is one attraction, the cheap saloon OF
the slums has it's charms. 1t is brief
season of recreation after dozen hours
of restless, broken sleep, refreshing only
in the knowledge that the demands OF
nature have been obeyed.
The most distressing of all that is tc
be seen at this hour is the ''fend.' He
has succeeded in gathering together
two or three nickels. Into the drne
store he rushes and buys dip of NOR
phine or a charge of cocaine. He ap
plies it hypodermically and then {
spark of life lights up his emaciatet
countenance. He is now nerved up to {
conversant key and story of his life
| is reeled off.
l. The sad death of c. D .Jackman recall!
| the story he told to druggist a couple
| of weeks ago. He came to Butte with /
| broken heart. There was little of thu
| required ambition in him. He courtet
| death, yet he was by nature strons
man, and discountenanced the idea o
self destruction. His wife had died il
| Washington and he came here in TIL
hope of finding consolation in employ
ment and among strangers. His sor
row was deep rooted. He sought relic
| in drink. 1t was agreed between him
| self and his conscience to surrender en-
tirely to whiskey's fatal influence. Hi