The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-25
tcopyr,sht, 1902, py> Robert Howard

1900 Eusscll.)
II canno, be said, my children, that
liked my position in that sink of evil.
\ the New York Customs. was on good
! terms with my comrades. but found no
friendships among them. 1t has been
.,5,3 SIN IS a notion of mine, and one
formed at an carly age. that everybody
bears suggestive resemblance to some
i bird or Ash or beast. I've seen human
/ .serpents face In my time. triangular.
: poisonous. menacing with ophtdian eyes;
$ I've seen a doves face. soft. gentle,
harmless and with lips that cooed as
! they framed and uttered words And
! there are faces to remind one OF dogs
(. of snecp, OF swine. Of eagles OF pike
= tas.aye:lous, w5de-.nouthed swift. I've even
encountered a bears face on Broadway.
one fui. of window-peering curiosity, yet
showing o contented. sluggish sagaclty.
.. Wiinal And every face about me IN the
:. Customs would carry out my theory. AS
+ Z glanced from Lotns to 4uin. and from
Quin TO another, and so to the last
upon the list. [ beheld reflected as In
a glass. hawk or an owl. or a wolf.
or a fox, or ferret, or even a cat But
ea oh rapacious: each stamped with the
instinct of probation as though the word
-eyolfs' was written across the fore
head Even BeteInut Jack gave one the
! Impression that belongs with some old.
small rusty black-eagle with worn and
1u,nblcd plu1nage. / took no Joy OF my
| comrades: saw no more of them than I
. might: despiscd my trade of land pirate
for what else could it be called ?-and
following that warning from Josephus'
| was ever haunted Of a weird fear OF
what might come. Still. remained and
claimed my lot with the rest. And you
. ask why? When all is said, I was as
voracious as the others. I clinked the
-. N1oS sol
against the dubious character Of such
profits with that thought of Vespa sian:
THE smell Of all money is sweet
Following my downfall of tobacco, I
had given up my rich apartments In
Twenty-second Street; and while I re-
tanned my membership, I went no more
to the two or three clubs into which Id
been received. In truth. these Custom
House DAYS seldom strolled as far
northward as Twent,r Street; but
taking a couple of moderate rooms to
the south of Washington Square, stuck
to them or to the park in front as much
as ever 1 might: passing a. lonely life and
meeting none I'd known before.
One bright. sun-filed September after
noon, being free at that hour, I was oc-
cu:,ring a bench in Washington Square,
amusing my idieness with the shadows
s.seuuered across the walk from an over
spreading tree. sound caught my ear;
I looked up 10 be mildly amazed by the
appearance of Betelnut Jack. It was
.se.ie7n.,; my chief was found SO far from
his eylie in the -Bowery: evidently he
was ceel..ng me. his first words averred
as much.
II was over to your rooms remarked
Betelaut Jack; they told me you were
here
Then he gave me pure Havana-for
we of the Customs might smoke what
cigars We would|ighted another and be-
tcas himself to few moments of frag-
rant wordless tranquility. L was aware
Of course. that Betelnut Jack had dis
1inct purpose in coming: but curiosity
was never among my vices, and did
no, ask his mission. With a. feeling of
Indifference. waited its development in
his own good way and time
Eetelnut Jack was more apt to listen
than talk; but this Washington Square
afternoon he SO far departed those habits
of taciturnity commonly his own. as to
furnish the weight of conversation. He
did not hurry to his business, but ram
1. Iled among a score of topics. He even
described to me by what accident he ar
rived at his nom de plume of Betelnut
!. Jack. He said he was sailor in his far
away youth. Then he related how he
/ went on deep-water ships to India and
4
! chew betel from the Orientals; how after
die came ashore he was still addicted to
t't,etel; how physician ignorant Of betel
tand their crimson masticatory conse-
1 Quences. fell into vast excitement over
What he conceived to be a perilous hem
forrhage: and how, before Jack could eX-
iplain, seized on him and hurried him into
Ia nearby drug shop. When he under
fstood his mistake, the physician took it
Lfn dudgeon. and was inclined to blame
lack for those sanguinary yet fraudu-
2,ent symptoms. One result of the adj
Eventure was to rechristen him "Betel-
fnut Jack the name still sticking. albeit
3l1e had for long abandoned betel as a
ftaste outgrown.
Betelnut Jack continued, touching his
/ career In New York; always with eau
ton. however, slurring some parts and
humping others; from which argued
fthat portions Of my chiefs story We're
f.nade better by not being divulged. 1t
occurred. too as a deduction drawn from
ftis condolences that Betelnnt Jack had
been valorous as a know-Sothing; and
he spoke with rapture of the great prize
fighter, Tom Hyer, who bea@ Yankee
Sullivan; and then Of the tistic virtues
! OF the brave Blu Poole, coming near to