Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1903-12-26
M
IBHeHs slIa:

heart. lie had been thinking of little
else than of carrying that fine voice of
his to market for n month or two past.
but his habit of putting things off was
native and rooted by habit. and what
with that and his pride and his not
quite knowing how to begin, his think.
ing had led to nothing.
DO you sing In ltalianT' asked the
manager. lingering the pile of music.
whats this? 'Spirito gentil!' Try
that. Mr.. Hackett."
NO" said Will; I'D rather not. |
can sing II In a way when know there's
nobody by to see where | go wrong in
the lingo. Here's My Pretty Jane I'm
not afraid of that. II you like"
"'My Pretty Jane by all Means
said the manager.
80 viii sang MY Pretty Jane" and
confirmed the good opinion the impor-
tant parsonage had formed Of him. The
man In possession stole into the hall To
listen. and so the vocalist had three more
auditors than he counted on or thought
about.
"And now" said Hackett. when his
song was finished and the applause was
over, "let us have n turn at the paste
sat down TO the table and began to play.
1t was the hosts style to play wildly,
and 80 II almost always happened that
he lost or won with great rapidly. To
night the run of the cards favored him,
and he won a great deal more than two
ut least of his guests could have desired
to lose. At last. what with his winnings
on that days racing. and his ruin Of
luck ut cards. he had more than enough
In hand to discharge his unwelcome Wis.
itor In the morning. lie grew radiant,
and he laughed louder than NIL his guests
| together.
There Is n gamblers superstition.
which. like all superstitions. will fulfill
itself ut times. 20 the effect that II IL a
fatal thing for winner TO count his
gains before the end Of the game. Mr..
Hnckctt went on plungingly. carrying all
before him. until he had made the calcu-
latiOn just mentioned. and then his luck
turned. His play was 10 less scientific
than 1t had bccn--that was impossible
but the seeming magic had gone out Of
his hand. and the pile before him dwin-
died, dwindled. dwindlcd and vanished.
Then he was for playing on credit: but
somehow his friends were all very tiinid
and sleepy on n sudden. and protested
with unanimity that 1t was really time to
be off, and that they could hardly see
the cards. There was no holding them
there by force. and they went their way.
And when they were outside. the theat-
rical manager laid hand Oh the shOul.
der OF the man who had called him Bob
and said he:
"Your friend seemed rather hard hit Mt
losing. didn't he!"
| "Wcll. you see. said the friend. In
friendly excuse, hes ON his Inst legs
poor be.gnr!"
"Oh! what's become OF the famii,
landy'
Like grandfather. like father. Like
father. like son."
"Ah! Does he drink? That fine voice
won't last long II he does"
"Oh. he takes his glass like the rest
Of MS. That's ALL"
~'There's money In that voice." said
the manager after u minute or two OF
reveric. mot 40 much nv l said ut frs,
perhaps. but money. lie wants a practi
cal man behind him. On his last legs, Il
he? What does he do for n living?"
Nothing"
"M-m. think III give him look
up tomorrow"
Meantime Hackett snt staring at the
ornamental tire-paper In the crate. Three
months married. Not n half.dollar In tn.
world. And then the Man In Possession
Well. He was told by man who ought
to know that his voice was worth two
thousand u year to him. How could 4
man with a treasure like that come Il
grief lie sat thinking until he fel
asleep.