The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-03-19

Tho habit you have OF predicting
will get you into difficulties young
man" said Clarence la his most pou"-
rOgicai manner. e. ~
We lad been walking together Cor tho
sake Of our digestions. and ! had oeeh
tagking uD a young man we Dotn KEW. XIV,
WHO. as j viewed tho case, was starting
cut on the road that leads 10 ia''uio ="
thls life and pcrdition hereafter
CRY 10 break yourself OF the habit
Clarence went on, seeing That / ha1
nothing 20 say IN my own defence
suffered from Il once. ] can't say as
should Ike 20. that Il ever got me in'o
trouble. materially: but q; did cause me
a good deal OF yoXaion on more IMAM
one occasion .,.,
Then. when We had seated ourselves
for refreshments az a. small table pN
n window. whore one got satisfying
view OF the sidewalk traffic OF Broad
way. Clarence said II feel very mucn
inclined TO tell you tho story OF Fei-
ham" =.
Tell me another one
Read Il? oh. you're thinking or bui-
wc~ Iitton's novel Psha, ~ thlnh-
ing OF incidents that happened right here
IN New York some ten or dozen years
ago. Just listen now"
So arr,iied a match where Il would do
the most good and prepared 20 listen.
'eThe house where 7 met Pelham.
Clarence began. used 10 stand on lower
FIFTH avenue 4 great piano warehouse
occupies the site now. II had already
fallen from It's original dignity. as the
town mansion Of n well known family,
AMI respectable. but not fashionable.
people. mostly OF artistic ambitions. oc-
cunicd rooms In 70.
a. e. antr
Winshow. whose elder brother / had
known well. when Gus was a mere
baby. Gus had then irst settled down in
New York. after drifting about in the
West n good deal. That was the time
when Gus FIRST really began to make a
living with his pencil. and since then
his living has got better and better
every year. No. ne was not the subject
OF my mistaken prediction. Just wait
Gus introduced me TO two very
charming young women. whom he
called his 'chums' and colleagues OF the
brush In those days the bachelor girl
was not so frequently met with as she
IS now and so these two sisters. with
their dignihed. but free-and-easy man.
ner. and their air OF perfect self reliance,
interested me very much. They were a
charming novelty
Il was asked 10 call there again and 7
went And - was that evening that I
met n young man whom Gus introduced
rs the Gem He was not fashion
plate beauty. by any means. this Gen.
but according % my way Of judging. he
was about as prcpossessing young man
rs I ever set ewes on-dark hair and
fine gray eyes full Of intelligence. with
a dark silky beard that he had allowed
10 grow altogether in its own way. as
nature intended IT. His manner. as I
Il. ~
fecion Of ease and 10 use for once
French term-I don't often. YOU know
'hien-seance.' He see~ed to be always
smiling n smile Of satisfaction. as II he
found everything about him pleasant
and proper. and his smile. like his whole
manner was quiet.
"What made the Gem all the more
interesting-I may say at once that his
name was Pelham-was the account
Gus gave us OF the way Of their meet
ing. IL was at San Francisco at 2
hotel where Gus had stayed some days
waiting 10 hear from some friends in
New York who had found work for him
and were going 10 send him remittance
70 bring him across the continent. This
remittance had been delayed, and the
hotel clerk was beginning 20 give Gus
runlcasant looks. when Pelham. with
whom he had q billiard-rOOm acquain-
lance Of only twelve hours. asked him In
the plcasantest manner " he didn't
think the fellow at the desk rather
cheeky customer
You see. that was only P"lham's way
Of coaxing Gus into an admission OF his
awkward predicament. aud after that the
two of them became very friendly. and
the Gem walked down the street 70 a
hank. came back 20 the clerks desk with
n bundle Of big bills. and. after asking
for his own account, casually added. BY