Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1903-07-09
The Imp with / the
q 'et.d!-Rin ] Eyes.
By HENRY HILLS

B BY HENRY HILLS &
Copyright lso, BY Daily story Pub. Cos
AF all the unfortunate victims of
pure, unadulterated hard luck /
am the. most shining example. Two
short weeks ago 1 was a contented,
handsome, healthy young fellow in a
fine business position earning good
salary. and with almost a certainty of
advancement to further responsible
ties; I was the sfayorite nephew of
fabulously rich uncle and had been in
! formed that the bulk of his property
would come to me when he was
through with it, and this promised to
happen at any moment owing to his
npOplectic tendencies; was engaged
to the dearest and handsomest girl in
the world, who, beside charms such as
never beheld elsewhere, was an heir,
ess in her own right; I had friends by
the.hundreds and enjoyed popula rity
given to but few men; the doors of the
most exclusive society were cordially
open to me; I belonged to the best
clubs, lived at the best hotel and altos.
gether was most happy and envieds
young man. ~
Now all is changed. Tam a convictin
q common Jail with injuries which will
leave me partially blind and perman-
emily adisfgured. My reputation is
hopelessly ruined. My uncle has dis
Inherited me. My beloved girl has sew
cred relations with me and threat
1 ems to set the dog on me if ever come
I near her home. ! have been discharged
{ from my position with degree of ig-
1 nominy which precludes the POSSIBLE
4 ity Of obtaining any position Of trust
again. The newspapers are holding
me up to the world as a.warning and
an example to other young men until
my very name lisa stencil in the nos
( trils Of the community.
I And all this happened to me without
/ fault of mine through the queerest and
I most diabolical combinati ton of circum-
stances, which no foresight or wisdom
could have overcome, And through the
dark clouds Of my bitter fate see con-
! tinually the blinking eyes and malig-
uant face and tousled red hair of the
limp Of ten who started it all. And he
looks to my vision not at all a human,
but veritably like very emissary of
the evil one. r.,
Z amSgoing torelate my brief but
strange story in the hope that it will
.fall into the ha nds Of somebody who
will beieyezit and help start me right
again. 3.
\ Two weeks ago was sent by my en-
ployer to neighboring city (where
I am now in durance) to transact some
important business. It became neces-
sary for me, to look up an address and
II stepped into what appeared to be
hotel of about the second or third
class, which happened to be passing,
to consult directory. There were a
number of people in the Office and re-
marked that they appeared to be a
pleasant and amiable company. I
stepped to table upon which the city
directory lay and began my search.
Some impulse caused me to look up
and right at my elbow stood the oldest
looking being I ever saw.
He was shout ten years of age, 1
!. Judge, and small for his age. But his
face might have belonged to an adult.
{ He was leaning with both elbows on.
= the table, his chin propped in his hands,
:. His face was perfectly round and ex-
pression1ess. 1t might have belonged
to doll or puppet but for the pale
Z blue eyes which were round and full
I and seemed to be surrounded by q
streak of red as though his lids were
! inflamed and turned inside out. There
: was not suggestion of winker or la sh
! and he binked continually.Ih The ex-
Z preston in the eyes was the most ma
lignant have ever seen. He was freck-
: led and his hair was thin and red. When
j looked up he spoke in a shrill, high
keyed voice which had tone that sug-
I gested chronic apprehension.
= 81 don't remember SEEM you about
here before" he said.
smiled and replied: 'No, you never
have. I have never been here before. -
''What right have you to look at the
directory" he returned. That's for
people who belong here"
ION, presumed On the courtesy Of
the house" ! replied, good-naturedly,
and glanced about the room. Every
body was smiling and evidently enjoy
ing the episode. ''Besides,' resumed
81 thong Knight buy cigar and thus
become . customer of the house"
They don't.seH cigars herei" retort.
ID Che imp more shrilly than kefore.